Trent E. Johnson

The underlying motivations of Chinese wine consumer behaviour

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discover the underlying motivations of Chinese wine consumption.Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative focus group interviews were performed on 36 Chinese wine consumers and four focus groups were performed, with participants segmented into groups based on age and gender.Findings – The main findings were that Chinese wine consumers are influenced by face and status. These issues may be affecting their wine consumption behaviours, particularly related to anomalous behaviours such as mixing red wine with lemonade and the rationale for the preference of cork‐closed wine bottles. Furthermore, the notion of wine consumption for health‐related purposes was uncovered and a linkage found with traditional Chinese medicine.Originality/value – While research has been conducted on Chinese wine consumers, this paper attempts to uncover the underlying motivations for consumption and finds a linkage between wine consumption and traditional Chinese medicine. Furthermore, this ...

Integrated marketing communications in the Australian and New Zealand wine industry

Integrated marketing communications and the management of brands is a vital area for research in many industries. The global wine industry is facing significant changes including: retail concentration; proliferation of brands and labels; fragmenting consumer markets; and over-production. Improving the planning, implementation and integration of marketing communications activities is essential for the survival of brands and companies operating under these conditions. This research reports on findings into marketing communications integration in the context of the Australian and New Zealand wine industries. The research employs Duncan and Moriartys (1997) abbreviated Integrated Marketing Audit to examine key communications issues and demonstrates that a higher level of integration is associated with better brand-related performance.

Consumer liking of white wines: segmentation using self‐reported wine liking and wine knowledge

Ellena S. King, Trent E. Johnson, Susan E.P. Bastian, Patricia Osidacz and I. Leigh Francis

A fine wine instrument – an alternative for segmenting the Australian wine market

Purpose – The purpose of the study was to devise an instrument, labelled the Fine Wine Instrument (FWI), to measure the fine wine behaviour of respondents and then use that base to segment the consumer sample. The behaviour of those respondents who scored highly on the FWI was examined in detail. Design/methodology/approach – An online survey collected quantitative information from a convenience sample of Australian wine consumers (n = 1,017). Using the FWI as the segmentation base, cluster analysis identified three segments of consumers, denoted “Wine Enthusiasts”, “Aspirants” and “No Frills” wine drinkers, and their respective wine-related behaviours were examined. Findings – The Wine Enthusiasts’ segment consumed more wine, spent more money on wine and were more knowledgeable about wine than the other two segments. The demographics of the Wine Enthusiasts’ segment indicated that the members were not consistent with the conventional view of wine connoisseurs, as many were under the age of 35. Their life...

Unripe Berries and Petioles in Vitis vinifera cv. Cabernet Sauvignon Fermentations Affect Sensory and Chemical Profiles

Petioles, rachis, and leaves are all matter other than grape (MOG), and although originating from vines, they potentially contaminate primary fermentations of red grape must. Fruit contaminated with high levels of MOG may be downgraded or rejected at the winery; however, management practices such as hand harvesting or fruit sorting may reduce MOG. Petioles are the most common form of MOG to be included in the must, yet little is known about their chemical composition and resulting effects on the sensory and chemical properties of red wines. A descriptive analysis panel (n = 12) examined the sensory profiles of Cabernet Sauvignon wines to which 0.5% or more of MOG (petioles or unripe berries) had been added. This sensory analysis showed that an addition of 10% petioles to the must had a perceived impact on sensory wine qualities, increasing floral aromas and reducing bitterness relative to the sensory qualities of control wines, and resulting in a fuller body than that of wines made with unripe (i.e., green) berries. These sensory results are related to increased terpene concentrations as petioles increase in concentration in the wine must. Methoxypyrazines can also be detrimental contaminants to Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Concentrations of the predominant methoxypyrazine in the wines, 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine, increased with increasing additions of unripe berries to the must. Wines made with 0.5% or more of unripe berries during fermentation were associated with increased perceived acidity in the sensory analysis and an aroma that was more leafy and vegetal green than the aromas of some wines made with added petioles. The results of this study provide winemakers with important information to better understand how grape-harvesting choices may affect the perceived quality and chemical composition of their wines.

Evaluation of Sensory Thresholds and Perception of Sodium Chloride in Grape Juice and Wine

Poor water quality and lack of rainfall can lead to higher salt loads in vineyard soil and the production of wine with sodium chloride (NaCl) concentrations that may affect wine quality or exceed regulatory limits. Here, study 1 aimed to determine NaCl sensory thresholds in grape juice and wine so that better harvest and processing decisions could be made regarding salt-affected fruit. A whole-mouth gustatory method was used to determine detection and recognition thresholds of NaCl in water, red and white juices, and wines. The NaCl sensory thresholds were often within legal boundaries; thus, a significant proportion of wine consumers may detect salt in wines at concentrations below the legal NaCl limits. The detection and recognition thresholds of NaCl in grape juice and wine increased with panelist age. Study 2 investigated how NaCl affects wine sensory properties. Sensory evaluation using a trained descriptive analysis panel (n = 9) and chemical and elemental analyses were conducted on four Chardonnay wines made from separate vineyards where the fruit was perceived to contain varying degrees of saltiness and results were compared to Chardonnay wine samples spiked with 0.5 or 1 g/L NaCl. Wines made from fruit grown on salt-affected vines and wines spiked with NaCl had similar sensory characteristics. Salty and soapy attributes were correlated and associated with higher Na and Cl concentrations. Fruit expression was associated with wines containing less Na and Cl. When determining acceptable salt concentrations in juice and wines, winemakers need to consider sensory impacts, legal requirements, and who conducts the sensory assessment.

Comparison of Rate-All-That-Apply and Descriptive Analysis for the Sensory Profiling of Wine

The aim of this work was to investigate how useful the Rate-All-That-Apply (RATA) method with naive consumers is to profile a wide range of wines and how the sensory profiles obtained compare with those of classic descriptive analysis (DA). For this purpose, we conducted two studies. Study 1 presents preliminary work comparing the discrimination ability of RATA, undertaken by 84 naive consumers, with a traditional DA with 11 trained panelists. The vocabulary lists remained the same across the two methods, and the assessment was based on a set of six red table wines (from six different varieties). Study 2 aimed to further elucidate the discrimination ability of RATA with 71 naive consumers compared with traditional DA. It expanded on Study 1 by increasing the number of samples assessed (12 white table wines from six varieties) and by varying the vocabulary between methods (RATA used a generic white wine attribute list and the DA used a panel-generated attribute list). In addition, similarity of sample configuration in the sensory space between RATA and DA was assessed by means of multiple factor analysis (MFA) and regression vector (RV) coefficients. The results of both studies revealed that RATA and DA are highly similar in sample discrimination ability (in terms of number of attributes significantly discriminating among samples). Furthermore, the MFA indicated high agreement in sample configuration between RATA and DA, reinforced by highly significant RV coefficients of 0.97 for Study 1 and 0.92 for Study 2. Overall, this observation supports a trend toward more consumer-centric approaches for sensory profiling and suggests that RATA could be a valid, accurate, and rapid addition to existing profiling methods used for wine.

Consumers’ knowledge of and attitudes toward the role of oak in winemaking

Oak plays an important role in the production of some white wines and most red wines. Yet, consumers’ knowledge of the use of oak in winemaking and their preference for oak-related sensory attributes remains unclear. This study examined the knowledge and attitudes of 1,015 Australian wine consumers toward the use of oak in winemaking. Consumers who indicated a liking of oak-aged wines (n=847) were segmented according to their knowledge of the role of oak in wine production. Four distinct consumer clusters were identified, with significantly different preferences for wine sensory attributes and opinions regarding the use of oak alternatives for wine maturation. One segment comprised more knowledgeable consumers, who appreciate and value traditional oak maturation regimes, for which they are willing to pay a premium price. However, a segment comprising less knowledgeable wine consumers was accepting of the use of oak chips, provided wine quality was not compromised. Winemakers can therefore justify the use of oak alternatives to achieve oak-aged wines at lower price points. The outcomes of this study can be used by winemakers to better tailor their wines to the specific needs and expectations of consumers within different segments of the market.

Natural Flavor Additives Influence the Sensory Perception and Consumer Liking of Australian Chardonnay and Shiraz Wines

The use of winemaking additives is governed by strict regulations, and currently, flavor additives are not legally permitted in commercial wine production: their addition to a wine renders it a “wine product.” However, Australian wine consumers have previously indicated their acceptance of the use of flavorings in wine. Consumers were found to be significantly more accepting of natural flavorings than of many additives currently used in winemaking (e.g., acid, tannins, oak chips). In this study, we investigated the potential for flavorings to enhance wine aroma and flavor and explored consumer liking of flavored wines. Four inexpensive commercial wines (two Chardonnay and two Shiraz) were flavored with natural additives to enhance aroma and flavor. Descriptive analysis (DA) was performed to determine the sensory profiles of control and flavored wines. Overall, the addition of flavor additives significantly increased the intensity of key attributes (e.g., citrus aroma and honey flavor) and decreased undesirable attributes (e.g., green, earthy notes) in wines. Following DA, consumer tastings (n = 218) were conducted to assess liking of control versus flavored wines. Based on individual liking scores, three hedonic clusters were identified. For Chardonnay, Cluster 1 (C1) liking was driven by passion fruit aroma, C2 by oak flavor and stone fruit and honey aromas, and C3 by butter aroma, honey flavor, and fruit and phenolic length. Drivers for Shiraz included chocolate flavor and red fruit and confectionary aromas for C1, oak flavor and red berry and green aromas for C2, and oak aroma and flavor and red fruit and confectionary aromas for C3. Findings suggest flavorings can enhance wine sensory properties, and for some consumer segments, wine acceptability (or liking).