Adults who enjoy a nice glass of wine can now purchase tickets to a unique sensory tasting experience, where they can sample different types of vino – in complete darkness.

The Chateaux Noir experience, hosted by Lidl GB, will take on major wine brands in a bid to challenge common misconceptions about the drink – including that a higher price point equals a higher quality of booze.

The events, taking place next month, aim to democratise wine – as it emerged that three in ten drinkers (31%) consider “wine etiquette” to be snobbish.

And just 8% say their enjoyment of wine has been enhanced by following traditional “rules” around drinking it.

However, the research of 2,000 wine drinkers, commissioned by Lidl GB, also found that 27% still believe premium labels are better quality.

And 35% will still splash out on a bottle to impress guests, spending up to £12.50 – compared to the £9 they would spend when just buying for themselves.

Nearly half (44%) would similarly splurge some extra cash on a bottle for Christmas, while 56% would do so if gifting wine to someone else. And three-quarters will pay more for an expensive bottle to celebrate a special occasion.

However, 23% admit they find buying wine a stressful experience – with 51% of these claiming there are too many options to choose from. And 46% don’t know how to identify a good bottle from a bad, while 32% are simply bewildered by wine jargon.

It also emerged half of wine drinkers (51%) tend to stick to what they know, and 49% choose a bottle based on where it comes from.

But 45% will default to whatever is on offer, while 23% have a “go-to” bottle – and 18% will opt for whatever label they like the look of.

Meanwhile, 24% wish they knew more about wine – with nearly a third saying they would experiment with different wines if they knew more about them.

But while many are keen to experiment with wine, there are some rules they certainly won't abide by. For instance, 43% are happy to serve white with a dish that isn’t fish, and 39% will drink rosé all year round.

Many don’t mind if their bottle is corked or a screw top (37%), and 35% will drink champagne from any glass, not just a flute. Meanwhile, nearly a third (31%) will even chill a bottle of red, and 30% will pop a few ice cubes into their vino on a warm day.

The events will be hosted by Lidl GB’s master of wine, Richard Bampfield, and will see guests enter a “palate-cleansing tunnel” before a blackout wine tasting room.

He said: “At Chateaux Noir, not only do we want to challenge preconceptions about affordable wine, and prove to customers that great taste isn’t determined by premium branded price tags, but also to open people’s minds and challenge what they think they know already about wine.

“So, if you think you’re a strictly red drinker – think again. We’ll reveal how similar flavour profiles can carry across different categories that you might never have otherwise considered.

“This Christmas, Chateaux Noir is encouraging shoppers to rip up the rule book and start experimenting. Ultimately, there is no “right” or “wrong” way to drink wine – if you love it, then that’s all that matters.”

Over-18s can secure tickets here for the Chateaux Noir events, which will take place in London, Glasgow, and Liverpool in November, with all proceeds going to the NSPCC.