Falstaff Goes Blind! Banská Bystrica

Join a unique wine competition where you cannot rely on the label, but only on your senses and wine knowledge. Falstaff Goes Blind! is a competition held under the supervision of experienced sommeliers, designed to test your ability to identify wines without knowing their origin.

The competition takes the form of a blind tasting, where participants have to match five wine samples with five wine regions on a blind map. The qualifying round will take place at several locations across Slovakia over the course of one week, with the winners of the local rounds advancing to the grand final in Bratislava in November.

The competition is open to wine professionals and enthusiasts alike – anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of wine, test their knowledge or simply enjoy the surprise of discovering wine without knowing what is in the glass.

What can you look forward to?

• a blind tasting supervised by experienced sommeliers,
• 5 wine samples and 5 wine regions,
• a competition round in one of five Slovak cities,
• the chance to advance to the grand final in Bratislava,
• valuable wine prizes for the winners,
• a weekend stay for two at a prestigious European winery for the overall winner,
• free admission to the Falstaff Wine Gala on 10 November 2026 for every participant.

Where and when?

22 October 2026 – Banská Bystrica
Beniczky cafe & wine bar, Námestie SNP 16, Banská Bystrica

The qualifying rounds will take place throughout one week, with the winners of the local rounds advancing to the grand final in Bratislava in November 2026.

How does the competition work?

Participants taste the wines blind and then try to match each sample with the correct wine region. The result therefore depends not on recognising the label, but above all on your palate, sense of smell, experience and ability to recognise the character of the wine.

Participation fee: €29