A new venture in the Adelaide Hills is challenging traditional wine tasting norms. Bottle Shock, the latest concept from the creators of Unico Zelo and Applewood Distillery, has opened its doors in Gumeracha, just a short drive from Lobethal and the Giant Rocking Horse.
The venue occupies the former Applewood Distillery tasting room, now reimagined as South Australia’s first blind wine tasting bar — a concept designed to strip away preconceived notions tied to wine labels, price, and reputation.
Unlike the conventional cellar door model, where patrons sample wines from a single producer with guided commentary, Bottle Shock offers curated flights featuring wines from across Australia and around the globe — all served blind. Guests are given a set of playing cards and invited to match each wine to its correct description or origin, with prizes awarded for accurate guesses.
Each flight is uniquely themed to highlight different aspects of wine appreciation. Options range from The Price Is Right, where participants rank wines from least to most expensive, to Geoguessr Veteran, which challenges tasters to identify the regional origins of five Australian Rieslings.
“This is about removing the biases we all have associated with price, label, and reputation,” said Brendan Carter, one of the minds behind the project. “When you get people to taste something with no guidance, they tend to form their own opinions.”
Bottle Shock is a physical extension of the brand’s existing YouTube channel of the same name, which has been building an international community of wine enthusiasts through blind tastings. According to Carter, the idea for the venue was born out of observing the evolution of a team member on the channel, who transitioned from novice to accomplished taster purely through blind sampling.
The bar features over 150 wines by the glass, including selections from Adelaide Hills producers as well as esteemed international regions such as Baden and Côte-Rôtie.
A focused, wine-first approach extends to the venue’s food offerings, which include premium South Australian produce that can be tailored into custom charcuterie boards.
“We are wine people; we do wine really well, and that is very much so the focus of the venue,” Carter added.
Bottle Shock is open Thursday to Sunday from 12pm to 6pm at 24 Victoria Street, Gumeracha.
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