SAWOL

South Australian Wine Options League

The South Australian Wine Options League (SAWOL) is established to provide a professional, competitive arena for wine industry professionals—including Sommeliers, WSET and CMS candidates, Masters of Wine—and disciplined enthusiasts. The league serves to sharpen technical blind-tasting proficiency and regional deductive reasoning alongside industry peers.

1. Individual Integrity & External Aids

The SAWOL competition is a solitary test of the participant’s palate, memory, and technical discipline. To ensure a level playing field, the following restrictions are absolute:

Article 1.1: Prohibition of External Information

Participants must rely exclusively on their internal knowledge. The use of any external reference materials or aids is strictly prohibited during active rounds. This includes:

Electronic Devices: Smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches.
Reference Guides: Textbooks, regional wine guides, or tasting grids.
Cartography: Physical or digital regional maps.
Collaboration: Any consultation or sharing of notes with other participants.

Breach of this article results in immediate disqualification for the round.

2. League Structure & Logistics

Cycle: 11 rounds per calendar year, held the first Monday of each month (Feb–Dec).
Capacity: Each round is strictly limited to 24 seats.
The Flight: Five (5) wines are served masked, structured as follows:
- Bracket A: Two (2) White Wines
- Bracket B: Two (2) Red Wines
- Bracket C: One (1) Specialty Wine (Sparkling, Rosé, or Fortified)
Standardization: All wines are served in professional-grade glassware at a standardized 60ml volume.

3. Professional Protocol

In alignment with international technical standards (WSET/CMS), participants are expected to maintain professional terminology. The term “sip” is designated as inappropriate for technical evaluation and shall not be used within the SAWOL environment.

4. Scoring Methodology

Assessment Criteria	Point Value	Metric
Grape Variety	5 Points	Primary variety or designated blend.
Region / GI	3 Points	Specific Geographical Indication.
Vintage	2 Points	Specific calendar year of harvest.
Maximum Total	10 Points	Per individual wine.

5. The Championship & Perpetual Trophy

The “Best of 8” Rule: The SAWOL Championship is determined by a participant’s aggregate score of their top eight (8) performances across the 11-round season. A minimum of eight rounds is required for championship eligibility.

The Trophy: The season victor is awarded the SAWOL Perpetual Trophy. The trophy remains the property of SEPTIMUS and will be updated annually with the champion’s name.

6. Tie-Breaking (Count-Back System)

In the event of a points deadlock for the Championship, winners are determined by:

Single Round Peak: The highest score achieved in any single round.
Varietal Precision: The highest cumulative points in the “Grape Variety” category.
Extended Aggregate: Inclusion of the 9th, 10th, and 11th discarded scores.

7. National Annual Challenge

SAWOL maintains the formal intention to facilitate a National Annual Challenge. The top three (3) participants from the South Australian league will be invited to represent the state in a national final against elite peers from across Australia.