This approach aims to ensure objectivity by eliminating potential biases from visual cues, such as bottle labels, price, geographic origin, or producer reputation.
Techniques for blind tasting vary in complexity, from simply concealing bottles to using black glasses and randomized serving orders to mask all identifying features.
Studies have demonstrated that blind tasting can reveal biases, such as the influence of price or appearance on perception, but it is also recognized as a tool for improving sensory evaluation skills and fostering expertise.
This approach is employed in professional wine assessments, competitions, and research to ensure impartiality and eliminate external influences such as labels, price, or geographic origin.
[1] More advanced setups are often used in professional or scientific contexts, such as using black or opaque glasses to mask the wine's color, preventing visual cues from influencing the taster's judgment.
Events and studies have highlighted the potential of blind tasting to challenge assumptions about wine quality and reveal the impact of sensory training.
[10] Blind tasting is a cornerstone of professional wine competitions, ensuring that evaluations are impartial and based solely on sensory attributes.
One study analyzed the reliability of judges by presenting identical wine samples multiple times and found mixed results.
[3] In contrast, another study conducted with the Oxford University Blind Tasting Society demonstrated that systematic training significantly improved the ability of participants to identify wine characteristics with greater consistency.
For instance, Richard Wiseman's double-blind tasting experiment found that participants could not reliably distinguish between expensive and inexpensive wines.
A 2020 study on perceptual learning in chemical senses found that systematic practice and training can transform non-experts into skilled tasters.