I rather like this idea of selling wine in ever-smaller packages. After all, I'm a huge fan of the half-bottle. But this is a great idea for self-education, allowing drinkers to sample, in 2- or 3.5-ounce doses, wines from many different regions. (Two ounces is about one large "shot," while 3.5 ounces is about 70 percent of a normal single-glass pour of wine.)

The sample image shows a tube labeled Saint-Emilion. But if, say, you’re trying to learn about Bordeaux and you could get a set that includes typical wines from each of the major appellations of the Bordeaux region (Saint-Julien, Pomerol, Margaux, Saint-Estephe, Graves)? Little, inexpensive tubes of each could be a valuable tool.