The Big Blind League is South Australia's boldest new wine event — competitive blind tasting, run as a real sport, where the label counts for nothing and the palate is everything. Wines are poured in black glasses, no labels and no peeking, and anyone aged 18 and over can play, free.

Whether you taste for a living or have never swirled a glass, there is a seat at the table. Have a crack at one of five Regional Cups touring the state, and climb the live public ladder.

The 2026 Season rolls through wine country from July to November, across five regions and their hero wines — Clare Riesling, Adelaide Hills Chardonnay, Barossa Shiraz, McLaren Vale Grenache and Coonawarra Cabernet. Win your cup and you take the "Free Run", an automatic seat at the Grand Final, where 24 of the state's sharpest palates taste wines from across the globe for $5,000, winner takes all. It is a great leveller: in 2025 a bacteriologist with no wine background beat a room of seasoned professionals!

Created by South Australian wine-media brand Bottle Shock, the League is as much fun to watch as it is to play. Places are limited, so get a flight under your belt and onto the ladder early.