But wine traditions are so rooted in European society that they'll be difficult to change, he said.

"There's so much tradition associated with Port, and sometimes, that really can be a hindrance," he said.

A vaguely "historical" tradition says that Port should be passed from the host to his or her left around the table — clockwise. Research by George Sandeman's relatives showed that it's likely based on Homer's Iliad, in which a mention is made of Hephaestus pouring wine from right to left for the gods.

Sandeman laughs at this. "What difference does it make? Absolutely none! The thing of it is, however, that most people are right handed, and it's simply convenient to pour from the right hand and offer the decanter to the next person's right hand as well."