About this tour
Strip away the visual cues and taste wine with heightened senses at Hardys Tintara in South Australia. This 90-minute experience takes place in the historic Barrel Hall, where you'll don a blindfold and sip from blackened glasses whilst your host walks you through how sight shapes flavour perception. By removing one sense, you'll discover what your palate actually picks up—tannins, acid, body—without the distraction of colour or label. Designed for anyone curious about how wine tastes when you're forced to pay real attention.
Highlights
- Blindfolded tasting in original winery's barrel hall
- Blackened glasses prevent colour influencing flavour
- Learn how senses interact during wine evaluation
- Constant 18°C temperature in heritage cellar space
- Develop genuine palate awareness, not wine snobbery
- Four wines included with expert guidance
What to expect
You'll start at the Cellar Door, then descend into the Fortified Barrel Hall—a cool, atmospheric basement space kept at 18°C year-round. Your host introduces the science of tasting, then hands you a blindfold and a black wine glass. As darkness settles, you'll work through several wines, encouraged to describe what you taste without relying on what you see. The experience feels initially awkward, then revelatory. You'll notice flavours you'd normally miss, and understand why your brain usually leans on visual cues. It's genuinely educational rather than gimmicky.
Good to know
Bring a jacket—the Barrel Hall stays cool even in summer. Service animals welcome. Public transport nearby makes getting to Tintara straightforward. This suits all fitness levels; you're sitting and sipping, no walking required.
Frequently asked
- How long does Hardys: Tasting in the Dark: A Wine Sensory Experience take?
- Hardys: Tasting in the Dark: A Wine Sensory Experience runs for approximately 1h 30m.
- How much does Hardys: Tasting in the Dark: A Wine Sensory Experience cost?
- Prices start from AUD $125 per person. Final pricing varies by date, group size and any add-ons — confirmed at checkout via Viator.
- Where does Hardys: Tasting in the Dark: A Wine Sensory Experience run?
- This tour operates around Australia. Specific meeting points and pickup options are listed by the operator at checkout.
- Who runs Hardys: Tasting in the Dark: A Wine Sensory Experience?
- The tour is sold and operated by its supplier through Viator. The Australian Explorer earns a small commission on bookings made via the link, which keeps this site free for travellers.
- Is the tour confirmed at the listed price?
- The price shown is the operator's "from" price as of our last sync. Final price, currency conversion, group discounts and cancellation policy are confirmed at checkout — always review before paying.
Tour sold and operated by its supplier via Viator. Descriptions on this page are original The Australian Explorer summaries, not copied from the operator. Prices and availability are confirmed at checkout.