Australian Wine Research Articles

Women as decision‐makers in the Australian wine industry, 1960s–1990s

AbstractIn the early 2000s international business scholar Ann Matasar declared of the rapidly globalising grape wine sector that no other industry had ‘so resolutely excluded women from positions of influence for so long.’ Following Florine Livat and Clara Jaffré that women on the supply side of wine remain understudied, this article draws upon a large‐scale oral history project (Treading Out the Vintage 2000–2003) to make visible women as industry decision‐makers between the 1960s and 1990s. This qualitative data set nuances Matasar's findings about the relatively limited opportunities for women to exert industry influence in a historically male domain. With family farming as the main entry point to the Australian industry, few women became decision‐makers in this era, compared with women in urban sectors of the economy that benefited from gains in gender equality. Women who attained industry influence demonstrated enthusiasm and resilience while experiencing sexism and, often, balancing reproductive and domestic labour with agricultural business.

Chemometric Approach Application in Modern Wine Studies

The wine market is affected by the origin of wines, but the current wine traceability system has some limitations. The idea of geographical authenticity and quality has increased as one of the most important parameters influencing consumers’ preferences. Chemical parameters such as total polyphenolic content (TPC), alcohol and organic acid content (total acids, malic and tartaric acids), and antioxidant activity were observed in this work at 15 dry white wines of varieties Pinot blanc, Riesling, Sauvignon blanc, and Chardonnay, which originated from three different countries. FTIR and spectrophotometry methods (TPC and DPPH) were used and chemometric approaches such as ANOVA and PCA were selected as the most important for evaluation. In general, high levels of malic acid, TPC, and antioxidant activity were detected in Austrian wines. Pinot blanc, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon from the same producing region in Austria showed higher results. The higher overall acid concentration was a distinguishing feature of the Slovakian Sauvignon and Riesling varieties, particularly in the case of tartaric acid. Austrian samples showed significantly higher antioxidant activity compared to Hungarian Chardonnay (p = 0.002) and Sauvignon (p = 0.007), comparable to TPC. The application of statistical analysis was useful in demonstrating many discrepancies, particularly by application of the PCA method.

Developing new boutique winery businesses—Lessons from the Australian experience

The global wine industry has been growing strongly for many years with entrepreneurs often seeking to establish boutique wineries in new or established wine-producing regions, partly to indulge their passion for wine but also to develop successful, long-term business ventures. Within this context, Australia has successfully grown its wine industry over several decades and is now one of the world’s largest wine exporters. The country is known for its robust mix of large and small wine producers and wine tourism. This paper explores key issues that should be considered by entrepreneurs contemplating new boutique winery ventures to increase their chances of business success. This is done by reviewing the general wine industry in Australia and comparing the situations of five successful smaller wine producers scattered around the country. To carry out the comparisons, the authors reviewed public promotions, customer reviews, and other materials about the case businesses and industry and interviewed proprietors as needed. A representative convenience sample of successful boutique wineries from several major Australian wine regions was chosen for review so that the whole Australian industry was covered. Based on their analysis, the authors firmly believe that boutique winery entrepreneurs must examine all aspects of the business model for their proposed venture and especially their interface with wine tourism to improve their chances for long-term growth and business success. Like most real estate investments, the location of the vineyard is critically important. Then, as well as producing high-quality grapes and wines and developing strong cellar door sales, they should also incorporate food offerings that emphasize pairing their wines with local produce. In addition, they should establish onsite “experience” focused lodging options that showcase local arts and crafts, with “glamping” style accommodations providing a particularly suitable option. These are all matters which should be considered from the very outset when the venture is initially being conceptualized and plans are being formulated for the development of the chosen property. For the sake of clarity, within this study, the term “boutique winery” refers to a wine-making facility with an adjoining vineyard.

Grapes and gains: the influence of farming methods on Austrian wine ratings and prices

ABSTRACT Purpose: The objective of this study is to ascertain whether there are statistically significant price differences between Austrian biodynamic, organic and conventional wines, and whether these wines are rated differently in an internationally recognised wine guide. Design A content analysis of the Austrian Gault&Millau Wine Guides 2015–2018 was carried out. The data analysed – 8,667 different wines featured in the four editions mentioned – included the names of the wineries, company size, region of origin, rating (points) and cellar door prices. Results The results show that biodynamic wines in the Austrian Gault&Millau wine guides 2015–2018 (928 in total) are significantly better (higher) rated and have higher cellar door prices than organic wines (1,180 positions) and conventional wines (the vast majority – 6,559 wines). No significant evidence was found for differences in cellar door prices between organic and conventional wines. Practical implications The results do not necessarily indicate that Austrian wines made from biodynamic grapes are better and more expensive than others. Rather, our results indicate that a large number of leading Austrian wine producers use biodynamic farming methods, and thus the average ratings and average prices of these wines are inherently higher.

Reduction of carbon footprint by using recyclable bottles—A case study on Austrian wine

A decarbonized society can only become reality if all potential greenhouse gas is leveraged. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to scrutinize all processes, to assess whether a high level of energy and material efficiency has been achieved and whether renewable energy sources are used to the maximum extent. In this investigation, we were investigating the corporate carbon footprint of a winery in Austria. All data, energy and material inputs were taken within the framework of a scenario analysis for one hectare of vineyard with a yield of a 5-year average of 5380 L. The energy and material input in a winery in Austria under the system limit considered in these calculations results in a GHG emission of about 1.04 kg per L of bottled wine (or 0.78 kg per 0.75-L bottle). On the other hand one kg of grapes would therefore cause 0.24 kg of CO2e.The GHG emissions for the production of a wine bottle in Austria causes 0.328 kg CO2 equivalent emissions. The GHG emissions for washing (0.011 kg CO2 equivalent emissions per bottle), on the other hand, amount to only 3.4% measured against a new bottle in Austria. The bag-in-box system can only be used once. This system leads to 59% higher GHG emissions per L compared to reusable bottles on the basis of 12 filling cycles (system sustainability – lightweight bottles). At a refill rate of 50% in a winery, GHG emissions are reduced to 4367 kg per ha (−32% compared to normal and new glass in the winery). The calculations show that refilling the wine bottle has the highest savings potential. Measures to achieve this multiple use should be implemented as soon as possible in the wine industry.

Effects of cofermentation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and different lactic acid bacteria on the organic acid content, soluble sugar content, biogenic amines, phenol content, antioxidant activity and aroma of prune wine

To determine the effect of cofermentation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and different LABs on prune wine quality, this study compared phenolic compounds, organic acids, soluble sugars, biogenic amines and volatile flavor compounds among different treatments. The results showed that inoculation of LAB increased DPPH and total flavonoid content. Malic acid content was reduced in HS, HB and HF. Histamine content in S, F and B was lower than the limits in French and Australian wines. 15 phenolic compounds were identified. Yangmeilin and chlorogenic acid were detected only in HS, HF and HB. 51 volatile flavor compounds were identified, esters being the most diverse and abundant. 14 volatile flavor compounds with OAV > 1 contributed highly to the aroma of prune wine. 9 chemical markers including resveratrol, rutin, and catechin were screened to explain intergroup differences by OPLS-DA. This study provides new insights into the processing and quality analysis of prunes.

Regenerative tourism in Australian wine regions

The tourism industry is complex and deeply embedded into the social, environmental, and cultural fabric of social-ecological systems. Tourism presents an additional rural development pathway for regions to diversify their economies and strengthen resilience at both micro (individual/business) and macro (community/regional) scales. In an Australian context, expansion of the tourism industry is an important strategy for rural development, particularly as the viticultural industry responds to uncertainties in the wine market and climate change. However, the emergence and growth of the tourism industry also creates risks for multifunctional viticultural landscapes. To better understand this complex relationship, regenerative development and place attachment literatures are explored to identify how multifunctional viticultural landscapes can be best supported by tourism for strong sustainable development outcomes. Host and guest values are examined in two prominent Australian food and wine regions, McLaren Vale in South Australia and Margaret River in Western Australia. Both places have a history for driving innovative, regenerative practices for sustainable landscape management, tied to regional identity and marketing. However, a mismatch is apparent between local and visitor values towards a range of regenerative land use and development themes. Locals consider sustainable landscapes and regenerative agricultural practices as more important, in association with their connection to place. Yet, visitors appear less aware of the roles that tourism can have in regenerating landscapes and agriculture, which means they are less likely to make decisions to support those practices. Regional tourism should directly assist vignerons to establish resilient and regenerative viticultural landscapes.

The impact of policy intervention on international wine demand

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to investigate the impact of implementing anti-dumping duties on imported Australian wine to China in the short- and long-run, respectively.Design/methodology/approachFirst, the Difference-in-Differences (DID) method is used in this study to evaluate the short-run causal effect of implementing anti-dumping duties on imported Australian wine to China. Second, a Bayesian ensemble method is used to predict 2023–2025 wine exports from Australia to China. The disparity between the forecasts and counterfactual prediction which assumes no anti-dumping duties represents the accumulated impact of the anti-dumping duties in the long run.FindingsThe anti-dumping duties resulted in a significant decline in red and rose, white and sparkling wine exports to China by 92.59%, 99.06% and 90.06%, respectively, in 2021. In the long run, wine exports to China are projected to continue this downward trend, with an average annual growth rate of −21.92%, −38.90% and −9.54% for the three types of wine, respectively. In contrast, the counterfactual prediction indicates an increase of 3.20%, 20.37% and 4.55% for the respective categories. Consequently, the policy intervention is expected to result in a decrease of 96.11%, 93.15% and 84.11% in red and rose, white and sparkling wine exports to China from 2021 to 2025.Originality/valueThe originality of this study lies in the creation of an economic paradigm for assessing policy impacts within the realm of wine economics. Methodologically, it also represents the pioneering application of the DID and Bayesian ensemble forecasting methods within the field of wine economics.

Winnice jako forma rolnictwa miejskiego – przykład Wiednia

This article aims to present vineyards as a specific form of urban agriculture, with particular emphasis on their spatial and functional dimensions. The considerations contained in the text concern a case study – Vienna, called “the king of urban viticulture”. Based on the spatial and functional analysis of the data provided by the Austrian Wine Marketing Board, as well as field observations carried out in April 2022, the main characteristics of the spatial distribution of vineyards in the urban space, the structure of production, as well as the functions they perform are determined. The conducted research indicates the multifunctionality of viticulture and winemaking in Vienna, which is conducive to its preservation in the city space. In addition to the production function, recreational, tourist, landscape and cultural functions being an expression of the city’s long wine tradition, are also particularly important.

Australian Red Wines Made from Non-Traditional, Emerging Red Grape Varieties: Distinguishing Sensory Profiles and Consumer Perceptions

To sustain the Australian wine sector, it needs to adopt innovative strategies to adapt to rising temperatures brought by climate change. A potential approach is cultivating more drought-resistant emerging grape varieties with diverse flavour profiles to reduce, in part, the current reliance on major varieties. The study aimed to 1) explore sensory profiles of Australian wines made from three emerging red wine grape varieties, 2) determine consumer perceptions and liking of these wines and 3) evaluate whether these three emerging varietal wines display similar sensory characteristics to three major Australian varietal wines. An expert sensory panel (n = 8) performed a sorting task with 38 commercially available Australian wines (10 Montepulciano, 10 Nero d’Avola and 9 Touriga Nacional) and three each produced from Shiraz, Grenache and Cabernet-Sauvignon for exploration of sensory similarity and quality screening purposes, with three wines removed from further study. A Rate-All-That-Apply (RATA) panel of trained wine tasters (n = 36) evaluated the wines to produce sensory profiles and collect preliminary liking. Finally, a subset (n = 9 total) of the emerging wines was selected for consumer trials. Red wine consumers (n = 116) liked all wine samples independent of their knowledge and wine behaviour. Similarity scores indicated that consumers found the most significant similarity between Shiraz and Montepulciano, and Cabernet-Sauvignon and Touriga Nacional wines. The expert and trained tasters also drew similar comparisons between Shiraz and Montepulciano, but also between Grenache and Nero d’Avola wines, yet not towards Cabernet-Sauvignon and Touriga Nacional wines. The findings support the consumer acceptance and perceived similarities between the sensory profile of Shiraz and Montepulciano and Nero d’Avola and Grenache varietal wines, highlighting the potential for producers to adopt these more drought-resistant varieties as alternatives in a warmer future.

Study of the effects of climatic conditions on the phenolic content and antioxidant activity of Austrian and Montenegrin red wines

We evaluated the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of 30 red wines from Austria (cv. Cabernet-Sauvignon, Blaufraenkisch and Zweigelt) and 20 wines from Montenegro (cv. Cabernet-Sauvignon and Vranac) from three consecutive vintages: 2014, 2015 and 2016. We determined spectrophotometrically the contents of total phenol (TP), total anthocyanin (TA) and low- and high-molecular-weight proanthocyanidins (LMP and HMP respectively). We identified and quantified 18 phenolic compounds (hydroxycinnamic acids, hydroxybenzoic acids, stilbenes and flavan-3-ols) by high-performance liquid chromatography. In addition, we used Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy for chemical analyses of the main wine parameters. Austrian autochthonous wines exhibited a similar chemical composition (alcohol 12.4 vol%, pH 3.38). Blaufraenkisch wines showed higher TP, HMP and LMP than Zweigelt wines; however, TA content was similar. Blaufraenkisch wines also showed higher phenolic acid, flavan-3-ol and stilbene contents than Zweigelt wines. Montenegrin autochthonous Vranac wines showed a typical chemical composition (alcohol 13.0 vol%, pH 3.42), and medium to high levels of phenols: TP, HMP, LMP, TA, HCA and flavan-3-ols. On the other hand, they showed a moderate stilbene content. Cabernet-Sauvignon wines from Austria and Montenegro exhibited some similarities in phenolic composition: TP, HMP, LMP and TA. There were notable variations in the phenolic acid and flavan-3-ol contents, especially the stilbene content, which was much higher in the Austrian wines than in the Montenegrin wines. These findings evidence an important impact of climatic conditions on these compounds. The antioxidant activity in all investigated wines was high and correlated strongly with TP, total phenol index, HMP and LMP in wines. The vintage influenced the chemical composition and content of all examined phenolic groups, except flavan-3-ols. Wines from the vintage with the best maturity (2015) contained the highest content of spectrophotometrically determined phenolic compounds and lowest level of phenolic acids and stilbenes. Principle component analysis showed that wines were mainly discriminated by variety and origin but not by vintage.

Differentiation of Geographic Origin of South African Wines from Austrian Wines by IRMS and SNIF-NMR.

Geographic origin and terroir are very important parameters for wine and significantly impact price. Incorrect declarations are known to occur intentionally to increase profit, thus, measures for control are required. Accompanying paperwork has been shown to be unreliable, thus, control of the product itself is required. Here we investigate and compare the stable isotope pattern of South African (Western Cape Province) wine, and evaluate its potential for discrimination from Central European/Austrian wine. The results show that the isotope values of the investigated South African wine samples differ significantly from the values of average Austrian (Central European) wines. Thus, a differentiation of the products from these two regions by stable isotope analysis is generally straightforward. However, the data suggest that vintages from years with exceptionally hot and dry summer weather in Europe may reduce the differentiation between these regions. Therefore, this method is a potent tool for the discrimination of Austrian (Central European) and South African wines under current climatic conditions, although drier and hotter summer weather in Europe, which is likely to occur more frequently due to global climate change, may require further method adjustments in the future.

Monitoring the viable grapevine microbiome to enhance the quality of wild wines

Grapevines that are used for winemaking host a diverse range of microorganisms that make up their microbiome. The microbes that inhabit the grapevine have been used by winemakers to produce wine for centuries, although modern wine producers often rely on inoculated microorganisms such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In the Australian wine industry, there is a movement towards returning to the utilisation of the microbiome for wine fermentation. With the recent increase in the understanding of the role of the grapevine microbiome in grapevine health, fermentation and subsequent wine sensory traits, the microbial world offers a new level of complexity that can be harnessed for winemaking. In order to develop and maintain a desired vineyard micro-biodiversity, extensive microbial monitoring is required. Here we discuss the utilisation of a viability selection dye in order to distinguish between microorganisms that are live and associated with the host, and relic signals generated from non-living sources.

Ecological criteria for a sustainability assessment using the example of the online certification “Nachhaltig Austria” (Sustainable Austria)

The sustainability initiative must not focus on just a few and often ideologically occupied activities in wine production, but must bring about a transformation of all essential activities in the vineyard and cellar into more sustainable production. For this reason, the online tool “Sustainable Austria” has been introduced in Austria since 2015, which now covers around 25% of Austrian wine production and thus allows representative conclusions to be drawn about overall production. The data from 2019 to 2021 were used to evaluate part of the approximately 360 activities for assessing sustainability in vineyards and cellars. In addition to the type of plant protection products, a targeted, efficient and economical plant protection application must be made, which can save up to 40% of plant protection products through the use of tunnel and recycling technology and low-loss spraying technology (application by 60% of winegrowing enterprises). While only 0.6% fungus-resistant grape varieties were planted in 2019, this figure was already 7% in 2021. While 30.5% of vineyards were treated with herbicides in 2019, the area fell to 11.8% in 2021. This trend is continuing and can in any case also be attributed to the advice and awareness-raising provided as part of the certification. Retreat areas for flora and fauna represent important biodiversity-promoting measures. More than 1/4 of the certified vineyards have a biodiversity area of over 10% of the vineyard area, more than half over 5% of the vineyard area. While wine producers prefer biennial and perennial greening at 51.3%, 74.4% of grape producers choose autumn/winter greening. The wine industry's contributions to the achievement of the European Green Deal represent key environmental sustainability objectives. 11 wineries are already energy self-sufficient. The building rating A, A+, A++ and the earth cellar represent the best energy efficiency, which is achieved by more than 2/3 of the Austrian wineries. Furthermore, the share of renewable energy in the wine cellar has increased from 56.3% (2019) to 78.9% (2021). On the other hand, the use of new glass bottles is over 80%, while the refilling rate of glass bottles is only 6%. But the share of lightweight glass was 56.6% in 2021. If it is mentioned in this context that about 50% of the greenhouse gases can be attributed to the glass bottle and the refilling of glass bottles causes 59% less GHG than bag-in-box, a trend reversal for washing and filling used glass must be increased in the future. Cardboard packaging takes the lion's share with around 93%, whereby fortunately the share of packaging that has a recycling share of over 50% predominates with 68%. About 1/4 of the vineyard areas are irrigated, whereby overcrown irrigation is of no importance and only water- saving drip irrigation is used. The average amount of irrigation is 41 mm. An economy-of-scale effect can be seen in the water consumption per litre of wine in the cellar. Water consumption in small businesses with less than 10,000 litres of wine production is around 15 litres, whereas it drops to around 3 litres in businesses with more than 500,000 litres of wine production. Wastewater management is very strictly regulated in Austria and requires additional measures and official obligations for wastewater treatments like neutralisation, sedimentation basins and complete wastewater treatment before discharge amount to about 57% in 2019. The majority (about 2/3) of the grape harvest is harvested by hand. With about 1/3 fractionated harvesting, i.e. multiple selection of ripe and unripe grapes to increase quality, the ambitious quality production is underlined. The use of declarable quantities of allergenic protein-based wine treatment agents, sorbic acid, DMDC and/or lysozyme plays no role at all in Austria. While in 2020 and 2019 the natural or no tartar stabilisation was around 25%, this proportion increased to around 40% in 2021 due to the cold natural weather conditions. About half of the wines are stabilised by adding metatartaric acid, gum arabic, carboxymethyl cellulose or mannoproteins, while about 10 to 15% are stabilised by artificial cooling. Finally, it is concluded that raising awareness about negative sustainability activities and providing information about alternatives has led to a positive sustainability development in the Austrian wine industry and continues to do so.

Using historical weather data and a novel season temperature index to classify winegrape growing zones in Australia

• Australian wine regions can be classified into different climatic categories; • Drier growing seasons were observed for many wine regions from 1911 to 2017; • Warmer growing season/night-time temperature were observed for most wine regions; • The climatic changes in different wine regions differed over historical time periods; • Many wine regions became less suitable to grow temperate grape varieties. Viticultural production and wine quality are profoundly affected by climate. Characterising winegrape-growing regions based on climatic variables provides scientific guidance for the wine industry in vineyard site and winegrape cultivar selection. This research used a modified multicriteria climatic classification system based on three representative indices, Huglin index, cool night index and growing season relative soil moisture to classify 63 southeastern Australian winegrape-growing regions into different climatic categories, within different historical time periods from 1911 to 2017. The pattern of changes in climatic classification over these time-periods were identified for each region and illustrated in the principal component analysis (PCA) plot. A second classification system based on growing season average temperature index was further used to identify the temperature variations among regions. Based on this, a novel grapevine suitability index was generated to indicate the suitability of growing key commercial winegrape varieties in a specific winegrape-growing region. Clear changes in regional climate across the three historical time periods were observed in majority of the studied regions with clear differences between regions. Warmer growing season, warmer night-time temperature and drier growing season were the most frequently observed trends. GST analysis showed that median temperature increased for majority of winegrape-growing regions with more extreme hot climatic conditions appearing in recent years. Some winegrape-growing regions have become less suitable for temperate winegrape varieties and may need to move to more heat tolerant varieties, while some cold regions became more suitable for winegrape production. Climatic variations were observed among non-official geographic indications (GIs), which provided the scientific basis for the possible separation of these regions. This study will assist the wine industry to better understand the climatic variations between viticulture regions, and provide guidance for the selection of the most suitable winegrape varieties within each region and the selection of regions to grow particular varieties.

Spatial and Temporal Trends in the Timing of Budburst for Australian Wine Regions

Background and Aims. This research investigates spatial and temporal trends in budburst timing across Australian wine regions from 1910–2019. The potential drivers of these observed trends were then identified, including anthropogenic climate change and large-scale climate drivers (El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), and Southern Annular Mode (SAM)). Methods and Results. The timing of budburst was approximated using accumulation measurements applied to Australia wide gridded temperature data. We show that the modelled budburst date has been gradually shifting to earlier in the year for most (95%) Australian wine regions, at an average rate of one day every 24 years. This linear trend in budburst timing is likely to be associated with steadily increasing air temperatures due to anthropogenic climate change. Significant interannual variability was also observed and was correlated with IOD and SAM; however, no significant relationship was found with ENSO. Positive IOD phases result in budburst occurring on average four days earlier than the long-term average; however, this can be as high as eight days. Conclusions. The results of this study highlight that budburst timing for wine grapes is not a stationary phenomenon and is influenced by both natural and anthropogenic conditions. Significance of the Study. Understanding variability and trends in modelled budburst timing will assist tactical and strategic management practices and improve phenological modelling and adaptation planning for climate change.

“Half a flood’s no good”: flooding, viticulture, and hydrosocial terroir in a South Australian wine region

Floods generate both risks and benefits. In Langhorne Creek, South Australia, a historically-embedded system of shared floodwater management exists among farmers, who rely on semi-regular flood inundations as part of the region’s hydrosocial terroir – a dynamic conjunction of water, landscape, social relations and agricultural practice. Unruly floods coexist with a heavily regulated and precisely measured system of modern water management for viticultural irrigation across the region. Since the mid-twentieth century, groundwater extraction and new pipeline schemes have linked Langhorne Creek to the Murray Darling Basin water management system, which has displaced flooding as the primary source of irrigation water. The associated modernist shift towards the rationalization of water as a measurable resource has acted to sideline flood irrigation. Yet, floods maintain important viticultural, ecological and social roles in Langhorne Creek, adding to the flexibility and resilience of the region in response to water management challenges. The system involves technological and infrastructural components, such as flood gates and channels, but also relies upon the cooperation and coordination of community members. Local vignerons suggest that flood irrigation is environmentally as well as economically beneficial, rejuvenating riparian wetlands along watercourses. A more formal acknowledgement of the specific regional experiences of water management in a wine region like Langhorne Creek helps to fill a gap between emplaced and hydrosocial understandings of flood irrigation and broader assumptions about flooding as wasteful and inefficient.

Review: Imperial Wine: How the British Empire Made Wine’s New World, by Jennifer Regan-Lefebvre

Review: <i>Imperial Wine: How the British Empire Made Wine’s New World</i>, by Jennifer Regan-Lefebvre

THE WINE QUALITY DESCRIPTION OF DIFFERENT ORIGIN EVALUATED BY MODERN CHEMOMETRIC APPROACH

The main chemical parameters such as content of sugar (glucose and fructose), organic acid (total acids, malic and tartaric acids), total phenolics and the antioxidant activity in 9 dry white wines with PDO of 3 varieties (Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Sauvignon blanc) from 3 countries (Slovakia, Hungary, Austria) were studied in this work in order to identify possible differences in their quality affected by geographical origin. The wine samples were examined by the FTIR and spectrophotometry methods (TPC and DPPH). As supporting parameters, alcohol and glycerol content were used and sensory evaluation of wines was performed. For the statistical evaluation were used ANOVA and PCA methods. Austrian wines in general, were characterized by high glucose and fructose content, high TPC and antioxidant activity. Higher results of these parameters are characteristic especially for the Austrian varieties Pinot blanc and Sauvignon blanc which originated from the same wine-region in Austria. Sauvignon variety from Slovakia was characterized by higher total acid content, especially in the case of tartaric acid. Statistical evaluation was helpful to show several differences, especially in the case of PCA application. Just Riesling variety from all countries of origin was so similar that it was not possible to be strictly distinguished using PCA. Wines from Hungary (Sauvignon and Pinot blanc) showed higher content of alcohol and glycerol, as they are produced by the sugar fermentation. Wines from Slovakia were evaluated as the best samples among selected ones within their sensory evaluation.

Event Engagement: Using Event Experiences to Build Brands

Companies invest considerably in event experiences; however, many are criticised for hosting events without understanding the full extent of their impact, or how to optimise their design. To benefit from event experiences, it is critical to consider not only how customers engage with the event, but also how event engagement transfers to engagement with the host brand to ultimately drive brand loyalty. This paper empirically explores the role of customer event engagement in facilitating brand engagement, within the context of branded marketing event experiences. Surveying attendees of such branded event experiences, six Australian wine brands, running 10 diverse events, agreed to collaborate in the research, yielding a total response of 274 participants. Results indicate that, for emotional, sensorial, pragmatic and relational experiences, event engagement fully mediates the relationship with customer brand engagement. Furthermore, it is the engagement with the host brand, rather than engagement with the event, that facilitates the effect on behavioural intentions of loyalty. These findings suggest that viewing engagement with a single focus (i.e., only event or only brand engagement) provides limited insight and does not uncover the true impact of event experiences; it is only through exploring the interrelationships between the engagement foci that we can truly understand how event experiences impact behavioural brand loyalty. This offers important managerial implications to facilitate engagement transfer (i.e., between event and brand), while drawing on associative network theory to explain how customer engagement spills over from the event to the brand and better account for the interdependence across engagement objects.