Generation Z’s attraction to sweetened red wines: CATA, penalty analyses, and health aspects

Abstract

The wine industry is experiencing a significant global decline in wine consumption. This decline is particularly marked for red wine and the industry is seeking innovations to enhance the appeal of wine. The addition of sugars is known to improve the palatability of red wine, particularly for young adults, but the risk of in-bottle fermentation requires the use of stabilizers. Thus, the use of non-fermentable sweeteners, with a lower caloric content than sugars, would offer several advantages.

A series of experiments (Geffroy et al., 2024; Chervin et al. 2026) was carried out using various red wines and various sweeteners (erythritol, xylitol, rebaudioside A). The panellists were approximately 22 years old, representative of Generation Z. Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) was used as a descriptive method and penalty analysis was developed combining CATA and liking analyses, using freely available R scripts.

The results showed a consistent preference among panels of young adults for the sweetened red wines. This should prompt industry and regulatory bodies to consider authorizing the use of non-sugar sweeteners in wines, at least for marketing tests, as these additives are already authorized in beer production and various food processes. Health aspects will be commented.

References

Geffroy, O., Maza, E., Lytra, G. & Chervin, C. (2024). ‘Liking then CATA’ or ‘CATA then liking’? Impact of the hedonic question positioning on the wine sensory description and appreciation. OENO One, 58, e8165.

Chervin, C., Bornot, J., Geffroy, O. (2026). Xylitol Addition Enhances Generation Z Liking of Red Wine: A CATA and Penalty Analysis Approach. J. Sensory Studies, 70115.