swirlingoKnow what’s in your glass.
Short lessons and blind-tasting puzzles that train your palate in three minutes a day.
Pour my first glass
Sancerre or Chablis?
The waiter is waiting, both sound lovely, and you pick the one you can pronounce. Wine knowledge usually lives in thick books and weekend courses. Swirlingo puts it on your phone, one small glass at a time, so the next wine list reads like a menu you understand.
Three minutes with Flo
Every lesson is a few quick questions on one idea: why Champagne has bubbles, what tannin feels like, how to read a German label. Get one wrong and Flo tells you why in a sentence.
Name the glass from its clues
Colour first, then the nose, then the palate. Each clue costs you points, so the sooner you call it, the more you score. It is the method sommeliers use in exams, turned into a puzzle.
Every grape you learn becomes a bottle
Practise a grape and its bottle ages from young to legendary. Leave it alone for a week and it starts to fade, which is exactly when a two-minute review brings it back.
One mystery glass a day, the same for everyone
Six clues, one grape. Guess early for glory or wait for more hints. Then compare with your friends without spoiling it.
Playful on the outside, rigorous on the inside
The lessons follow the way wine is taught to professionals: the structured tasting grid used in WSET courses, the deductive method sommeliers use to taste blind, and the classic aroma families. Your Palate Score moves with every answer, like a chess rating, so you always know where you stand.
No bottle required
Everything in Swirlingo works from your sofa, your commute or a Dry January. Kitchen missions train your nose with a lemon, a tea bag or a jar of cloves. When you do open something good with friends, you will finally know what to look for.
Questions
Is it free?
Yes. You can play in your browser today without an account. The iPhone and Android apps are on their way.
Do I need to know anything about wine?
No. Level 1 starts with what wine actually is. If you already know your Merlot from your Malbec, you can test out of a whole level in a couple of minutes.
Do I have to drink to play?
No. Swirlingo teaches about wine and never asks you to drink. Nothing in the game rewards drinking, and the nose exercises use things from your kitchen.
How long does it take each day?
About three minutes for one lesson. You pick a daily goal of one, two or three lessons, plus the Daily Pour if you like puzzles.
Which languages?
English for now. French and Spanish are next.
Who can play?
Adults of legal drinking age: 18 and over, 21 and over in the United States.
Today’s glass is poured
Three minutes from now you will know one thing about wine you didn’t know this morning.
Play today’s glass