Chinese Wine Research Articles

A Novel Chiral Amino Acid-Based Methodology for Authenticity and Origin Determination of Chinese Wines

A Novel Chiral Amino Acid-Based Methodology for Authenticity and Origin Determination of Chinese Wines

Variation and fractionation of δ2H, δ18O, and δ17O stable isotopes from irrigation water to soil, grapes, and wine for the traceability of geographical origins

To investigate the variation and fractionation of stable isotopes from irrigation water to soil, grapes, and wine, δ2H, δ18O, and δ17O in different samples from 10 regions in China were determined using a water isotope analyser. The values were significantly different among regions according to the chemometric analysis. All isotopes were significantly and positively correlated with irrigation water–soil and grape–wine. A significant water isotopic fractionation effect was observed from the irrigation water to the soil, grapes, and wine. Stable isotope distribution characteristics correlated with longitude, latitude, altitude, temperature, precipitation, station pressure and wind speed. The linear discriminant analysis (LDA), random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), and feed-forward neural network (FNN) models 58.33–100 %, 80–100 %, 53.33–100 %, and 73.33–100 % accurate for distinguishing the geographical origins of all samples from training and test data, respectively. These findings provide a theoretical basis for authenticating the geographic origin of Chinese wines using stable isotope analysis.

Influence of an indigenous yeast, CECA, from the Ningxia wine region of China, on the fungal and bacterial dynamics and function during Cabernet Sauvignon wine fermentation.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae CECA was a potential indigenous Chinese wine yeast that can produce aroma and flavor in Cabernet Sauvignon wines. High-throughput sequencing combined with metabolite analysis was applied to analyze the effects of CECA inoculation on the native microbial community interaction and metabolism during Cabernet Sauvignon wine fermentation. Fermentations were performed with three different inoculant strategies: spontaneous fermentation without inoculation, inoculation with CECA after grape must sterilization, and direct inoculation of CECA. Results showed that the diversity of bacteria (P = 0.033) is more sensitive to CECA inoculation than fungi (P = 0.563). In addition, CECA inoculation altered the species composition of core microorganisms (relative abundance >1%) and the keystone species (accounting for the top 1% of the most important interactions), as well as of the biomarkers (linear discriminant analysis > 3.0, P < 0.05). Furthermore, the inoculation could change the cluster of metabolites, and these differential metabolite sets were correlated with four fungal taxa of Issatchenkia, Issatchenkia orientalis, Saccharomycetales, Saccharomycetes and two bacterial taxa of Pantoea, Tatumella ptyseos, were significantly correlated. Inoculated fermentation also altered the correlation between dominant microorganisms and aroma compounds, giving Cabernet Sauvignon wines more herbal, floral, fruity, and cheesy aromas. Saccharomyces cerevisiae CECA and dimethyl dicarbonate (DMDC) inhibition treatments significantly altered the microbial community structure of Cabernet Sauvignon wines, which in turn affected the microbial-metabolite correlation. These findings will help winemakers to control the microbial dynamics and functions during wine fermentation, and be more widely used in regional typical wine fermentations. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Unpacking Stimuli and Barriers to Internationalization Across Export Stages: The Case of Spanish Wine Firms in China

ABSTRACTFirm internationalization has been analyzed from different angles based on various theories. However, qualitative research on the stability of the factors that motivate and hinder internationalization across the export stages in emerging markets is limited. This study builds on the “stages” theories of internationalization, providing a detailed analysis of the perceived stability of stimuli and barriers during the exploration, entry, and expansion stages. We focus on a sample of Spanish wine firms exporting to China—a key wine market, with annual growth rates of over 25% between 2000 and 2020. The results suggest that the perception of most barriers is stage‐dependent, varying over time as commitment levels evolve. The main stimuli, on the other hand, remain constant across the different export stages. Moreover, we find that firm size, international experience, and access to local and international networks are key factors that influence the evolution of firms' internationalization in China, while lateral rigidity continues to constrain the expansion of smaller companies. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the opportunities and challenges of doing business in an emerging market, particularly in the institutional context in China, as well as their evolution over different stages of internationalization. Furthermore, they offer insights into the dynamics of the Chinese wine market and the implications for European exporters.

Metabolomic analysis reveals the interactions between Chinese indigenous and commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains during wine co-fermentations at low YAN concentration

The successful use of indigenous strains as starter cultures is dependent not only upon their capacity to complete a fermentation but also on their ability to dominate the fermentation. Chinese strain NX11424 was identified as an indigenous Chinese wine strain with commercial potential. Fermentations to assess the ability of NX11424 to compete with a commercial strain, Montrachet (UCDVEN 522), in pure and co-inoculations were performed with exo- and endo-metabolomic analyses. Metabolome analysis was run at three time points (days 2, 4 and 6). The metabolic profiles of all three treatment were similar at day 2. The endo-metabolome of the co-culture most closely resembles that of Montrachet strain at days 4 and 6, while exo-metabolomic data most closely resembles the NX11424 strain at day 6. The levels of key biomarkers among different fermentations varied at different time points, especially in amino acid metabolism; however glycerolipid, sucrose and starch metabolism were consistently most impactful in driving differences across treatment. Sulfur metabolism was also differential among treatments, with higher levels of associated metabolites in Montrachet strain. This study demonstrated the effects of pure and co-starter fermentations on cellular and wine metabolites, which can be helpful for control of wine fermentation and management of desirable wine flavor.

Study of Chinese Wine Consumers Behavior: Marketing Mix Model

This study delves into Chinese wine consumers' buying behavior, exploring the marketing mix strategies. The researcher brings a unique blend of practical insight and academic rigor to this study. The research methodology employs a quantitative survey to gather data from a diverse sample of Chinese wine consumers in Shandong Province. Statistical analyses provide a systematic framework for examining the relationships between various influencing factors and buying behavior patterns. Key findings delves into the impact of marketing mix elements, including product attributes, pricing strategies, promotional activities, and distribution channels, on consumer perceptions and purchasing intentions. Notably, the research highlights the importance of aligning marketing strategies with the unique preferences and consumption patterns of Chinese wine consumers.

Geographical identification of Chinese wine based on chemometrics combined with mineral elements, volatile components and untargeted metabonomics

Identifying the geographic origin of a wine is of great importance, as origin fakery is commonplace in the wine industry. This study analyzed the mineral elements, volatile components, and metabolites in wine using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, headspace solid phase microextraction gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-exactive orbitrap mass spectrometry. The most critical variables (5 mineral elements, 13 volatile components, and 51 metabolites) for wine origin classification were selected via principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis. Subsequently, three algorithms—K-nearest neighbors, support vector machine, and random forest —were used to model single and fused datasets for origin identification. These results indicated that fused datasets, based on feature variables (mineral elements, volatile components, and metabolites), achieved the best performance, with predictive rates of 100% for all three algorithms. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of a multi-source data fusion strategy for authenticity identification of Chinese wine.

Wine tourism experiences of Chinese tourists: a tourist-centric perspective

PurposeWine tourism is gaining increasing popularity among Chinese tourists, making it necessary to thoroughly examine tourist behavior. While online reviews posted by wine tourists have been extensively studied from the perspectives of destinations and wineries, the perspective of the tourists themselves has been overlooked. To address this gap, this study aims to identify significant attributes intrinsic to the tourism experiences of Chinese wine tourists by adopting a text-mining approach from a tourist-centric perspective.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use topic modeling to extract these attributes, calculate topic intensity to understand tourists’ attention distribution across these attributes and conduct topical sentiment analysis to evaluate tourists’ satisfaction levels with each attribute. The authors perform importance-performance analyses (IPAs) using topic intensity and sentiment scores. Furthermore, the authors conduct semistructured in-depth interviews with Chinese wine tourists to gain insights into the underlying reasons behind the key findings.FindingsThe study identifies eleven attributes for domestic wine tourists and seven attributes for outbound wine tourists. From the reviews of both domestic and outbound tourists, three common attributes have been identified: “scenic view”, “wine tasting and purchase” and “wine knowledge”.Practical implicationsAccording to the results of the IPAs, there is a pressing need for enhancements in the wine tasting and purchasing experience at domestic wine attractions. Additionally, managers of domestic wine attractions should continue to prioritize the positive aspects of the family trip experience and scenic views. On the other hand, for outbound wine attractions, it is crucial for managers to maintain their efforts in providing opportunities for wine knowledge acquisition, ensuring scenic views and upholding the reputation of wine regions.Originality/valueFirst, this study breaks new ground by adopting a tourist-centric perspective to extract significant attributes from real wine tourism reviews. Second, the authors conduct a comparative analysis between Chinese wine tourists who travel domestically and those who travel abroad. The third novel aspect of this study is the application of IPA based on textual review data in the context of wine tourism. Fourth, by integrating topic modeling with qualitative interviews, the authors use a mixed-method approach to gain deeper insights into the experiences of Chinese wine tourists.

Segmenting Chinese wine consumers on the basis of wine knowledge and consumption behavior

Purpose This study aims to provide insights into wine consumers in Hong Kong and Mainland China, and the diversity of their behavior, by investigating their motivations, consumption and purchasing behavior and segmenting the sample based on wine knowledge and frequency of consumption to identify three distinct clusters that are then profiled. Design/methodology/approach Data was collected through an online survey of wine consumers of ethnic Chinese origin residing in Mainland China and Hong Kong, using two methods of recruitment (a convenience sample from wine-related databases, a panel survey undertaken by an international market research firm). The final sample comprised 477 respondents, about equally divided among Mainland Chinese and Hong Kong wine consumers. Analysis of the data using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences for Windows (SPSS) 29 included a series of descriptive analyses, followed by a two-step cluster analysis using an Euclidean distance method. Findings Wine knowledge and frequency of wine consumption were relatively higher within the sample as a whole than previous studies, but three distinct consumer segments are evident. There is evidence of a democratization of wine consumption, and a greater focus on wine consumption for enjoyment in relaxed and informal settings. rather than consumption driven by health and status, occurring primarily in commercial or business settings. The dominance of red wine in this market is also declining, and intrinsic cues – specifically, prior experience of the wine – are becoming important in wine purchase decisions. Originality/value This study uses a broad sample of wine consumers to identify trends in wine consumption patterns and motivations, and purchase decision-making behavior, of Mainland Chinese and Hong Kong wine consumers. The identification of three clusters of wine consumers offers both points of comparison with previous segmentation research globally and within China, whilst also identifying scope for further research.

Signature of Sr isotope ratios and the contents of elements as a tool to distinguish wine regions in China

This study investigated 120 Chinese wines from seven regions and had two objectives: to clarify the Sr isotope ratios and elemental characteristics of each region and to develop a strategy to distinguish the geographic origin of wine without authentic samples to predict its origin. The analyzed 87Sr/86Sr values ranged from 0.708256 to 0.715148, which correlated with the geological characteristics of the regions where they were grown. The Hexi Corridor exhibited the highest ratios of Sr isotopes, while Xinjiang had the lowest. The 87Sr/86Sr values were applied to establish a prediction map which was evaluated through cross-validation. The prediction error was found to be less than 0.00074. The Sr isotope ratio could remain stable for an extended period in a specific location. This map shows the feasibility of identifying wine origin and could be applied to other food products. Adding Sr isotope ratios could improve the accuracy in tracing wine origin.

Unveiling the Tapestry of Chinese Wine Consumers: A Quantitative Investigation of Influencing Factors and Consumer Segmentation

Purpose: This study investigates the key influencing factors of wine purchasing behaviour of the Chinese wine consumer market and explores the relevant parameters influencing cluster building among Chinese wine buyers. Design: The data for this study was obtained through a survey distributed to wine company followers from the Changyu Pioneer Wine Co. Inc., on WeChat resulting in the collection and analysis of 1,535 useable valid responses. Findings: Six clusters are identifiable; they differ significantly with various individual characteristics and wine purchasing behaviour. The choice between foreign and domestic wine is a significant factor in understanding wine preferences. The importance of wine attributes (colour, taste, and distribution channels) varied among different groups, indicating that these factors operate differently across populations. Variables pertaining to having experience abroad distinguished and separated younger cohorts. Participants from metropolitan areas, female participants, and younger age groups provided valuable insights into the preferences of the younger generation. Practical implications: Our findings emphasize the importance of considering factors beyond initial wine brand and individual characteristics when studying wine consumer behaviour. Elements such as taste preferences, distribution channels, cultural influences, and personal experiences play a substantial role in shaping wine preferences. Understanding the impact of these factors enables the development of strategies and offerings that better align with the diverse needs and preferences of Chinese wine consumers.

Unveiling the Tapestry of Chinese Wine Consumers: A Quantitative Investigation of Influencing Factors and Consumer Segmentation

Purpose: This study investigates the key influencing factors of wine purchasing behaviour of the Chinese wine consumer market and explores the relevant parameters influencing cluster building among Chinese wine buyers. Design: The data for this study was obtained through a survey distributed to wine company followers from the Changyu Pioneer Wine Co. Inc., on WeChat resulting in the collection and analysis of 1,535 useable valid responses. Findings: Six clusters are identifiable; they differ significantly with various individual characteristics and wine purchasing behaviour. The choice between foreign and domestic wine is a significant factor in understanding wine preferences. The importance of wine attributes (colour, taste, and distribution channels) varied among different groups, indicating that these factors operate differently across populations. Variables pertaining to having experience abroad distinguished and separated younger cohorts. Participants from metropolitan areas, female participants, and younger age groups provided valuable insights into the preferences of the younger generation. Practical implications: Our findings emphasize the importance of considering factors beyond initial wine brand and individual characteristics when studying wine consumer behaviour. Elements such as taste preferences, distribution channels, cultural influences, and personal experiences play a substantial role in shaping wine preferences. Understanding the impact of these factors enables the development of strategies and offerings that better align with the diverse needs and preferences of Chinese wine consumers.

Understanding brand reputation: a case study of Chinese wineries

PurposeExploring the determinants of a winery brand reputation (BR) and how those determinants interact is vital for the sustainable development of wineries as well as the growth of the wine industry as a whole. This study aims to test an integrated model to better understand the observed measurement constructs of winery brand reputation, including collective reputation (CR), wine label (WL), expert opinion (EO), social media advertising (SMA) and consumer wine knowledge (CWK).Design/methodology/approachIn-depth interviews, an expert panel review and a pilot study were conducted to examine and improve the observed variables. A questionnaire survey was conducted as the main data source for the study. A total of 616 valid questionnaire responses were collected from 102 cities in mainland China and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan from December 2021 to April 2022. Structural equation modeling was conducted for the data analysis.FindingsThis study supported 9 of the 18 proposed theoretical hypotheses. WL, EO and SMA had positive effects on BR. CWK was found to have a moderating effect on the relationship between expert opinions/social media advertising and brand reputation.Research limitations/implicationsThe results of this study can guide wine practitioners, researchers and administrators in brand development, label regulation and consumer education.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first attempt to examine the determinants of winery brand reputation among Chinese wine consumers. This study explains the mechanism of winery brand reputation, demonstrating the dynamics and effects of the observed measurement constructs on brand reputation.

How is the Wine Consumers Behavior Changing After Pandemic: A Descriptive Analysis of the Chinese Wine Market

The COVID-19 pandemic had a substantial impact on the global wine industry, leading to dramatic changes in consumer behavior as well. Although the pandemic has significantly impeded the global economy, international trade, and social development, it has given an impetus to the process of digitalization, digital market has been growing prosperity, especially in China, a country as the bellwether in digitalization. The China wine market is one of the most potential markets in the world, Per capita expenditure of wine in China has increased quite significantly after 2021, compared to the Asia Pacific and global levels. Therefore, understanding how the changes in the Chinese wine consumer occurred after the pandemic will help wineries better enter the Chinese market and develop a digital marketing strategy. After the United Nations proposed the 17 Sustainable Development Goals in 2015, sustainability has become a primary theme of the world's concern. Therefore, the wine industry has also regarded sustainability as its primary goal. Digital transformation is an inevitable trend that foreign wineries have to face, which is also in conformity with the SDG targets. This paper aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the wine consumer behaviors’ existing circumstances after the pandemic through an exhaustive descriptive analysis, which helps foreign wineries lay down a new business strategy and realize digital transformation in the Chinese wine market.

Retracted: Relevance of Ancient Chinese Wine Ware Representation Design and Cultural Characteristics Based on Machine Learning and Semiotic Theory

Retracted: Relevance of Ancient Chinese Wine Ware Representation Design and Cultural Characteristics Based on Machine Learning and Semiotic Theory

Chinese red wine and cheese pairings: A preliminary study of consumer perception using check‐all‐that‐apply and hedonic tests

AbstractFood and wine pairing has been studied in marketing, sensory science, and hospitality fields to evaluate the gastronomic experience of consumers. In this study, three Chinese red wines (Cabernet Gernischt: CG, Marselan: MS, and Vitis amurensis Rupr: VR) were paired with two French cheeses (Brie and Camembert) and two Chinese cheeses [sweet cheese (SWC) and salty cheese (SAC)]. The physicochemical properties of wines and cheeses were determined. Also, sensory profiles of wine and cheese samples were collected using 100 participants by a check‐all‐that‐apply (CATA) test, and the ideal pairing of wines and cheeses was evaluated using hedonic, flavor intensity, and body‐to‐body relationship tests. The results showed that VR wine presented a sweet flavor and full body. MS and CG wines have a strong, bitter taste and a hot and rough mouthfeel than VR wine. The flavors of Camembert and Brie cheeses were richer and more complex than those of SWC and SAC. The textures of Camembert and Brie were elastic, smooth, creamy, fatty, and soft. VR wine enhanced consumer preference for all four types of cheeses (each combination liking score is more than six). Wine characteristics were suppressed and not enhanced by pairing with cheese. The ideal pair evaluation in terms of flavor intensity and body‐to‐body relationship confirmed that wines dominated these two aspects for cheese‐wine pairs.Practical ApplicationsCATA questions conducted with consumers are popular to profile and characterize food and beverage products. This investigation helps validate CATA method applications in food and wine pairing areas. In addition, the hedonic, flavor intensity, and body‐to‐body tests of Chinese wine and Chinese cheese pairing are helpful in promoting the development of the Chinese wine and cheese industry. The findings provide future research directions in pairing principles of food and beverages.

Valuation Analysis of the Chinese Wine Sector Based on Indicators

As a unique type of wine, Chinese wine is one of the traditional beverages in China, with a long history and profound cultural deposits, and has a wide consumer base. Moreover, as the subject of heavy foreign investment, it is also one of the sectors with the highest share of institutional investors in A-shares, which is of great research value. Contemporarily, the Chinese wine industry has entered the stage of recovery and the production has started to show a gradual growth. Therefore, this paper attempts to value the 20 Chinese wine companies currently listed through the PE, PEG, PCF, and EV valuation method to help investors find suitable investment options. According to the valuation analysis, Luzhou Laojiao and Fen Wine are currently the most worthwhile companies to invest in. In fact, they have good operating conditions, i.e., no cash flow problems, PEG less than 1, indicating that they are undervalued companies and have high enterprise value. In addition, Gujing Distillery and King's Luck Brewery are also performing well, although their enterprise values are lower compared to the leading companies, they are still worth considering. These results shed light on guiding further exploration of stock valuation of Chinese wine industry.

State of the International Wine Markets in 2022: New market trends for wines require new strategies

The objective of this discussion paper is to provide an overview of the state of the global wine sector in 2022 and discuss the effects of recent events on the wine trade’s development. First, long-term trends in the global consumption and production of wine and the development of the international wine trade are discussed. The growth trend of global wine consumption ceased in 2008, but the last decade in the global wine trade has been characterised by stagnant volumes but increasing values driven by premiumisation. Several recent events have affected the volume or composition of the global wine trade: the recovery of the wine trade after Covid-19, global cost increases and inflation, the shift of Chinese wine consumption and the effect of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Russian wine imports. The paper closes with an outlook on how underlying long-term trends might affect the strategies that successful wine business can employ in the future and suggests future areas of research in the wine business and economics.

Oenological characteristics of two indigenous Starmerella bacillaris strains isolated from Chinese wine regions.

To broaden knowledge about the oenological characteristics of Starmerella bacillaris, the influence of two Chinese indigenous S. bacillaris strains on the conventional enological parameters and volatile compounds of Cabernet Sauvignon wines were investigated under different inoculation protocols (single inoculation and simultaneous/sequential inoculation with the commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae EC1118). The results showed that the two S. bacillaris strains could complete alcohol fermentation alone under high sugar concentrations while increasing the content of glycerol and decreasing the content of acetic acid. Compared with wines fermented by EC1118 single inoculation, S. bacillaris single inoculation and S. bacillaris/EC1118 sequential inoculation increased the contents of isobutanol, ethyl isobutanoate, terpenes, and ketones and decreased the contents of isopentanol, phenylethyl alcohol, fatty acids, acetate esters, and total ethyl esters. Furthermore, for S. bacillaris/EC1118 simultaneous inoculation, the concentrations of ethyl esters were increased, contributing to a higher score of "floral" and "fruity" notes in agreement with sensory analysis. KEY POINTS: • S. bacillaris single and simultaneous/sequential inoculation. • Conventional enological parameters and volatile compounds were investigated. • S. bacillaris/EC1118 simultaneous fermentation increased ethyl esters.

Chinese Wine Consumers’ Product Evaluation: Effects of Product Involvement, Ethnocentrism, Product Experience and Antecedents

This research provides nuanced insights from a consumer-centric behavioural psychology perspective, by developing a theoretically grounded motivational process model of product evaluation, viewed through a country-of-origin (COO) lens, incorporating the focal constructs of product involvement, product knowledge, consumer ethnocentrism (CET) and antecedents related to wine buying in China. An online survey of 934 consumers across China in a range of 12 tier-1 and tier-2 cities investigates the effects of several independent variables on COO product category evaluation. The findings provide valuable contrasting insights between evaluations of products originating from developed economies (France and Australia) and a transitional economy (China), the home country. We validate a 10-item version of the CETSCALE and apply multiple linear regression (MLR) modelling to test the hypothesised relationships. We further contribute by examining both main and interaction effects of the empirically enhanced model. We conclude that CET, product involvement, product purchase experience and, travel exposure significantly impact COO product evaluations, through actual product purchase experience, while product purchase frequency does not. CET also has a significant mediating effect on product evaluation through both involvement and actual product purchasing experience. Gender has direct effects on CET and product evaluation, as does household income on product evaluation.