How to host a blind wine tasting
How to host a Blind Wine Tasting
It has recently been brought to our attention that the new cool thing to do at all of your upcoming parties, shindigs, hootenannies and back yard BBQs is to hold a Blind Wine Tasting.
Yep – you heard it here first – all the cool kids are doing it.
Not only is it an excellent way to try some new and amazing vinos that you may have never considered when fully capable of sight, it’s a great excuse to get rid of those random wines you were gifted by your in-laws that have been sitting on the bottom shelf of the wine rack for the last two years. And who knows – maybe there’s a hidden gem there that’s been going to waste!
So – for your tasting pleasure – we are proud to present the patented 6ft6 Wines Guide on how to host a truly amazing Blind Wine Tasting.
Download the Blind Wine Tasting Sheet here
Supplies needed for a blind wine tasting:
6 random bottles of wine (preferably a mix of varietals, reds, whites, etc) – make sure to chill them all or have them all at room temp, regardless of whether you’re supposed to or not, otherwise the temperature is a dead giveaway
6x brown paper wine bags, labeled 1-6. Your local bottle-o should be able to help you out here
Enough 6ft6 Blind Wine Tasting sheets (download) for however many people you’ve managed to rope into this shenanigan, and a pen each
1x wine glass for each taster and a jug of water for swishing and palette cleansing
And enough blindfolds to cover the eyes of all participants – no peeking!
You will also need one generous person to be the designated referee, wine pourer, note taker and scorer*. Unfortunately this poor soul will not get to partake in the blind tasting – they can, however, drink as much of the vino as they like when everyone’s eyes are closed – so it’s not all downside.
How to play:
- Blindfold all of your participants and tell them that if they peek they don’t get any wine
- Have the designated referee pour a taste of Bottle #1 into each tasters’ glass
- Tell the participants to sniff and swirl, warm up the wine with their hands if they so desire and go around the circle asking each one what they smell and if they want to hazard a guess as to what the wine is. The referee should note down each person’s musings and guesses
- The part you’ve all been waiting for – have a taste – go around the circle again – have their predictions changed? What can they taste?
- Remove the blindfolds and reveal the wine! Discuss your findings! Did anyone guess correctly? By taste? Or smell alone? What could you smell? Fruit? Oak? Alcohol? And what could you taste?
- Repeat with Wine #2 and so on and so forth
Bottoms up!
*If you’re a competitive bunch, you may like to keep score and offer a prize for the “winner” – but let’s be honest, you all just got to look like idiots and taste 6 (hopefully) delicious vinos – you’re all winners in this game.
Take a wine quiz
In the meantime take our online quizes to test your wine IQ and find out your wine match.
