Perception Of Wine Research Articles

Эстетическое и чувственное, или Почему искусство часто сравнивают с вином

In the present article, using the well-known analogy between the perception of art and the perception of wine proposed by M. Friedländer, the grounds for such a comparability are considered. Nowadays, wine and art are investment objects and behave similarly on the market, differing with similar volatility, needing provenance confirmation, support from experts, victimized by falsifiers and so on. Nevertheless, the most interesting area for comparison is that of perceiving elite wines and the most outstanding works of art. However, the most inter-esting area for comparison is that of perceiving elite wines and the most outstanding works of art. Empirical studies intended to raise awareness that it is impossible to distinguish one superlative from another superlative, both in the realm of the sensual and in the realm of the aesthetic. Nevertheless, this incomparability of the in-comparable, which modern science understands as a discovery, was known to aesthetics at least in the time of E. Burke. The modern cultural situation is characterized by the fact that the results of private taste preferences influence economic processes.

Variation of wine preference amongst consumers is influenced by the composition of salivary proteins

The preferences of consumers for different flavours and aromas in wine are varied and may be explained by inherent factors such as cultural background, wine education and personal taste of the wine consumer. Wine flavour, as perceived in the mouth, includes aroma compounds released through the retronasal pathway, which are shaped by interactions with saliva. Saliva and wine interactions could provide an explanation as to why wine tasters express different preferences for wine. To test this hypothesis, 13 Western and 13 Chinese experienced wine tasters were recruited. Sensory evaluation was performed in formal surroundings to acquire free description-based and perceived sensory intensity data using the Pivot® Profile and continuous scale assessment, respectively. Participants’ saliva samples were collected before the sensory evaluation and spiked into a wine sample to investigate the impact on the wine’s volatile release using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC × GC–MS). Saliva samples were subjected to enzyme activity assays and protein composition profiling by Tandem Mass Tag (TMT) quantitative proteomics. The wine tasters showed differences in wine flavour perception, which was supported by the difference in wine volatile release resulting from the addition of saliva. The two groups of participants did not have significant differences in total salivary protein concentrations or the amounts of esterase and α-amylase. However, statistically significant variations in the concentrations of specific proteins (proline-rich proteins (PRPs) and lipocalin-1 (LCN-1); p < 0.01) were found between the two groups. Significant correlations between perceived intensities of wine attributes and concentrations of PRPs and LCN-1 were observed. These results indicate that the composition of proteins in saliva is a factor that influences wine perception and preference. Our results provide a biochemical basis for understanding preference for food based on interactions between aroma compounds and salivary proteins and could be used to suggest foods or beverages to particular cultural groups.

An exploration of consumer perceptions of sustainable wine

ABSTRACT Despite increasing interest in the category, there has been limited consumer-focused research to date around sustainable wines, especially in the Canadian context, despite the importance of consumer perceptions in driving wine purchase behaviour. In this mixed methods online survey of Canadian wine consumers (n = 725), we sought to determine how important sustainability-related cues are in purchase decisions, what beliefs and knowledge consumers possess around sustainable wines, and what are the characteristics of consumers with low and high sustainable wine involvement. Results show that sustainability-related cues are somewhat valued by consumers when making purchase decisions, but have low importance relative to the other cues examined. Environmental dimensions of sustainability have high saliency, in contrast with social and economic dimensions, and a significant minority of respondents report no or very limited knowledge of sustainable wines. Additionally, consumers with high involvement in sustainable wines tend to be younger, better educated, more involved in wine in general, and spend more per bottle than those with low involvement. Our findings support initiatives to develop global frameworks around sustainable wine and educate consumers on sustainable wine practises, as well as offer insights into marketing opportunities to promote this important product category.

Influence of the sociocultural perspective on the sensory perception of wine consumers in Mexico and Spain.

The increasing globalization of companies and markets, including the wine market, makes this study important as a cultural comparison between the sensory perception of wine in Mexico and Spain. Eighty consumers were selected with different consumption habits, and hedonic (Acceptance and Simple Preference) and descriptive (Word Association Task and the Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) method) sensory tests were performed. The results revealed that there were differences in the conceptualization of wine in the Word Association Task. Both populations preferred wines of Spanish origin over those of Mexican origin, especially in the case of red wine. Finally, the results of the CATA method showed that the attributes that discriminate the two types of wine are due more to the country origin of the tasters than to the samples. Spanish consumers used cultural and tradition descriptors and were stricter when it came to sensory evaluation. Moreover, Spanish participants demonstrated more ability to differentiating all wines in terms of visual, olfactory and taste aspects.

The impact of nutrition labeling on consumer perceptions of wine

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine how consumers perceive nutrition labeling on wine and how this information impacts healthiness perceptions of wine.Design/methodology/approachA series of four experiments focused on healthiness perceptions and purchase likelihood.FindingsConsumers who read wine labels rate wine as significantly less healthy. Sugar content affects healthiness perceptions of wine more than calories. Changing the serving size on the label moderates these effects. Consumers high in dietary restraint process this nutrition information differently.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research could examine actual purchase behavior using retail data.Practical implicationsThis study has implications for consumers, manufacturers and public policy. While currently most consumers are not motivated to read a nutrition label on wine, specific nutrition information can impact consumer perceptions of wine. Consumer education is recommended.Originality/valueResearch on nutrition labeling of alcohol specifically has been very limited.

Effect of culture and familiarity on wine perception: a study with British and Spanish wine experts

The main objective of the present work was to evaluate the effect of culture through familiarity of wine technical experts on the perception of wine quality. A total of 32 wine experts from the United Kingdom and Spain undertook two sensory tasks with a total of 18 still white wines from these countries. The first assignment consisted in a descriptive task followed by a labelled free sorting task. The second assignment was a categorisation task in which experts had to classify the samples into groups based on five pre-established quality categories (ranging from very low to very high quality). Finally, experts evaluated their level of familiarity with the grape varieties employed. Results showed that grape variety was a key marker of the sensory profile of the evaluated wines. Wines made of the Albariño variety were described mainly as sour and as having a white fruit aroma, Verdejo wines were mainly sour and had fresh fruity aromas, the Bacchus variety was described as having floral aromas, and the Ortega wines as having oxidised, animal and defective aromas. In terms of perceived quality, leaving aside the wines of the Ortega variety, which showed an oxidation character resulting in the lowest quality scores according to both British and Spanish experts, it was observed that there is a clear effect of familiarity on the perception of quality. Spanish experts were significantly more familiar with Verdejo and Albariño varieties than with Bacchus, resulting in higher quality scores for Spanish varieties. In contrast, quality scores of the Bacchus wines and the wines produced from the two Spanish varieties were not significantly different in terms of quality according to the British experts, as were the familiarity scores reported by this group of experts. This work increases knowledge about the formation of quality perception and confirms the effect of familiarity on perceived quality among wine experts, highlighting the importance of cognitive factors in the construction of wine perception.

Hedonic valence of descriptive sensory terms as an indirect measure of liking: A preliminary study with red wines

Predicting and/or understanding consumers’ preferences based on sensory descriptions has long been an objective in food science. This article proposes a method to build a dictionary of hedonic valence of sensory attributes related to the perception of red wines. One hundred and sixty-six consumers were asked about their expected liking for products presenting certain sensory attributes. Based on their answers, the hedonic valences of these sensory attributes were computed. Hedonic valences of sensory attributes allow us to determine the characteristics that are expected to positively or negatively influence liking of red wines. Conclusions based on hedonic valences of sensory attributes were compared to those drawn with drivers of liking computed using free-comment and check-all-that-apply questions combined with stated liking scores in three wine-tasting studies. Except for a few exceptions, the conclusions were similar, suggesting that hedonic valence of sensory attributes can be useful to obtain a general overview of expectations for a product category, while drivers of liking can be used to investigate differences specific to a set of products. Hedonic valence of sensory descriptions based on free-comment and check-all-that-apply data were computed at the individual level in an attempt to predict liking without directly asking for it. Hedonic valence of sensory descriptions and stated liking scores were moderately correlated but led to the same ranking of products at the panel level. Thus, it seems that hedonic valence of sensory descriptions can be considered indirect measure of liking. However, further comparisons involving more studies and different food categories are necessary to confirm these promising results.

More Expensive Wine Is Really Better? The Role of Positive Emotion and Consumer Power

The popular belief is that expensive wines are better than cheaper ones. However, there is a lack of previous studies exploring if it is effectively true. In this research, we explored this issue using three datasets. The results confirm the beliefs that expensive wines are better rated. Also, there is a difference between specialists compared with average consumers. Specifically, average consumers are more sensitive to price. Further, this effect is mediated by positive emotions expressed in the reviews and moderated by the power perceived by consumers. We contribute to previous literature by demonstrating that wine prices increase people’s perceptions of wine quality and that the perceptions of wine differ from specialists to aspirants and regular customers. We tested these contributions using secondary data from wine websites and social networks. This methodology can be employed by managers to monitor their consumers and understand their behaviors.

Microclimate of Grape Bunch and Sunburn of White Grape Berries: Effect on Wine Quality.

This research aimed to evaluate the composition of wines made with white grapes which are particularly susceptible to sunburn symptoms due to the absence of anthocyanin. Sunburn is a complex physiological dysfunction leading to browning or necrosis of berry tissues. In vintage 2021, the canopy of 'Verdeca' grapevines grown in Salento, South Italy, was differently managed by sun exposing or shading the bunches. Micrometeorological conditions were studied at different levels. Grapes were vinified, comparing the winemaking with and without skin maceration. The vegetative-productive balance of plants was not substantially modified. On the contrary, a significant effect was observed on the quality and quantity of grapes produced: smaller berries with sunburn symptoms were found on unshaded bunches. This influenced the percentage distribution among skin, pulp and seeds, causing a decrease in must yield of up to 30%. The pH was significantly higher in macerated wines made using shaded grapes, due to a lower titratable acidity and to significant impacts on the acid profile. Obviously, maceration produced a higher extraction of phenolics in wines, which reached their maximum in wines made with sunburned grapes. The absorbance at 420 nm, index of yellow color, was also significantly higher in sunburned grapes, indicating greater oxidation. Even though excessive grape sun-exposure could negatively affect the perception of white wines made without maceration (resulting in more oxidative character), the sensory quality of orange/amber wines was not significantly impacted by the presence of sunburned grapes. Thus, this winemaking technique could be particularly interesting to set up a production strategy adapted to viticultural regions strongly affected by climate change.

Price Quality Cues in Organic Wine Market: Is There a Veblen Effect?

Italian wine consumers show a progressive shift in favor of organic wine. Sustainability is an important driver for the emerging consumers who tend to adopt eco-friendly behaviors, avoiding food waste and respecting the environment. In this scenario, it is of interest to understand the profile of organic wine consumer, the cues that are used in the process and their impact on purchasing choice. The results from a regression on data from a sample survey showed that price is an important factor driving perceptions of organic wine quality. We found an asymmetry in the impact of price as a quality cue: while high prices may be in fact able to elicit a positive perception, low prices do not lead to non-positive perception necessarily. In addition, consumers who value sustainable consumption, have a vegan lifestyle, purchase their wine directly from wineries are more likely to have a positive perception of organic wine. Similarly, elder, educated consumers could have a higher probability to exhibit a positive perception of organic wine. This research shows that the Veblen effect can also exists for food markets in particular with the product with the greatest evocative charge, such as in the wine market.

The connected consumer: New purchase triggers that are transforming the wine market?

This review examines the changes in wine consumer purchasing habits caused by the emergence of digital technologies. The authors discuss new purchase triggers such as mobile apps, social networks, and online sales sites and their impact on consumers' perception and selection of wines. The review also examines the implications of these changes for wine producers, distributors, and retailers, particularly in terms of marketing, data management, and logistics. The authors emphasise that the digital transformation of the wine industry is creating new challenges for traditional industry players, but also new opportunities for innovative actors and startups. The review concludes that digital technologies have significantly altered wine consumers' purchasing habits and are transforming the wine industry. The authors stress that industry players must adapt to these changes by developing new marketing and distribution strategies, using data to better understand consumer preferences, and exploring new online sales channels.

Grapevine Resistant Cultivars: A Story Review and the Importance on the Related Wine Consumption Inclination

Pest and disease management in the grapevine sector has become difficult due to several instances (e.g., pathogen resistance, agrochemicals withdrawals). Therefore, viticulture switched to more environmentally friendly practices. On these bases, the most promising tool is the use of a resistant variety of grapes. Luckily, genetic and genomic selection have made great steps in accelerating plant breeding. In recent years, several resistant varieties of grape were created and the wine obtained began to grow. This allowed vine growers and wine makers to drastically reduce the chemical inputs in vineyards. However, this specific wine market faces trouble regarding the consumer attitude towards buying the related crafted wines. In order to make these innovations acceptable, we undertook a literature review of the history and creation methods of the hybrid grapevines. We investigated young wine drinkers across north-east Italy using specific questionaries to better analyse consumer perception of wine from resistant vines and the related environmentally friendly issues to understand if consumers are prone towards this product. Our results clearly indicate that consumer attitude towards this type of beverage pays great attention to the reduction in agrochemicals.

Bias behind closed doors: Chinese consumers' perception of foreign wines

AbstractAlthough considerable research has explored consumer ethnocentrism and conspicuous consumption effects independently, a meaningful quantitative analysis of the interaction of such effects on consumer perception is yet to be undertaken. This study aims to provide insight into these effects by examining the impacts of consumer ethnocentrism and consumption setting on foreign Country‐of‐Origin (COO) effects in a Chinese consumer wine market context. A total of 324 wine consumers in mainland China participated in a 3 (COO: France vs. Australia vs. China) × 2 (Consumption Setting: Public vs. Private) × continuous (Chinese consumer ethnocentrism) between‐subject, factorial design experiment. The study finds that Chinese consumers favor French red wine when compared with its Australian and Chinese counterparts but shows that Australian wines still benefit through smaller, indirect COO effects. Additionally, French COO effects are mediated by the utilitarian and hedonic meanings of red wine and moderated by consumer trait ethnocentrism and the consumption setting. This paper contributes to the understanding of culturally informed self‐regulation of consumer behaviors and how Chinese consumer ethnocentrism interacts with consumption settings to alter a consumer's perception of foreign goods. The findings of this paper also provide practical insight into Chinese wine consumers' perceptions and decision‐making processes for wine exporters.

Consumer preferences for organic wine - Global analysis of people and place

This paper analyzes differences in consumers perception of organic wine and purchasing intentions in traditional/old world wine regions (TPC) compared to new world wine regions (NPC). Our research questions whether consumers would be willing to pay a premium for organic wine, what type of consumer would have a higher likelihood to pay, and if there is a different between TPC and NPC regions.We collect and analyze data from approximately 2500 respondents from seven countries (Australia, Chile, France, Italy, Netherlands, South Africa, and the United States). Our methodology includes descriptive statistics on respondent socio-demographic information, and both a Pearson's chi-squared test and ordinal logistic regression with marginal effects to examine the willingness to pay (WTP) a premium for organic wines.The results show that the respondents are indeed willing to pay more for a wine that is organically labelled whatever their country of origin. We find that the most important consumer attributes include age, importance attributed to eco-certification, and likelihood to buy eco-certified wine. In addition, TPC countries have a slightly higher likelihood to buy and pay a premium for organic wines, compared to NPC countries.

Screw versus cork? New directions on quality perceptions from the perspective of Austrian wine consumers

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of wine closure types on the quality perception of wine consumers in a traditional wine market, combined with the willingness to pay for red and white wines in bottles closed with screw caps compared with that for wines in bottles with a cork closure.Design/methodology/approachAn online experiment with 436 Austrian wine consumers was conducted in a two-by-two between-groups design. To assess the quality of Austrian red and white wine, quality indicators such as origin, grape variety, awards, the content of residual sugar, vintage, geographical indication, ageing potential, organic certification, vineyard designation and brand (producer) have been applied. Furthermore, different involvement levels as well as willingness to pay were taken into consideration.FindingsContrary to earlier findings, results confirm that Austrian consumers do not generally perceive wines (both red and white) in a screw cap bottle to be lower or different in quality from those in a cork-closed bottle. However, consumers expect red and white wines in bottles with a cork closure to be higher in price than wines in bottles with a screw cap. Among established quality indicators, the present analysis shows that price is the strongest cue for quality when it comes to wines and indicates that wines in bottles closed with corks and bearing a higher price tag are considered to be of higher quality.Research limitations/implicationsThis research comes with limitations, such as the absence of sensory differences. Moreover, the research design is based exclusively on the description of wines and a limited set of quality indicators and does not involve the actual tasting of wines.Practical implicationsOutcomes suggest that in the strategic positioning of wines, the difference in wine consumers’ quality perceptions between wine bottles with screw caps and cork closures plays a smaller role than anticipated. Findings are relevant for practitioners, particularly in old-world wine markets where cork is still seen as the closure of choice for higher-quality wines.Originality/valueThe results of this survey contribute to understanding consumers of an established old-world wine market and their attitudes towards alternative bottle closure types such as screw caps. It adds new insights to the research stream of the quality perception of wines.

Aroma Perception of Rose Oxide, Linalool and α-Terpineol Combinations in Gewürztraminer Wine

Cis-Rose oxide was found to be an important chiral compound in Gewürztraminer wine, with an enantiomeric ratio range from 76 to 58%. The enantiomeric ratio showed an important influence on white wine aroma when other monoterpenes were present. The aim of this study was to evaluate rose oxide at different ratios and changes to aroma perception, and the interaction of rose oxide with linalool and α-terpineol. A wine model was made based on Gewürztraminer wine. Twelve models were created with different ratios of rose oxide and concentrations of linalool and α-terpineol. Triangle tests, check-all-that-apply (CATA) and descriptive analysis were used to evaluate the aroma of the wines. Results show that the rose oxide ratios of 70:30 and 65:35 were statistically different. Additional descriptive analysis showed that the ratios altered aroma when linalool and α-terpineol were at low and medium concentrations. At high concentrations, linalool and α-terpineol masked any influence from rose oxide. Understanding how monoterpenes alter aroma perception of white wine when at different combinations and concentrations is important to achieving desired wine qualities and helps provide information on how flavor chemistry results can be interpreted without having to run sensory analysis.

Wine preferences and perceptions during the Covid-19 pandemic: An empirical study of self-image and demographics preferences

Wine preferences and perceptions during the Covid-19 pandemic: An empirical study of self-image and demographics preferences

Why consumers drink natural wine? Consumer perception and information about natural wine

Similar to other foods, the concept of natural wine is much debated due to the lack of a clear and regulated definition, leading to a proliferation of heterogeneous norms and standards proposed from different natural wine associations at national levels. The current study explored the aspects which mediate individuals’ information and perception of natural wine, and the rationale behind natural wine consumption behavior among Italian (n = 501) and Spanish (n = 527) regular wine consumers. The results reveal a quite low self-reported degree of perceived information by Italian respondents and slightly higher levels among Spanish ones. The key drivers of natural wine consumption in both countries are wine consumption frequency, information, and natural product interest. In contrast, higher wine involvement levels decrease natural wine consumption frequency in both Italy and Spain. The findings also show that different perceptions lead to diverse motivations, suggesting the need for more homogeneous standards to mitigate the level of information asymmetry currently on the market.

Shopping for a sustainable future: Two case studies on consumer perception of organic cotton and wine

Grape and cotton are agricultural products with high pesticide usage. With an eye towards sustainability, regions are looking towards organic farming to protect soil health. However, given the higher prices associated with organic products, it is crucial to understand consumer attitudes and perception towards such products in order to shift consumer behaviour.To this end, we conducted two sets of studies focusing on organic cotton (in the form of stuffed toys) and wine (Chianti DOCG). For both products, two studies were carried out using (unbeknownst to the participants) identical samples. In Study 1, participants were told which of the two products was “organic” and which was “conventional”. Liking, willingness to pay (WTP), and evaluation of product properties (textural or flavour pleasantness for cotton and wine, respectively) were then collected. In Study 2, participants were only told which product was organic only after they had made their initial preference decision. They then evaluated product properties and WTP. For stuffed toys, all consumers (N = 59) were willing to pay more for the organic toy, even though only consumers with high tendency to buy organic products found it more pleasant to touch. Furthermore, consumers (N = 33) were willing to pay more for the organic toy regardless of their original preference. For wine, consumers (N = 128) were also willing to pay more for the “organic” wine, but only if they had high tendency to buy organic products. Moreover, consumers (N = 57) were only willing to pay more for organic wine if they had preferred it initially.Overall, this work highlights that consumers are willing to pay more for organic products; however, this stems from concern for environmental sustainability in the case of cotton, but from taste preference in the case of wine. Moreover, organic labelling led to a more positive perceptual evaluation of cotton toys, while this halo effect did not carry over to wine.

The Impact of "Wine Country of Origin" on the Perception of Wines by South African and French Wine Consumers: A Cross-Cultural Comparison.

Culture is an important factor that influences how marketing interacts with food choice. This study aims at exploring the effect of consumers’ Country of Origin (COO) on wine representations and perception using Chenin blanc as a model. The first objective was to evaluate the role of origin in the construction of the representation. We used the theoretical framework of social representation to compare South African (SA) and French consumers’ representations via a word association task. The results indicated that SA representations are dominated by consumers’ experience of the wine (sensory and emotional dimensions), whereas French representations are dominated by the wine itself, in particular its origin and mode of consumption. The second objective was to evaluate the effect of origin on wine categorization in two conditions: with and without information concerning the two geographical origins of the samples. Results showed that providing information on the origin of the wines affected French participants more than SA participants. In both conditions, the groups of wines formed in the sorting tasks by SA participants were based on sensory descriptors and appeared not to be impacted by the information on origin. In contrast, providing information on the origin of the wines to French participants led to an increased use of the words “Loire”, “South Africa” and “familiar” suggesting a different sorting strategy more deliberately based on the origin of the wines. Our findings have important implications for the marketing and export activities within the wine industry.