 IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Is the consumer ready for innovative fruit wines?

Is the consumer ready for innovative fruit wines?

Abstract

AIM: Wine consumption in the last fifteen years showed a decrease in Europe [1]. New alternatives of wines appeared on the market. Those beverages are obtained by blending wines and fruit juices or flavoring wines with artificial or natural aromas and have medium alcohol content (from 8 to 10.5%) [2]. Recently, an innovative fruit wine has been proposed obtained by co-fermenting grape must and kiwi juice [3] whose potential attractiveness to consumers should be exploited. However, differences in product acceptability and perception, as well as the individuals’ willingness to consume and pay could change in function of subjects socio-demographic characteristics. The target group selected is represented by young adults (18-35 years old) consumption groups.

METHODS: The data were collected through an online survey created with Google Forms and disseminated by e-mail and social networks. . The results were processed to highlight differences between two age groups (millennial and Z generation) and gender in terms of alcoholic beverages consumption habits, consumer’s experience about fruit wines, the perception and expectations about this new products and the willingness to pay. Non-parametric tests were performed to test the statistical differences between the two age groups.

RESULTS: The questionnaire was submitted to participants belonging to the Z generation (62% of the respondents), and Millennials (38% ). Even though the product is still little known in Italy, 86% of positive responses were obtained by the question “Would you be willing to consume a fruit wine?”; in particular, negative answers were strongly due to respondents neophobia. Answers about consumption habits revealed that wine and beer are young people’s favorite drinks and the choice of participants already involved in wine sector could be influenced by their personal experience. Differences in terms of consumption habits emerged in terms of individuals’ age and gender. However, the two age groups were in accordance on different quality aspects of fruit wines, with the exception of alcohol degree and Brand knowledge. Also the willingness to pay for the new product changes in relation to individuals age.

CONCLUSIONS:

The survey carried out on the consumer perception toward a novel fruit wine demonstrated that the marketplace could be attracted and potentially ready to this innovation. Moreover, the sustainability aspects that distinguish this product along with the social impact of a low-alcohol drink, however obtained from a grape must, may represent a further economic fly-wheel in the alcoholic beverage market. The differences in consumer perception, considering gender and age, could represent a marketing tool to consider in the product communication strategies

DOI:

Publication date: September 24, 2021

Issue: Macrowine 2021

Type: Article

Authors

Stefano Massaglia, Valentina Maria Merlino, Daniela FRACASSETTI, Simona PIZZI, Alessandra DI CANITO, Ileana VIGENTINI,

Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (DISAFA),University of Turin, Italy, Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, Italy

Contact the author

Keywords

innovation, fruit wines, consumer acceptance, low alcohol beverages, willingness to pay

Citation

Terroir analysis and its complexity

Terroir is not only a geographical site, but it is a more complex concept able to express the “collective knowledge of the interactions” between the environment and the vines mediated through human action and “providing distinctive characteristics” to the final product (OIV 2010). It is often treated and accepted as a “black box”, in which the relationships between wine and its origin have not been clearly explained. Nevertheless, it is well known that terroir expression is strongly dependent on the physical environment, and in particular on the interaction between soil-plant and atmosphere system, which influences the grapevine responses, grapes composition and wine quality. The Terroir studying and mapping are based on viticultural zoning procedures, obtained with different levels of know-how, at different spatial and temporal scales, empiricism and complexity in the description of involved bio-physical processes, and integrating or not the multidisciplinary nature of the terroir. The scientific understanding of the mechanisms ruling both the vineyard variability and the quality of grapes is one of the most important scientific focuses of terroir research. In fact, this know-how is crucial for supporting the analysis of climate change impacts on terroir resilience, identifying new promised lands for viticulture, and driving vineyard management toward a target oenological goal. In this contribution, an overview of the last findings in terroir studies and approaches will be shown with special attention to the terroir resilience analysis to climate change, facing the use and abuse of terroir concept and new technology able to support it and identifying the terroir zones.

First application of an original methodology created to overcome conflicts between stakeholders in an important wine-growing territory: methodology, results, and perspectives in the application of sustainability EME4.1C

Considering the previous research and activities, also, on Sustainability EME4.1C which, as widely known, considers in a harmonious chain all the factors material, immaterial, moral and spiritual related to all aspects environmental, economic, social, existential, relational, ethical, technical and “MetaEthic” indexed 4.1C

Environmental sustainability in the production of grappa with the use of mould-resistant grape varieties: the aroma characterisation of distillates

Grappa is the most important italian spirit and its production includes elements of history, tradition, and culture of the transalpine country. In accordance with EU laws, grappa is obtained from the fermentation and distillation of the pomace, eventually added with fermentation lees and water. Grappa is one of the richest fruit distillates in volatile compounds that confer to the product its characteristic flagrance. The aroma is largely due to the volatile compounds present in the raw materials, in particular alcohols, esters and carbonyl compounds formed during the alcoholic fermentation, but also to grape aromas such as terpenols and norisoprenoids, that confers grappa the distinctive floral scents.

Influence of grapes origin and yeast strain on aroma profile of corvina and corvinone dry passito wines

Valpolicella is a wine region characterized by a wide use of the technology of grape drying for the production of two red passito wines, recognized as PDOs, “Recioto della Valpolicella” and the most famous “Amarone della Valpolicella”. Geographical origin of the grapes can influence wine composition by grape chemical composition yeast behaviour during fermentation. This study investigates the impact of different commercial yeast strains on aroma profiles of wines produced with withered grapes of different origins. In addition, the influence of spontaneous fermentation is also considered. METHODS: Experimental red wines were produced with a standard winemaking protocol with withered Corvina and Corvinone grapes obtained from two different geographical areas within the Valpolicella region. Fermentations were carried out with four different commercial yeasts plus a spontaneous fermentation. Wines were analysed by means of SPE- and SPME-GC-MS techniques and sensory analysis (sorting task).

Study of cross-modal interactions through sensory and chemical characteristics of italian red wines

This work aimed at investigating red wine olfactory–oral cross-modal interactions, and at testing their impact on the correlations between sensory and chemical variables. Seventy-four Italian red whole wines (WWs) from 10 varieties, and corresponding deodorized wines (DWs), were evaluated by sensory descriptive assessment.