Bottle one: the welcome
Open something with energy. It might be traditional-method sparkling, pét-nat or a crisp, alcohol-free aperitif. The point is not grandeur; it is to give everyone a glass while coats are still being taken and the kitchen is pretending to be calm.
Bottles two and three: the whites
Choose one clean, bright white and one with more texture. The first handles salty snacks, green vegetables and the opening plates. The second has enough weight for richer sauces, roast fish or the guest who simply prefers white all evening.
Bottles four and five: the reds
Make one red juicy and flexible, then give the other a little more depth. The lighter bottle can be served cool and poured early. The fuller bottle can wait for the main course, cheese or the point at which everybody has settled properly into the table.
Bottle six: the wildcard
This is where you make the case feel personal. Pick the bottle you have been curious about, a local producer, a half-bottle of something sweet or a digestif to pour in small glasses. It does not need to please everybody. It only needs to start a good conversation.
A case is a plan, not a target
Six bottles on hand does not mean six bottles must be opened. Keep water moving, offer no-alcohol choices with the same care, and let the pace of the table decide what comes next. Any unopened bottle has simply become the beginning of another evening.