Wine Consumption Research Articles

The ‘sense of terroir’ among wine-consuming social media users in Italy

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to explore wine consumer appreciation towards terroir-based communication in the social media context. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach was applied to elicit consumer preferences for alternative Instagram posts including image-based and text-based signals about wine terroir. An online survey was administered to a sample of Italian wine consumers who use social media. Results showed that image-based posts were largely preferred to text-based posts. Among image posts, the visual appearance of the grape variety and the natural label, which means a combination of an intrinsic cue with an extrinsic one, gains higher user attention in comparison with the other signals. Among text posts, posts proposing a ‘terroir association’ received higher priority than those explaining a ‘terroir concept’. These results were tested analysing real Instagram posts of an Italian winery. The number of likes received by the different terroir-related posts reflected the AHP-estimated global priority weights highlighting that actual consumer appreciation agreed with the evaluation determined by using the proposed AHP model. The study revealed that the AHP was a useful approach to evaluate wine consumer engagement with digital communication. It contributed to understanding how wineries can effectively convey wine terroir meanings via social media.

Intangible Heritage and Its Associative Objects as Exemplified by the Materiality of the Portable Material Culture of German Christmas Markets

Many aspects of intangible cultural heritage have associated objects of material culture that augment or enable aspects of intangible heritage to be exercised or emphasized. Christmas markets have been publicized as the quintessential event in Germany leading up to Christmas, with the over 2000 locations attracting large numbers of local, domestic, and international visitors. From their origins as mercantile venues during the medieval period, Christmas markets have evolved into multisensory social and experiential events, where the acquisition of Christmas decorations or gifts has been supplanted by the consumption of mulled wine in a social setting. Christmas markets represent intangible cultural heritage staged in ephemeral surroundings. While the abundance of material culture in Christmas markets is widely understood, this focuses on the objects offered for sale at the markets, rather than the objects that characterize a Christmas market and enable its functioning. This paper provides the first comprehensive assessment of the portable material culture associated with the German Christmas markets, covering objects as diverse as payment tokens, lapel pins, special postmarks, beer mats, and commemorative cups issued for the consumption of mulled wine. These objects, as well as numerous other manifestations of material culture, are discussed in the wider framing of the materiality of the markets, examining their ontological qualities within the multiple spheres in which these objects attain meaning (i.e., personal, event, social, and public spheres). It demonstrates that the wide range of alienable material culture associated with German Christmas markets has different manifestations of materiality, depending on the viewpoint of the user (i.e., participant, vendor, organizer), and these manifestations have different expressions of representativeness. On this foundation, this paper examines the various groups of portable and alienable material culture and discusses them in terms of their authenticity and to what extent these are representative of German Christmas markets. While all items have a connection with Christmas markets and function as symbolic shorthand souvenirs, commemorative cups issued for the consumption of hot drinks as well as the deposit tokens associated with these are both genuine and authentic and are also representative of the conceptual, social, and experiential dimensions of the event.

From Chateau Latour to Chateau Bourdieu: The sociology of wine between empire, class, ethnicity and gender (or, the oenologic of practice)

Many sociologists drink wine, but hardly any write about it professionally, and the putative scholarly field of the ‘sociology of wine’ remains inchoate, the study of wine mostly being ceded to other disciplines. This is strange, as wine is crucial to a host of phenomena, such as national and regional identities in winemaking countries, as well as identity construction and class-based distinction dynamics in many other locations. Wine has received relatively little attention from Bourdieu or those inspired by him. Indeed, some of the most influential writings on wine in a sociological register today are sometimes explicitly hostile to his sociology. Yet for all types of activities traversing the overlapping domains of the production, social distribution and consumption of wine, Bourdieusian elements must be brought into the analysis to be able to appreciate interlocking issues of class, ethnicity and gender relations and inequalities, particularly within imperial/colonial and post-imperial/post-colonial social contexts. In its 8000-year history, very major factors in the social structuring of wine have been imperial power and colonial expansion, factors bound up with ethnic and gender inequalities in wine phenomena both historically and today. A flexible and open-minded version of Bourdieu, as advocated by Bridget Fowler, draws attention to ongoing dynamics of power and resistance in wine worlds.

Feelings and alcohol consumption

Consumption choices depend on the feelings experienced in the period preceding a consumer's decisions. We confirm this hypothesis using a large sample of Italian consumers collected by ISTAT (the Italian National Statistics Institute) as part of the multi-purpose survey “Indagine multiscopo sulle famiglie: Aspetti della vita quotidiana” (n = 114,052). Specifically, positive feelings are associated with wine and beer consumption, while negative feelings relate to spirits consumption. The latter pattern is common among men and women, whereas the former is only applicable to male consumers. Additionally, older consumers drink more following a period of positive feelings, whereas younger consumers drink less. Our two-level modelling strategy confirms the mediating role of personal characteristics in explaining the relation between feelings and alcohol consumption.

Research on factors influencing household consumption-take wine as an example

It has been a great increase on wine consumptions these years. This article aims to identify those of the factors that have an impact on the wine consumptions and to perform clustering to summarize customer segmentation markets. The method of stratified multiple linear regression and stepwise multiple linear regression are used in this article. This article analysis fourteen important factors that may have an effect on wine consumption of a survey on 2240 registered consumers. Through the research in this article, it can be concluded that the consumption is strongly related to age, education, income, the number of times one visits the store. Meanwhile, the number of children in the family has a significant negative impact on alcohol purchase. Whats more, the study also finds that making some promotions could have a positive impact on wine consumption. This article also makes a guideline to the company to better understand their customers.

Combined Effect of Red Wine and Mocha Pot Coffee in Mild Vascular Cognitive Impairment

ObjectivesModerate daily mocha pot coffee intake has been associated with better mood and cognition in patients with mild vascular cognitive impairment (VCI). Similarly, moderate red wine consumption has shown protective effects on cognitive disorders, including Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. The aim of this study was to explore the synergistic relation between red wine and coffee intake on mood and cognitive status in mild VCI patients at risk for dementia. MethodsA total of 300 non-demented older patients with mild VCI were asked for coffee and red wine consumption and administered with the 17-items Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), and the Stroop Color-Word Interference Test (Stroop T), as well as the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and the Instrumental ADL to measure their mood status, cognitive performance, and functional independence. Linear regression models were used to test the association between variables. ResultsModerate wine drinkers tended to show the best Stroop T score at any level of coffee consumption; conversely, heavy wine consumers performed worse at the Stroop T, especially in patients reporting high coffee intake. Moderate drinkers of both coffee and wine showed the lowest HDRS scores. Finally, a progressive increase in MMSE score was evident with increasing coffee consumption, which peaks when combined with a moderate wine consumption. ConclusionsDaily mocha pot coffee and red wine intake seem to be synergistically associated with global cognition, executive functioning, and mood status in patients with mild VCI; the association was not linear, resulting in a protective direction for moderate intake and detrimental for heavy consumption. Future studies are needed to further corroborate the present findings and the potential long-term protective effects of these dietary compounds over time.

Perceptions and behaviors of wine consumers towards organic wine: a case study in central Greece

This study investigates the perceptions and behaviors of wine consumers towards organic wine in Central Greece. A survey was conducted among 75 participants across various age groups and regions, encompassing diverse socio-demographic backgrounds such as gender, age, profession, and education. Surprisingly, no significant differences were observed in attitudes towards organic wine across these demographics, except for variations related to place of residence and income. The majority of participants perceived organic wine as a premium product, with urban residents exhibiting a heightened inclination toward its purchase. Despite concerns regarding its high cost, participants expressed a willingness to continue purchasing organic wine owing to its perceived benefits. Based on the fact that there is a lack of relevant studies, this survey sheds light on the evolving consumer preferences and attitudes towards organic wine in the region, providing valuable insights for producers and marketers in the wine industry.

Red wine alleviates atherosclerosis-related inflammatory markers in healthy subjects rather than in high cardiovascular risk subjects: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Moderate red wine (RW) consumption is associated with a low risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, few studies have evaluated the effects of RW and white wine (WW) on inflammatory markers related to atherosclerosis in healthy individuals and high-risk subjects for CVD. This study aimed to assess the effect of RW on inflammatory markers in healthy individuals and high-risk subjects for CVD compared with moderate alcohol consumption. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 (PRISMA) was followed in this study. The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, SinoMed, EbscoHost, and ScienceDirect databases were searched. The risk of bias and quality of the included trials were assessed using the Cochrane Handbook. The main results are summarized in Stata 12. Twelve studies were included in the meta-analysis. The results demonstrated that RW significantly decreased circulating intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1, and Sialyl-Lewis X expression on the surface of monocytes in healthy subjects, but not in patients with CVD. Additionally, RW significantly decreased Sialyl-Lewis X but increased clusters of differentiation 40 (CD40) expressed on the surface of T lymphocytes and significantly decreased C-C chemokine receptor type 2 (CCR2) and very late activation antigen 4 (VLA-4) expressed on the surface of monocytes. Interestingly, subgroup analysis also found that RW significantly decreased circulating interleukin-6 (IL-6) in Spain but not in other countries, and significantly increased αMβ2 (Mac-1) in the group that had an intervention duration of less than 3 weeks. Moderate consumption of RW is more effective than WW in alleviating atherosclerosis-related inflammatory markers in healthy people rather than high-risk subjects for CVD, but this needs to be further confirmed by studies with larger sample sizes.

Wine & status: sociocultural dynamics of wine consumption from the perspective of Global History

O presenta artigo disserta acerca dos aspectos históricos do consumo global de vinho e a noção de status e distinção social. A análise apresenta-se através do campo da História Global, utilizando-se de revisão bibliográfica e fontes relacionadas para tecer uma narrativa crítica e atual sobre o tema. O consumo do vinho está intrinsecamente relacionado a fatores histórico-geográficos e socioculturais, revelando processos imbricados por relações assimétricas de poder, hierarquia de classes, capital econômico e cultural, predileções e exclusões. A valorização de determinados lifestyles – como, neste caso, o consumo conspícuo de vinhos – é um fenômeno social subjetivo construído, cada vez mais, através da publicidade e das redes presenciais e virtuais, passível de mudanças contínuas. A análise da trajetória histórica do consumo de vinho como símbolo de status social representa uma interessante oportunidade para a superação de um “mundo do vinho” convencional e colonialista e insere os historiadores no atual debate por uma vitivinicultura mais sustentável e responsável com os trabalhadores vitivinícolas, o meio ambiente das regiões produtoras e o respeito à saúde do consumidor final.

Uncorking the virtual frontier of wine experiences: interest drivers and potential consumers’ profile

PurposeVirtual wine experiences (VWEs) replaced in-person wine experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic and continue to be offered by some actors. This study aims to investigate the factors driving interest in VWEs and identify relevant traits of potential consumers to help assess VWEs long-term potential.Design/methodology/approachA representative sample of 399 Oregon and California wine consumers answered a structured online survey. The authors combine ordered logistic regression and qualitative techniques to analyze the data.FindingsVWEs may effectively attract potential wine consumers and tourists. High interest in VWEs is associated with strong wine involvement and intentions to visit wine regions. Digitization, aversion to travel-related risk and convenience are other relevant drivers of VWE interest. The segmentation analysis revealed that consumers with a potentially higher interest in VWE have distinct traits.Practical implicationsWineries and wine tourism destinations could leverage VWEs to attract wine tourists and consumers. The authors discuss specific characteristics of high-interest consumers.Originality/valueParticipants in VWEs interact with hosts and explore products in real time. This engagement has long-term marketing potential for attracting them as customers or visitors. The study provides strategic information for practitioners and academics on VWE interest drivers and potential demand, which is currently missing from the literature.

Effects of sensory cues on consumers’ wine taste perceptions and behavior: evidence from a wine-tasting experiment

PurposeThis study aims to investigate how sensory cue order, wine knowledge and visual–olfactory (V–O) congruence affect consumer’s taste perceptions of wine and their subsequent behavior.Design/methodology/approachAn experiment was performed to identify the effects of sensory cue congruence and sensory cue order on wine consumers’ perceptions of wine, affective evaluations, cognitive evaluations and purchase intentions.FindingsWine experts exhibited positive emotional responses to congruent sensory cues in the V–O order. Experts’ enjoyment of wine’s aroma, their emotional responses, their cognitive evaluations and their purchase intentions were lower in the incongruent condition. Consumers’ negative emotions elicited by the V–O sequence were also less intense than those triggered by the olfactory–visual (O–V) sequence. Wine experts demonstrated more positive emotional responses in the V–O sensory congruent condition.Research limitations/implicationsThis study highlights how visual and olfactory sensory cue order, wine knowledge and sensory cue congruence interact to clarify wine-related behavioral intention. Findings reveal the roles of these factors in shaping sensory perceptions, cognitive evaluations, affective evaluations and behavior related to wine consumption.Practical implicationsThis study holds implications for various stakeholders, including winemakers, wine businesses, restaurants and the broader hospitality industry. Wine businesses can enhance advertising effectiveness by tailoring their marketing efforts to customers’ knowledge levels and emphasizing the inherent attributes that align with individuals’ preferences. Winemakers can improve consumers’ sensory experiences by enhancing the natural color of wines. Restaurants can strive to ignite diners’ positive emotions and experiences by providing congruent information. Furthermore, sensory-driven strategies can be used in the hospitality sector to elevate customers’ positive emotions.Originality/valueThis study fills gaps in wine research by delineating how wine knowledge and related sensory cues can influence consumers’ sensory perceptions, cognitive evaluations, affective evaluations and behavior. These aspects have been largely overlooked in previous work.

The Influence of Social Networks on the Purchasing Behavior of Wine Consumers in Portugal

The present study was developed to understand the consumer's perception of purchasing wine online, verify whether Social Networks are a good source of information about wine, identify the main sources of information that consumers use to search, and finally assess the importance of Social Networks for SMEs in the wine sector. As a methodological approach, we implemented qualitative and quantitative research, including an in-depth interview with a marketing professional from a company in the wine sector, providing valuable insights into how they manage their brands and the challenges faced by the company in the digital scenario. We also prepared an online questionnaire survey, which investigated the purchasing and consumption behavior of buyers and consumers of Portuguese wines. The conclusions of this study presented significant practical implications for companies in the wine sector in Portugal. Therefore, we also see that these companies will be able to add efficiency to their digital marketing strategies, promoting their products in a more targeted and engaging way. In a complementary way, by recognizing the crucial role of Social Networks, companies will be able to establish a stronger and more authentic digital presence, building solid relationships with consumers.

Erosive Tooth Wear, Wine Intake, and Genetic Variation in COMT and MMP2.

Erosive tooth wear (ETW) is a multifactorial condition of increasing prevalence in the younger population. This study aimed to explore the association between different ETW phenotypes with MMP2 and COMT single-nucleotide variants and selected environmental factors. Saliva samples, erosive wear, and dental caries experience data and dietary/behavioral information from 16- to 18-year-old patients (n = 747) were used. Genotypes were obtained, and phenotypes were further analyzed considering diet and behavioral data, using logistic regression as implemented in PLINK, with an alpha of 0.05. When comparing individuals' ETW-free with those with mild ETW, an association was found with COMT rs6269 (p = 0.02). The comparison between ETW-free individuals with individuals with severe ETW also showed an association with COMT rs6269 under the recessive model (p = 0.03). Logistic regression showed that in the presence of less common alleles of MMP2 rs9923304 and COMT rs6269, ETW was more likely to occur when individuals drank wine. The GG genotype of COMT rs6269 was associated with the presence of lower (p = 0.02) and higher (p = 0.02) caries experience when individuals with ETW only in enamel were compared with individuals with ETW involving dentin. The results support a role of genes in ETW, with wine consumption being identified as a significant modulator, suggesting that gene-environment interactions may contribute to the development of ETW.

Dose-Response Relationship Between Alcohol Consumption and Gout Risk: Do Subtypes of Alcoholic Beverages Make a Difference?

Although previous studies have explored the association of drinking with gout risk, we sought to explore the dose-response relationship and the evidence between subtypes of alcoholic beverages and gout risk. The weekly alcoholic beverage consumption of patients in the UK Biobank was collected and calculated. The Cox regression model was applied to assess the effects of drinking alcohol in general and its subtypes on gout risk by calculating the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% CIs. Additionally, the restricted cubic splines were used to estimate the dose-response relationship between alcohol consumption and gout risk. To evaluate the robustness, we performed subgroup analysis across various demographic characteristics. During a mean follow-up period of 11.7 years, a total of 5728 new incident gout cases were diagnosed among 331,865 participants. We found that light alcohol consumption was linked to a slight decrease in gout incidence among female individuals (HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.65-0.94, P = 0.01), whereas there was no significant association in male individuals. Moreover, the dose-response relationship showed that drinking light red wine and fortified wine could reduce the gout risk, whereas beer or cider, champagne or white wine, and spirits increased the gout risk at any dose. Our study suggested a J-shaped dose-response relationship between drinking and gout risk in female individuals, but not in male individuals. For specific alcoholic beverages, light consumption of red wine and fortified wine was associated with reduced gout risk. These findings offer new insights into the roles of alcoholic beverages in gout incidence risk, although further validation is warranted.

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.

Color stability of CAD-CAM hybrid ceramic materials following immersion in artificial saliva and wine.

To examine the color stability of 3D-printed and milled, interim, and definitive, restorative materials after immersion in artificial saliva and wine for 1, 3, and 6 months. The study used a 2 × 5 factorial design with 10 subgroups, including 2 immersion liquids (artificial saliva and wine) and 5 manufacturing technology and restorative material combinations (n = 10). Color measurements were taken using a contact-type digital spectrophotometer (CM-2600d Spectrophotometer; Konica Minolta Healthcare Americas Inc) before immersion and at 1 month (T1), 3 months (T3), and 6 months (T6) after immersion. The CIE2000 system was used to calculate quantitative measurements of color differences in ΔE00, and comparisons were made to the acceptability threshold (AT) and perceptibility threshold (PT). Repeated measures of ANOVA (α = 0.05) were used to compare differences in color changes between manufacturing technology/restorative material-immersion liquid combinations at T1, T3, and T6. To compare the effect of immersion liquid and time on the manufacturing technology/restorative material groups, the ΔE00 values were compared to the PT of 0.8 and the AT of 1.8. Wine caused significant color changes in ΔE00 values beyond the PT and AT values in all groups at all time intervals, except for the AT value of milled definitive crowns (hybrid nano-ceramic material). Wine immersion caused significant ΔE00 for all manufacturing technology/restorative material groups at all time intervals (1 month, 3 months, and 6 months) when compared to artificial saliva immersion (all p < 0.001). Upon exposure to artificial saliva, 80%-100% of samples from all groups remained within the acceptable and perceptible color change thresholds. The wine had significant chromogenic effects on all tested restorative materials, however, the milled definitive crowns (hybrid nano-ceramic material) showed the greatest color stability. For patients with heavy wine consumption, 3D-printed definitive crowns (hybrid ceramic-filled material) may show discoloration exceeding acceptable and perceptible color change limits.

Understanding Factors Associated with Interest in Sustainability-Certified Wine among American and Italian Consumers.

The wine industry has been witnessing a growth in businesses crafting sustainability-certified wines and in the attention of consumers to sustainability, especially in the United States and Italy. To identify the characteristics of consumers who prefer sustainability-certified wine, this study analysed the relationship between consumers' demographics, wine buying behaviour, and interest in sustainability-certified wine, focusing on these two countries for comparison. Data were collected through an online survey of US and Italian consumers. Through correspondence analysis, k-modes clustering analysis, and multi-way correspondence analysis, this study revealed a stronger relationship between demographics and interest in sustainability-certified wine among US consumers than Italian consumers. In particular, middle-aged US consumers exhibited a greater interest than seniors. The patterns of connections between consumers' wine buying behaviour and interest in sustainable wine were similar for the two countries. In particular, consumers who purchase wine weekly had a keen interest, and those who purchase wine sporadically had no or little interest. Furthermore, this study uncovered the intricate relationship among various variables, providing a comprehensive understanding of the association between wine consumer characteristics and their interest in sustainability-certified wine.

Consumption of Korean rice wine alters certain human gut microbial genera in different ways from consumption of other alcoholic beverages: A randomized, cross-over trial

This study investigated the impact of Korean rice wine (makgeolli) consumption on human gut microbiota and compared it with that of other alcoholic beverages, including soju (Korean spirit), beer, and red wine. A randomized, cross-over trial design was employed, and fecal samples were collected from 18 healthy adults before and after the consumption of rice wine or control liquor. Microbiota of each fecal sample was analyzed targeting V3–V4 region, utilizing MiSeq system and QIIME2 analysis. Significant alterations in the relative abundance of the Actinobacteria and certain genera were observed after rice wine intervention. Additionally, rice wine consumption induced distinct alterations in the gut microbiota compared with other liquor consumptions. The relative abundance of lactic acid bacteria in the gut microbiota varied among the participants, with an elevated detection frequency of Enterococcus and Lactobacillus genera observed following rice wine consumption. In summary, this study provides the first comprehensive insight into the unique effect of rice wine consumption on the human gut microbiota, distinguishing it from other liquors.

Wine consumer profile in wine regions of Brazil

Our article aims to analyze the main influences, experience and affective involvement that impact the consumer behavior of regional wines in Brazil. We used a descriptive quantitative survey. Our findings contribute to a greater understanding of the behavior of choice related to local experiences and what points are essential to involve the consumer with a product, in this case, wine. The Brazilian wine industry has been dealing with tariff disputes between countries, increased number of producers, reduction in consumption per capita and demand for higher quality wines. Our results show that cultural, social, personal, and psychological factors are crucial in this process.

Consumer behavior toward virtual wine experiences as a technology-based sustainable transformation

IntroductionThis study examines the behavior of wine consumers toward virtual wine experiences (VWEs), which are innovative and resilient solutions adopted by actors in the wine and wine tourism sectors during the recent pandemic, with an inherent potential for sustainability. While the phenomenon is still evolving due to the digitalization megatrend and the marketing potential of VWEs for wineries, the literature on this topic is still limited.MethodsWe apply an extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), relying on a large and representative sample of Italian wine consumers to analyze the effect of personal wine involvement, risk attitude, and future wine tourism intention in addition to attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control.ResultsThe results confirm that attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, wine involvement, and future wine tourism intention positively influence intentions, while risk aversion negatively affects behavior.DiscussionThis first application of the TPB to technology-based wine experiences. It provides key insights for researchers, practitioners (such as wineries and wine tourism stakeholders), and policymakers for the development of VWEs.