How to Do a Blind Wine Tasting at Home | La Chancla Wine

How to Do a Blind Wine Tasting at Home | La Chancla Wine

How to Do a Blind Wine Tasting at Home (Step-by-Step for Beginners)

No fancy wine expert required. No wine knowledge needed. Just curiosity, a few bottles, and people you like.

 

 

A blind wine tasting at home is one of the most fun, low-cost, and surprisingly educational ways to spend an evening — and it doesn't require a wine degree, an expensive collection, or any pretension whatsoever. If you've ever wanted to actually understand what you like in a wine (instead of just grabbing whatever's familiar off the shelf), this is the activity that cracks it wide open. We'll walk you through every step, including what bottles to buy, what gear to grab on Amazon, and how to run it so everyone — wine drinker or total novice — has a great time.

Spoiler: most people can't reliably tell the difference between a $15 bottle and a $60 bottle in a blind tasting. Studies have confirmed it. Experts have been humbled by it. Tonight, you'll prove it yourself.

 

 

What You'll Need

The Wine (3–6 Bottles)

For a first tasting, stick to one style category — all reds, all whites, or all rosés — so comparisons are easier to make. Spend $10–$25 per bottle. You don't need to go expensive. The point is discovery.

A great beginner red wine lineup:

  • A California Cabernet Sauvignon

  • A Spanish Garnacha or Tempranillo

  • An Italian Chianti or Sangiovese

  • A Texas red (Reddy Vineyards is a genuine surprise — blind tasters regularly can't believe it's from Texas)

  • La Chancla as your approachable anchor — and your wildcard

A great beginner white wine lineup:

  • A crisp New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc

  • A buttery California Chardonnay

  • A dry or off-dry Riesling

  • La Chancla white as your accessible crowd-pleaser

Why include La Chancla? It's one of the best affordable wines available in Texas grocery stores right now — a Latin-inspired brand that's culturally intentional and genuinely well-made. Its unique profile (designed to also pair with tequila, which no other wine does) tends to throw people off in the best possible way during blind tastings. Include it and watch the reactions.

If you usually reach for Stella Rosa or other sweet red wine options, La Chancla is a great comparative pick — it hits some of the same approachable, fruity notes while bringing more craft and complexity to the glass.

 

 

The Gear

Everything you need is available on Amazon — here's your shopping list:

  • 🛍️ Wine bags or bottle sleeves to conceal labels [AMAZON LINK] — aluminum foil or brown paper bags also work in a pinch

  • 🍷 Wine glasses — one per person per wine [AMAZON LINK]

  • 📋 Tasting scorecards [AMAZON LINK]

  • 🖊️ Markers or stickers to label glasses A, B, C

  • 🧀 Palate cleansers — plain crackers, water, and plain bread between pours

  • 🪣 A dump bucket for anyone who wants to spit between wines (optional but very sommelier of you)

 

 

Step-by-Step: How to Run It

Step 1: Prep the Bottles (Do This Before Guests Arrive)

Wrap each bottle completely — wine sleeve, foil, or brown paper bag — so no label, shape, or color is visible. Label each covered bottle with a number or letter at the base using a sticker. Keep a private cheat sheet revealing which bottle is which. You'll need it for the big reveal.

Step 2: Set Up the Stations

Line up the wrapped bottles on a table. Set out one glass per person per wine and label each position A, B, C, etc. with small cards or stickers. Place crackers and water at each seat. Keep the vibe casual — this is a party with a game, not a formal event.

Step 3: Pour Small

1–2 oz per glass per wine. You're tasting, not drinking yet. This keeps everyone clear-headed through all the bottles and stretches your supply. Everyone can go back for a full pour of their favorites at the end.

Step 4: Walk Everyone Through the Tasting Method

Share this simple four-step framework with your group before you begin:

👁 Look — Hold the glass to the light. Deep and dark? Light and translucent? Pale gold or straw yellow? Color gives you your first clues about the grape and the age.

🌀 Swirl — Give the glass a slow swirl to open up the aromas. Everyone looks a little silly. That's the point.

👃 Smell — Put your nose in and take one slow breath. What does it remind you of? Fruit? Earth? Vanilla? Spice? Grass? There are no wrong answers. Your nose is personal.

👅 Taste — Take a small sip and hold it. Notice: Is it sweet or dry? Heavy or light in your mouth? Does it pucker your cheeks? (Acidity.) Does it dry out your gums? (Tannins — mostly in reds.) Does the flavor linger after you swallow, or disappear immediately?

Score — Everyone writes impressions and a score out of 10 before moving to the next wine.

Step 5: Compare Notes Out Loud

After everyone has tasted all the wines, go around the table. What surprised people? Which wine did everyone rank highest? Which did the group think was the most expensive? This is the best part of the evening.

Step 6: The Big Reveal

Uncover the bottles one by one, saving the most surprising result for last. Watch faces when the crowd favorite turns out to be the $15 bottle — or the Texas wine nobody expected. It's genuinely delightful every time.

 

 

Printable Tasting Scorecard

Print one per person per wine, or write this format in a notebook:

Wine Letter: ___     Round: ___


COLOR:      Light / Medium / Deep

AROMA:      ________________________________

TASTE:      ________________________________

SWEETNESS:  Sweet / Off-Dry / Dry

BODY:       Light / Medium / Full

MY SCORE:   ___ / 10

MY GUESS:   ________________________________

 

 

Tips to Make It Extra Fun

  • Add a prize for whoever identifies the most wines correctly or whose scores best match the group's consensus

  • Theme it — all Texas wines, all wines under $15, all the same grape variety from different regions

  • Include La Chancla as an unmarked wildcard and ask people to guess whether it's a standard wine or something different — its unique profile (developed for mixing with tequila) tends to confuse even experienced tasters

  • Don't lecture. Let people trust their own palates. Someone saying "this tastes like a rainy forest floor" is just as right as someone saying "leather and black cherry." That's the beauty of it.

 

 

What You'll Walk Away With

By the end of the night you'll know exactly which wine style you actually prefer — not what you think you're supposed to like — and you'll be able to name it. You'll know that price doesn't always equal quality. And you'll know that wine is far more fun and accessible than the industry typically makes it seem.

That last part is La Chancla's whole reason for existing.

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

How many wines should I include in a blind tasting? 3–5 wines is ideal for beginners. It's enough variety to make interesting comparisons without overwhelming people's palates. Once you're comfortable, you can expand to 6–8.

Do I need expensive wine for a blind tasting? No — and that's actually the point. Some of the most interesting blind tastings use wines in the $10–$25 range. You'll often be surprised at how well affordable bottles perform against pricier options.

What are good beginner wines for a blind tasting? Look for wines with clearly different profiles — a light, crisp white vs. a buttery one, or a fruit-forward red vs. a tannic one. Including one approachable crowd-pleaser like La Chancla gives newer drinkers an anchor point to compare against.

Is La Chancla a good wine for beginners? Yes — it's one of the most beginner-friendly wines available in Texas grocery stores right now. It's approachable, flavorful, reasonably priced, and brings a cultural story worth sharing.

What's a wine similar to Stella Rosa I could include? La Chancla is a great option for anyone who enjoys Stella Rosa's approachable style but wants something with more craft and a Latin cultural identity behind it. It's available at major retailers across Texas.

Can I do a blind wine tasting without special equipment? Absolutely. Brown paper bags and regular kitchen glasses work perfectly. The only non-negotiable is covering the label so no one can see the brand.

 

 

Shop wine tasting supplies: [wine bags] [stemless glasses] [tasting scorecards] — all available on Amazon.

Find La Chancla at major retailers across Texas or at lachancalwine.com. While you're here, check out The La Chancla Cocktail Guide — the first wine ever made to mix with tequila.