More hawthorn and less dried longan: the role of information and taste on red wine consumer preferences in China

Background and Aims This study uses sensory evaluation techniques to test the relative influence of country of origin, price and sensory attributes on consumer preferences in a new wine market. Methods and Results Red wines from France, Australia and China were tasted by Chinese consumers under blind or informed conditions. Sensory descriptive data were collected from a Chinese‐trained panel. A higher price and being from France were the strongest predictors of informed liking, while being from China had a negative influence for most of the consumers. Some consistency was found in sensory preferences between blind and informed tastings, indicating that sensory aspects of the wine are important. Well‐liked wines were generally high in fermented bean curd, hawthorn and woody, and low in salty and dried longan attributes. Conclusions Price and country of origin generally are more important than the sensory aspects, however, a significant proportion of consumers are less concerned about origin and price and were more influenced by the sensory characteristics. Significance of the Study Even in a new wine market, producers benefit from understanding consumer reactions to the sensory properties of wines and to extrinsic attributes in order to successfully meet consumer expectations.