Shall we try a blind tasting?
as-SAG-gio — three syllables, stress on second. 'gg' is hard. CIE-ca — two syllables.
When you want to test your wine knowledge without knowing what you are drinking — the ultimate wine education exercise.
'Alla cieca' = blind (literally 'to the blind'). A blind tasting means the wine identity is hidden and you must guess grape variety, region, and vintage purely from sensory analysis. It is the most rigorous test of wine knowledge.
Indovinate il vitigno?
Can you guess the grape variety?
The first blind tasting challenge — identifying the grape from aromas and structure
Da dove viene questo vino?
Where does this wine come from?
Regional identification — the second level of blind tasting challenge
Quanti anni ha questo vino?
How old is this wine?
Vintage estimation from the wine's development — the most advanced challenge
Blind tasting is the foundation of professional wine education in Italy. AIS sommelier exams include blind tasting of multiple wines. The ability to identify a Barolo blindly — from the classic 'tar and roses' profile — is considered the hallmark of an educated Italian wine palate and is a source of great satisfaction to achieve.