I know this term for beer only, not wine and/or cheese, but that could just be a regional thing.

Around here, some pubs with many beers on tap will offer you a flight (you have to pay for it, of course) of 4 or 5 different draft brews in slightly-larger than shot-sized glasses.

Then you decide which pint(s) you want.

But no, I don't know the origin.