The part of a blind wine tasting that interests me most is the decision before the reveal. Which wine would I choose if I couldn't see the winery name, the price, or a critic's score?
For a first evening at home, I'd make that the main question. My setup would use four wines with their identities concealed, giving everyone time to write down a preference before we discuss the bottles. Guessing the grape or region could be part of the evening, without making a correct guess the measure of whether someone enjoyed the tasting.
The setup takes a little care. A distinctive bottle or a visible cork can give away more than you'd think.
Choose the comparison before choosing the wines
I'd begin with a single grape and a reasonably similar price range. Four Pinot Noirs, for example, give us a common starting point while leaving plenty to notice in the glass.
For a regional comparison, I'd look for similar vintages and prices. Other differences will remain, so I'd judge the bottles we opened without drawing conclusions about an entire region.
A price comparison is another option. In that case, I would deliberately vary the prices while keeping the wine styles reasonably comparable. Record actual purchase prices, since a sale or club discount can change the value discussion.
Tell guests what they know and what stays hidden
For this version, I'd announce the grape but keep the producer, region, and price hidden. That gives newer wine drinkers something to work with.
The voting needs to be agreed before pouring. Everyone will name a favorite, optionally rate each wine, and write one reason for the choice. We will reveal the bottles after those initial decisions are recorded.
If guests are bringing wines, give each person the same brief, including any price range. One person should collect the bottles away from the table and prepare them. Otherwise, a guest may recognize a familiar bag or watch their bottle being placed in the lineup.
Whoever prepares the bottles will usually know the answers. They can still taste and discuss the wines, but I'd leave their vote out of a blind-only group result.
Hide the whole identity and keep a reliable key
I'd remove the packaging and put each bottle in a matching opaque bag or sleeve, covering identifying labels and neck details. The bags need numbers that are easy to see and won't slip off during pouring.
Before the tasting begins, make a private key showing the number, producer, wine name, vintage, region, and price. Put corks, capsules, receipts, and shopping bags out of sight.
Bottle shapes can still be clues. If that matters to the comparison, I'd pour out of sight or transfer all the wines to identical serving vessels in the same way. I wouldn't decant a sparkling wine into an ordinary open carafe for this purpose. For a first event, still wines make the setup simpler.
Check the key one last time against the bottles. After a roomful of people has recorded notes about Wine 3, discovering that the numbering is wrong would be a frustrating way to end the evening.
Keep the serving conditions consistent
I'd use similar glasses, equal sample sizes, and comparable serving temperatures within the flight. If one bottle has been sitting in a warm kitchen and another just came from the refrigerator, we're adding a difference that wasn't part of our question.
About one ounce per wine would be my starting pour. Measure it before the party and explain that people can spit, skip samples, or leave wine in the glass.
Four glasses per person make it easy to compare all four wines side by side. Two glasses per person also work if we taste in pairs. One glass means tasting sequentially and comparing more from memory.
For a stronger comparison, I'd vary the starting wine around the table: some people begin with Wine 1, others with Wine 2, and so on. We can still write notes against the same bottle numbers. That helps keep the first or last pour from always being the same wine for everyone.
Let everyone write before the conversation starts
I'd ask for a minute or two of quiet observation before discussing each wine. Once somebody announces a specific aroma, it can become difficult to decide whether you noticed it yourself.
My notes would start with what I can describe in ordinary language. Does the wine smell like fresh fruit or something more cooked? Does it feel light or full? Does it leave a drying sensation? Do I want another taste?
WSET's guide to tasting wine offers a useful explanation of smelling and tasting. For this evening, I want people to notice enough about their glass to explain what they like.
An example note might read: "Wine 2: red fruit, lighter feel, a little drying at the end. I'd choose it with dinner." That gives us something specific to discuss when the labels come off.
Use a scorecard that leaves room for an opinion
I'd use a simple five-point preference scale. My version would be 1 for a wine I wouldn't choose, 3 for one I enjoyed, and 5 for a wine I'd actively seek out. The numbers are a personal shortcut; this is not a professional scoring system.
Here's the scorecard I'd print or copy for each guest:
| Wine | Smell and flavor notes | Texture and finish | My rating from 1 to 5 | Would I buy it again |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||
| 2 | ||||
| 3 | ||||
| 4 |
For a group result, I'd count first-choice votes and allow ties. I'd also ask everyone to give one reason for their favorite. An average score can hide a wine one guest loved and another disliked; those reactions are worth discussing.
Record the votes before revealing the prices
Once everyone has chosen, I'd collect the first-choice votes and photograph or set aside the completed scorecards. Then I'd reveal the bottles in number order.
Show the producer, wine, vintage, and region first, with the prices afterward. That lets us talk about the original notes before turning the evening into a value comparison.
At that point, I'd ask two separate questions: Which wine did you prefer without the label, and which would you buy at the price actually paid? Those answers can reasonably be different.
The result belongs to that group and those bottles. It doesn't establish that expensive wine is never worth buying or that one region makes better wine than another.
Leave room to question a bottle and keep the useful notes
If one wine seems unexpectedly unpleasant, I'd set it aside and consider whether something might be wrong with that particular bottle. Check the glass as well. A single odd sample wouldn't be a sound reason to dismiss a winery, and identifying an actual fault may take more than one smell.
I'd save each bottle's identity beside the notes written before the reveal. Plan Wine Tasting's Tasting Notes section provides a place to keep notes after signing in; a notebook is equally workable.
The companion guide to planning a wine tasting party at home covers invitations, food, equipment, and a sample budget. Transportation still needs to be arranged before drinking begins. Small samples and spitting do not establish that someone can drive safely; NIAAA's hosting guidance explains why planning a sober driver or another ride home matters.
Before clearing the table, I'd photograph each guest's favorite beside its label. Those are useful bottles to remember when planning the next winery visit.