Research

New research looks into the psychological impact of wine label colour on consumers, examining how black and white versus colour labels affect the perceived value and appeal of red and white wines. It highlights that black and white labels significantly elevate the perceived quality and exclusivity of red wines, thereby increasing consumer interest and willingness to purchase. This effect is attributed to the labels’ ability to convey sophistication and trigger deeper cognitive engagement with the product. Conversely, the study observes that this effect is less pronounced for white wines, suggesting that the influence of label colour is contingent upon the…

Tannins in wines, particularly red wines, are compounds that contribute significantly to the taste, colour, and texture of the wine. New research looks into the complex world of these compounds, specifically proanthocyanidins (PAs). Proanthocyanidins are a group of polyphenolic compounds found in many plants, including grapes. The article explains that PAs in red wine are primarily formed from flavan-3-ol monomers, such as catechins and gallocatechins. These monomers can link together in various ways, creating a diverse array of PAs. Interestingly, the study found that the composition of PAs was notably similar across many wine types. This suggests that the sensory…

There has been a significant advancement in artificial intelligence (AI) related to wine tasting. Researchers at the University of Copenhagen’s Pioneer Centre for AI, along with collaborators from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and Caltech, have successfully trained an algorithm to predict individual wine preferences based on human taste perceptions. The study explains how this was achieved through wine-tasting events where participants ranked wines based on their taste similarities. The data from these events was combined with extensive wine label and user review information provided by the wine app Vivino. This includes 897,000 images of wine labels and 824,000…

There’s recent research (PDF) looking into the impact of peer preferences and expert reviews on consumer behaviour, specifically for products like wine that consumers can sample. Through two experimental studies, the research identified that when consumers taste wines, their own rating significantly influences their willingness to pay (WTP). A one-star increase in their rating can lead to an approximate $3 increase in WTP. Even after tasting, peer and expert ratings continue to play a role, with a one-star rise resulting in a $1.96 and $1.15 increase in WTP respectively. Interestingly, the study observed little difference in the weighting consumers give…

There’s an interesting new whitepaper titled “Wine Decisions: The Wine Buying Experience in Independent Specialist Wine Retailers” based on a research study conducted by KAM in collaboration with Hallgarten & Novum Wines, focusing on consumer behavior within the UK’s independent specialist wine retail sector. This study, involving 1,185 participants, explores the driving factors influencing consumer preferences and purchase decisions amidst economic challenges like rising inflation. The research reveals that despite financial tightening, value for money remains a crucial aspect for consumers while purchasing wine, but not strictly in terms of price. Consumers are attracted to specialist wine retailers due to…

New research titled Decoy Effects in a Massive Real-World Shopping Dataset focuses on the impact of ‘decoy’ options on consumer choices, specifically in the context of wine purchases in the UK. The study examined a large dataset of 3.6 million wine purchases made by 755,158 unique customers over a one-month period. In the situation where a consumer is torn between choosing a high-price, high-quality wine and a low-price, low-quality wine, the presence of a decoy option could tip the scales. According to the study, the introduction of an even more inferior decoy wine that is both more expensive and of…

There’s new research (PDF) from Maria Kana of Linnaeus University into the language used in wine reviews, particularly the adoption of standardised wine vocabularies like the Wine Aroma Wheel (WAW) and the Wine Lexicon of the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET). The study aimed to understand how closely professional wine reviewers stick to these standard lexicons versus opting for individual expression. The research revealed that 65.79% of terms used in reviews adhered to the WSET vocabulary, which is frequently updated to reflect current industry practices. In contrast, terms adhering to the older WAW framework, last updated in 1987, accounted…

A recent survey, documented on Forbes by one of the researchers Liz Thach, MW, has shed light on the preferences of wine consumers in three major markets: the U.S., Australia, and Italy. The study, conducted in May 2023, highlighted that in all three countries, the taste of the wine was prioritised over its price. Prior experience with a particular wine was a significant indicator of future choices. Interestingly, while Australian and U.S. consumers often based their decisions on price if they hadn’t tasted the wine, Italians were more influenced by the food they intended to pair with the wine. The…