Thursday, September 30, 2010

Your taste buds can't tell the price...

Everyone knows that expensive wine tastes way better than cheap wine.

Wait, who made that rule? Last time I checked, wine tasted good if...wine tasted good. And now, there is FINALLY proof that your taste buds don't discriminate!




A 2008 study, released in the Journal of Wine Economics, revealed the truth behind the age old myth that expensive wine tastes better. The sample of more than 6,000 blind tastings revealed that the correlation between price and overall rating is small and negative. In essence, individuals on average enjoy more expensive wines slightly less.


The nonprobability sampling is based on a data set of over 6,175 observations of volunteer wine tasters in 17 blind tastings across the US. The price per bottle ranged from $1.65 to $150, the average retail prices were obtained from WineSearcher.com. The wine represents a variety of flavors, from red, white, rose, sparkling all from various countries. Participants of the wine study were aged 21 to 88 (I hope I am part of a wine study when I'm 88!)


So let's cut to the chase, and help cut away that high priced stigma. The every day average person unaware of price, will generally enjoy the taste of a less expensive wine more.


Why is it that people look at a $100 bottle of wine and assume it tastes delicious?? Hello marketing and public relations! Marketing provides a channel that consumers can be influenced by, according to Goldstein's article. We look at a pretty, swanky bottle made by a fancy winery and automatically assume it will inherently taste eons better than a bottle of $5 Crane Lake. If the company creates a great campaign- touting the beauty, taste and "cool" factor, we may decide it's worth the price.


Let's theorize.... let's say that the plain labeled bottle cost less to make, and therefore more money was spent on the inside of the bottle (aka, the wine!) Ta da! Here is another theory, who wants to be seen drinking from a $3 bottle of wine at a party? Probably not you.


Lastly, if Robert Parker (wine expert) prefers the $300 bottle of wine, then shouldn't we? He is the wine expert isn't he? One reason cited in the article, is that the average wine drinker doesn't like the same types of wine as experts.


If you can't see the price tag on a bottle, then you are more likely to enjoy a cheaper glass of wine. Next time you stop at a wine tasting, drink the wines without taking a glance at the price. You (and your wallet) will be happy you did!



p.s. These are my three "cheapest" favorite wines:
Frontera Cab/Merlot $5
Columbia Crest Merlot $7
Alice White $6


Close your eyes, they taste like a million bucks!

Cheers!

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