There are all kinds great places around Los Angeles to visit to taste wine. A couple of hours up the 101 and you’ll find yourself in Santa Barbara wine country, while an hour and a half down the 15 will land you in Temecula. And if you don’t want to drive out of town then there’s no shortage of places to taste wine right here in the city, but there are some things you should know before you go tasting because, while wine tasting is a social event, it’s not quite the same as happy hour.

Here are eight simple rules to follow when attending a wine tasting event.