Comments on: Expensive Wines DO Taste Better http://blog.winemag.com/editors/2008/01/14/expensive-wines-do-taste-better/ Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:33:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Greg Jones http://blog.winemag.com/editors/2008/01/14/expensive-wines-do-taste-better/comment-page-1/#comment-2227 Greg Jones Mon, 21 Jan 2008 18:08:29 +0000 http://blog.winemag.com/editors/2008/01/14/expensive-wines-do-taste-better/#comment-2227 I think it would also prove interesting to have an experiment like this: People blindly taste some wines. Next, they order the wines from favorite to least favorite. After that, one of two things could happen. 1) The subjects could then try to assign the wines into categories of "expensive" or "inexpensive". The results between the ratings and price categories could be compared. 2) Instead of having the subjects assign the wines into a cost category, the researcheres simply try to see if there is an objective correlation between the prices and the ratings that the subjects gave them. Could be done with both "ordinary" people, as well as those with a more refined palate. It would more interesting to see all of the conditions outlined above completed, and then see a comparison between them all. Would people automatically assume that a higher rated wine is more expensive than the others when asked to assign a price? Would the ranks correlate with the objective pricing? I think it would also prove interesting to have an experiment like this: People blindly taste some wines. Next, they order the wines from favorite to least favorite. After that, one of two things could happen.
1) The subjects could then try to assign the wines into categories of “expensive” or “inexpensive”. The results between the ratings and price categories could be compared.
2) Instead of having the subjects assign the wines into a cost category, the researcheres simply try to see if there is an objective correlation between the prices and the ratings that the subjects gave them. Could be done with both “ordinary” people, as well as those with a more refined palate. It would more interesting to see all of the conditions outlined above completed, and then see a comparison between them all. Would people automatically assume that a higher rated wine is more expensive than the others when asked to assign a price? Would the ranks correlate with the objective pricing?

]]> By: Steve http://blog.winemag.com/editors/2008/01/14/expensive-wines-do-taste-better/comment-page-1/#comment-2223 Steve Mon, 21 Jan 2008 02:19:07 +0000 http://blog.winemag.com/editors/2008/01/14/expensive-wines-do-taste-better/#comment-2223 This was an interesting study - novice wine drinkers were given a very small amount (1 mL?) of wine from a plastic tube. I can't imagine that the outcome really surprises people (well, the actual brain changes are surprising). Most people do not have time (or the motivation) to become educated about wine. So they need a sense of validation - whether it be scores from Parker or a "premium" price tag - to feel comfortable. One can only hope that people learn to become comfortable with their own palates over time. This was an interesting study – novice wine drinkers were given a very small amount (1 mL?) of wine from a plastic tube.

I can’t imagine that the outcome really surprises people (well, the actual brain changes are surprising). Most people do not have time (or the motivation) to become educated about wine. So they need a sense of validation – whether it be scores from Parker or a “premium” price tag – to feel comfortable. One can only hope that people learn to become comfortable with their own palates over time.

]]> By: Rob http://blog.winemag.com/editors/2008/01/14/expensive-wines-do-taste-better/comment-page-1/#comment-2214 Rob Thu, 17 Jan 2008 19:13:22 +0000 http://blog.winemag.com/editors/2008/01/14/expensive-wines-do-taste-better/#comment-2214 Apparantly I'm a Strange One. If I'm given a wine to taste, blind, and I like it, I'll ask how much it is. If I find out it's cheap, as well as good, then I like it even MORE. Obviously I'm overjoyed that I can afford it. Apparantly I’m a Strange One. If I’m given a wine to taste, blind, and I like it, I’ll ask how much it is. If I find out it’s cheap, as well as good, then I like it even MORE. Obviously I’m overjoyed that I can afford it.

]]> By: Carrie http://blog.winemag.com/editors/2008/01/14/expensive-wines-do-taste-better/comment-page-1/#comment-2213 Carrie Wed, 16 Jan 2008 21:15:40 +0000 http://blog.winemag.com/editors/2008/01/14/expensive-wines-do-taste-better/#comment-2213 <p>I work in a restaurant where people want to see the nicer high priced wines on the list but God forbid they pay the price! I see it as giving them something to complain about, it's amazing that they still drink here and they will chose a house wine even on 1/2 price bottle night.</p> I work in a restaurant where people want to see the nicer high priced wines on the list but God forbid they pay the price! I see it as giving them something to complain about, it’s amazing that they still drink here and they will chose a house wine even on 1/2 price bottle night.

]]> By: Steve Heimoff http://blog.winemag.com/editors/2008/01/14/expensive-wines-do-taste-better/comment-page-1/#comment-2209 Steve Heimoff Tue, 15 Jan 2008 23:02:12 +0000 http://blog.winemag.com/editors/2008/01/14/expensive-wines-do-taste-better/#comment-2209 Jim, I wonder, did the study say what level of knowledge of expertise the subjects had? It seems to me it would be important to know if they were skilled wine palates as opposed to just "ordinary" people off the street. Jim,

I wonder, did the study say what level of knowledge of expertise the subjects had? It seems to me it would be important to know if they were skilled wine palates as opposed to just “ordinary” people off the street.

]]> By: Mark V Marino http://blog.winemag.com/editors/2008/01/14/expensive-wines-do-taste-better/comment-page-1/#comment-2206 Mark V Marino Tue, 15 Jan 2008 06:59:56 +0000 http://blog.winemag.com/editors/2008/01/14/expensive-wines-do-taste-better/#comment-2206 I see it all the time after doing 100's of wine tours. I feel guilty when people want and buy expensive wines and say they will never drink inferior wine again it is the beginning of an expensive habit!!! But good is really good and then you know why and can never go back... I see it all the time after doing 100′s of wine tours. I feel guilty when people want and buy expensive wines and say they will never drink inferior wine again it is the beginning of an expensive habit!!! But good is really good and then you know why and can never go back…

]]> By: Pamela http://blog.winemag.com/editors/2008/01/14/expensive-wines-do-taste-better/comment-page-1/#comment-2205 Pamela Tue, 15 Jan 2008 04:42:40 +0000 http://blog.winemag.com/editors/2008/01/14/expensive-wines-do-taste-better/#comment-2205 "...the process of then wanting to pay for the supposedly great wine is another step". So true! You will get a kick out of this story ("Wine Miracles" by yours truly, Enobytes - http://blog.oregonlive.com/wine/2008/01/in_search_of_wine_miracles.html). Consumers seem to think that producers can mirror the best quality wine at any level, e.g. give me a Rombauer Chardonnay at the cost of a Charles Shaw :) "...knowing they were getting an expensive wine for FREE. That might be what made their brain chemistry simmer." Exactly – pretty funny! “…the process of then wanting to pay for the supposedly great wine is another step”. So true! You will get a kick out of this story (“Wine Miracles” by yours truly, Enobytes – http://blog.oregonlive.com/wine/2008/01/in_search_of_wine_miracles.html). Consumers seem to think that producers can mirror the best quality wine at any level, e.g. give me a Rombauer Chardonnay at the cost of a Charles Shaw :)

“…knowing they were getting an expensive wine for FREE. That might be what made their brain chemistry simmer.” Exactly – pretty funny!

]]> By: Jim Gordon http://blog.winemag.com/editors/2008/01/14/expensive-wines-do-taste-better/comment-page-1/#comment-2204 Jim Gordon Tue, 15 Jan 2008 04:15:52 +0000 http://blog.winemag.com/editors/2008/01/14/expensive-wines-do-taste-better/#comment-2204 <p>I knew it sounded familiar. Maybe that was it. On a related tangent, someone suggested today that the process of then wanting to pay for the supposedly great wine is another step. Just because one thinks the expensive wine is better, doesn't necessarily mean one will pay the higher price. And.... in the laboratory setting, the subjects also had the thrill of knowing they were getting an expensive wine for FREE. That might be what really made their brain chemistry simmer.</p> I knew it sounded familiar. Maybe that was it. On a related tangent, someone suggested today that the process of then wanting to pay for the supposedly great wine is another step. Just because one thinks the expensive wine is better, doesn’t necessarily mean one will pay the higher price. And…. in the laboratory setting, the subjects also had the thrill of knowing they were getting an expensive wine for FREE. That might be what really made their brain chemistry simmer.

]]> By: Pamela http://blog.winemag.com/editors/2008/01/14/expensive-wines-do-taste-better/comment-page-1/#comment-2201 Pamela Tue, 15 Jan 2008 02:32:34 +0000 http://blog.winemag.com/editors/2008/01/14/expensive-wines-do-taste-better/#comment-2201 This story reminds me of that Cornell study completed last year (http://www.physorg.com/news105623535.html). They set up an environment for diners to taste two different wines with their pre-fixed meal. Half the bottles claimed to be from Noah’s Winery in California. The labels on the other half claimed to be from Noah’s Winery in North Dakota. In both cases, the wine was an inexpensive Charles Shaw wine. Those drinking what they thought was California wine, rated the wine and food as tasting better, and ate 11% more of their food. Pretty funny stuff. This story reminds me of that Cornell study completed last year (http://www.physorg.com/news105623535.html). They set up an environment for diners to taste two different wines with their pre-fixed meal. Half the bottles claimed to be from Noah’s Winery in California. The labels on the other half claimed to be from Noah’s Winery in North Dakota. In both cases, the wine was an inexpensive Charles Shaw wine.

Those drinking what they thought was California wine, rated the wine and food as tasting better, and ate 11% more of their food. Pretty funny stuff.

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