Big Blind League - McLaren Vale Cup

About this event

Australia's most exciting wine competition is heading to the Adelaide Hills!

The Bottle Shock Big Blind League is South Australia's boldest new wine event, where competitive blind tasting is run as a sport. Every wine is poured blind, so the palate is the only thing in play. Whether you taste for a living or have never swirled a glass, there is a seat at the table and a chance to win: anyone aged 18 and over can enter.

Each cup consists of three rounds:

1. Options - taste your way through five wines and answer five questions for each - points for every answer

2. Blind Leading The Blind - use "20 Questions" logic to discover the grape and make the cut

3. The Blackout - head-to-head blind tasting in black glasses, from the top 8 to the cup champion

Alongside a host of prizes, the winner of each Cup takes the "Free Run" - an automatic seat at the season's Grand Final, with $5000 up for grabs. It is a great leveller: in 2025 a bacteriologist with no wine background beat a room of seasoned professionals.

The McLaren Vale Cup brings the Big Blind League to Angove Family Winemakers in McLaren Vale. Spectators are welcome free of charge, it is as much fun to watch as to play.