What is your goal to begin a sexual relationship? Immediately upon offically dating? One month after officially dating? Even longer? Do communicate you want to wait, right off. Then there wont be tensions or expectations upon meeting.

My suggestion when you meet is to genuinely get to know him. Watch his behaviors and nuances, listen to what he says and consider it deeply, have fun and do a lot of activities that engage you both, outside of a private setting at first. Figure out what you do and don't like about him. Get to know him on an emotional, personal level and be honest with yourself about how you feel.

You don't want to appear uninterested, so keep "busy and distracted" together. Have fun with him and engage with him in non-sexul ways. Be playful and just yourself.
You said its been a LONG time since you've had a really intimate sexual experience, so holding off with a good guy should help you achieve that again. There is nothing wrong with being a little flirty or teasing, as long as you can control yourself and learn to feel satisfaction from smaller expressions such as that. You don't have to completely starve the sexuality out of eachother.

That advice is assuming you can see him regularly.. If it will be long distance relationship with few visit I am sorry to say it is likely sex will be more complicated, but not a hurdle you can't jump.