Oenophiles unite to taste the latest in party flavors: wine.

As the rain beat down on Carol Tate’s Virginia Beach home, Linda Bergman stood ready, a corkscrew in one hand, a bottle of Bargetto in the other. With a twist of her wrist she uncorked a party.

She splashed a bit of the 2005 pinot grigio into the glasses of about a dozen guests. They inhaled, swirled and finally tipped the straw-colored California wine to their lips.

Sure beats burping Tupperware.

The idea is the same: Invite a collection of grown-ups – and their checkbooks – to play, then show them the product line. Half a century after Tupperware introduced home-party sales, the concept has expanded to include cookware, lingerie, craft supplies, candles, tableware, fine art and adult toys.

And now, wine.

ARTICLE: Better than Tupperware – host a wine party (The Virginian-Pilot – HamptonRoads.com/PilotOnline.com)