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74 W i n e s & V i n e s M AY 2 0 1 4 mercadercorkusa.com info@mercadercorkusa.com T. (707) 395 4765 701 Healdsburg Ave. - Healdsburg CA, 95448 USA THINK OUTSIDE THE BOTTLE Mobile Solutions For Wineries A full suite of mobile marketing tools for wineries, including: Mobile Coupons • Image Recognition on Wine Labels Mobile Websites • SMS • Augmented Reality • CRM Integration Bottle shaped Custom QR Rebates & Loyalty • Social Integration & Referrals Richard Neumann Richard@nxt-wine.com Nxt-wine.com • 707.240.4444 Text: Wine To: 811-811 Full Service Implementations | Age Verifi cation Data Capture Mechanisms | Reporting, Tracking and Analytics A study involving wine sensory char- acter, quality per- ception and preferences by wine experts, trained panelists and consum- ers indicates consumers have a wider range of wine sensory "likes" than expert tasters and competition judges. The results suggest that consumers are likely better off trusting their own preferences to choose wines they like, rather than relying on "expert" advice. University of Califor- nia, Davis, professor and sen- sory scientist Dr. Hildegarde Heymann discussed the study at the Department of Viticul- ture & Enology's annual research update meeting, Recent Advances in Viticul- ture & Enology (RAVE), held in March. Heymann's presentation, "Judging wine quality: Do we need experts, consumers or trained panelists?" was based on an evaluation of Cabernet Sauvignon wines from a recent California State Fair Wine Competition by different tast- ing panels. The wines were from nine different California regions representing regional award categories in the com- petition. Three wines were used from each region: the top scoring wine (usually a gold or double gold medal), the lowest scoring wine (no medal), and one median score wine (usually a silver or bronze medal). Parameters for the study The 27 wines were evaluated by a group of 15 trained pan- elists who came up with a list of sensory character terms for the wines through a descrip- tive analysis based on refer- ence standards. The descriptor list included 17 aroma terms, two taste terms and two mouthfeel terms. The consumer evaluation involved 174 red wine con- sumers who were asked to evaluate each wine based on: likability (dislike extremely to like extremely) and quality (low quality to high quality). The consumers were also given a 15-question exam to determine their level of wine knowledge. The consumers' knowledge levels covered a wide range from low to high. Heymann said, "There were consumers who liked all of these wines. Since these are all commercial wines, that's good news for the companies trying to sell these wines." But she noted there was sig- nificant disagreement in qual- ity ratings among consumers. How Useful Is a Wine Expert's Opinion? UC Davis study indicates consumers and experts differ significantly in wine preferences By Jon Tourney S A L E S & M A R K E T I N G