Want to learn about wine? Order a flight rather than a glass

If you want to taste the unexpected, challenge yourself to order a flight of wines rather than a standard glass at a restaurant. A flight is where guests will “share” glasses of wine via divided pours in each glass.

“I pour people a flight and they say ‘this wasn’t what I expected,’” said Richie Hovden, general manager at Santa Rosa’s Rosso.

“People love to taste the unexpected.”

Hovden said tasting through flights allow you to compare and contrast wines which is the best way to learn.

I agree wholeheartedly. You’ll be able to taste the difference between fruit-?forward wines and those that are tart with high acid.

You’ll also be able to tell the difference between roses that are produced from grenache, which have strawberry fruit, from those that are produced from cabernet sauvignon, which are infused with black currant.

Hovden said he has 130 labels available to create flights. Fifty percent are from the United States, predominantly California, while the other 50 percent are international in scope.

“People like to expand their horizons and it’s our job to help them expand,” he said.

Here’s a list of restaurants that have interesting flight options, but don’t be afraid to ask elsewhere.

Rosso Pizzeria, rossopizzeria.com, 707-544-3221, 53 Montgomery Dr., Santa Rosa. A flight of four, three-ounce pours is $23.

La Salette, lasaletterestaurant.com, 707-938-1927, 452 1st St. E Suite-H, Sonoma. Flights of three, three-ounce pours, either of Portuguese or local wines, white or red, are $17-$20. Port flights of three, one-ounce pours are $13-$51.

Brava Bar de Tapas, starksrestaurants.com, 707-433-7700, 420 Center St., Healdsburg. Here flights are of dry or sweet Spanish Sherry, and three, one-ounce pours are $10.

Wine Writer Peg Melnik can be reached at 707-521-5310 or peg.melnik@pressdemocrat.com.