Wine
How to Host a Blind Tasting at Home, According to the Pros
March 11, 2025
Blind tasting can feel intimidating, though it’s undeniably one of the best ways to learn about wine—and bringing the practice to your own home can create the ideal ambiance for honing your skills. “Blind tasting allows people to unbiasedly evaluate a wine,” says Lindsay Koblitz, sommelier at Sommsation. Koblitz notes that not seeing the bottle eliminates preconceptions, allows for objective tasting, and creates better focus, making it easier to identify similarities and differences between wines.
However, knowing a few things about preparation, wine selection, and analysis are key to setting up a flawless blind tasting set up at home. Not sure where to begin? We’ve enlisted the help of two of our expert sommeliers to weigh in on how to set up and execute a blind tasting at home. Follow the steps below and get your bottles (and decanters / bottle covers) ready!
Preparation
As with any at-home tasting or event, preparation is key–and our pros have the steps to ensure that all of your bases are covered. “When I host blind tastings, I typically have a different glass for each wine for every person so that all of the wines can be tasted side by side,” says Victoria Love, sommelier at Sommsation. “This helps people not have to remember everything about the wines as they move to the next and can go back and forth.” Additionally, Love recommends pouring and serving all wines from decanters if possible, so as to avoid deriving guesses from bottle shapes, capsules, or potential wax residue.
In terms of additional supplies, Love also likes to have an aroma / flavor wheel on the table, as well as a notepad or piece of paper at each station for taking notes. Beyond plain paper, Koblitz likes to include tasting grids, so as to keep the tasting structured. “Before beginning, it's helpful to go over the tasting grid, in case people have never seen one before,” she says. “And don't forget dump buckets, water, and of course, plenty of snacks!”
Wine Selection
Koblitz advises starting with wines that are varietally correct, as they provide a solid foundation for blind tastings. “Avoid very inexpensive bottles, as they might not have attributes or characteristics that are easily identifiable,” she says, highlighting $25 a good starting price point. Love selects wines with both similarities and contrasts to encourage comparison, recommending the following examples.
Same grape but from different regions: Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre (France) alongside one from New Zealand and/or Napa.
Same grape and region, but different vintages: A 20-year-old Napa Cab vs. a 10-year-old and current release expression
Entry level vs. high end expression of same grape/blend and region: Côtes du Rhône vs. Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Variety from the same region but made differently: Oaked vs unoaked, for example
Koblitz notes that if hosting, you can choose to provide all of the wines yourself, or ask everyone to bring a bottle. “Either way, be sure to choose a theme, region, or a few different grape varieties—and if guests are bringing a bottle, give them a little direction and assign them a grape/region to purchase,” she says, stating that this helps to keep continuity between wines, as well as ensures that no duplicates are brought. “I like adding at least one bottle that is more unique, unexpected, or ‘weird’ just for the fun of it,” she reveals.
Analysis and Reveal
With regards to how to blind taste, Love recommends sticking to the ‘5 S’ method: See, Swirl, Smell, Sip, Savor/Spit.
See: Evaluate the wine by color, clarity, and intensity of color
Swirl: Swirl wine in glass to open the wine, release aromas, and reveal alcohol content (legs/tears)
Smell: Evaluate the intensity of smell and specific aromas
Sip: Taste the wine and evaluate its structure (tannins, acid, sugar, body, alcohol) and flavors
Savor: How long is the finish? Do I personally enjoy this wine?
Allow everyone time to analyze the wine, take notes, and make their guesses, then go around the room and share final deductions. Once everyone has shared their thoughts, bring the bottle to the table for the final reveal. Above all, be sure to keep the tasting as a judgment-free zone, so as to allow everyone to taste and assess in a comfortable environment. “Blind tasting can often be seen as gimicky or a party trick, but it really helps evaluate wine without judgement,” says Love. “When you have no preconceived ideas of the wine you can really break it down.”
To view our upcoming Wine Tasting Experiences or to book a Private Blind Tasting led by one of our expert sommeliers, click here.
