In general, this rule applies. Sweet wines make dry wines taste tart. Fat-bodied and luscious, they can make dry wines seem stingy and thin. But don't relegate sweet wines solely to the end of a meal. A small glass of Sauternes, Muscat de Beaumes de Venise or Tokaji makes a deliciously satisfying aperitif. It has even been argued that sweet aperitifs are good for weight loss because - as my mother used to say about sweets before dinner - they spoil your appetite. Another classic exception is to serve a Sauternes or a similar 'sticky' early on with foie gras.

Young before old

Conventional dogma is to serve young red wines before old, a mantra duly recited by wine enthusiasts everywhere. I disagree. Young wines are usually more full-powered, fruity, tannic and oaky than old ones. Why exhaust your taste buds on callow wines that steal the limelight from a mature wine's elegant complexity? Besides, if old vintages are served late in the meal, their graceful nuances may be unappreciated by palates already sated by too many glasses. The thinking behind this absurd tradition is to save the best for last. Some would attribute its origins to the Biblical story of the wedding at Cana where, after Jesus converted water into wine, the chief steward observed, 'Everyone brings out the choice wine first then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.' Or words to that effect.

Light before heavy

Serve light wines before heavy, otherwise the full-bodied vintages will overwhelm the delicate aromas and flavours of the light wines. This is consistent with my advice to serve old wines before young as mature wines are almost always lighter than their younger counterparts. Usually the more lightly coloured a wine, the leaner its body. However, some white wines, such as gewurztraminer, are heavier than most roses and even some red wines, such as the delicate pinot noirs from Germany. This guideline is mostly effective because the wine sequence aligns with the culinary tradition of serving light before heavy dishes.

White before red

In general the theory holds, but don't be tied to this rule. As mentioned above, some white wines can be heavier than some reds. Besides, white wines can serve as palate refreshers. I once attended a dinner where champagne was served after the main course with the salad. It was riotously refreshing. The type of food served is a factor that throws guidelines into disarray.

Debra Meiburg is a Master of Wine.