Effect of Asian Wine Consumers’ Mental Representations in Sensory Perception and Acceptability of Pinot Noir Wines from Switzerland, France, Argentina and Brazil
Nicolas Depetris-Chauvin
nicolas.depetris-chauvin@hesge.ch
Maria-Pilar Sáenz-Navajas
Heber Rodrigues
Dominique Valentin
Ernesto Franco-Luesma
Vicente Ferreira
This study explores the influence of country-of-origin (COO) information on the sensory perception and acceptability of Pinot Noir wines among Asian wine experts, and identifies the chemical and sensory drivers of preference. A total of 19 wine professionals in Hong Kong evaluated eight commercial Pinot Noirs—two each from Switzerland, France, Argentina, and Brazil—under two conditions: blind and informed (COO disclosed). Participants rated overall liking on a 7-point scale and performed a free sorting task with descriptors. Two-way ANOVA showed no significant effect of COO information on liking, suggesting that prior mental representations had limited impact on hedonic judgments in this expert sample. However, differences emerged across wines, with one Swiss and one Brazilian wine being most preferred, and Argentine samples least liked. Multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis revealed three sensory clusters. Cluster 2 (including the Argentine wines) had significantly lower liking scores. Correlation with chemical composition showed that wines with higher colour intensity and greater expression of woody aroma (linked to whiskylactones) were more positively perceived. While total polyphenol content (TPI)—a proxy for astringency—did not vary significantly across clusters, colour intensity and oak-related aroma vectors were significantly associated with sensory grouping and preference. The results suggest that colour and aroma (especially woody notes) are key drivers of wine preference, whereas information about origin may play a secondary role among expert consumers. This has implications for understanding how extrinsic cues and intrinsic properties interact in shaping the mental representations and acceptance of wines from emerging regions.
Nicolas Depetris-Chauvin (Haute Ecole de Gestion de Genève, HES-SO, Switzerland – team leader), PhD in Economics from Princeton University. He has taught at prestigious institutions such as the University of Oxford, the University of California, Berkeley, and Sciences Po. As a specialist in wine economics, Dr. Depetris-Chauvin explores quality differentiation, the impact of origin biases on wine judgments, and the evolution of the global wine industry. He also examines cultural factors influencing wine perception, sustainable and organic practices, and economic innovations within the sector. His research covers national wine strategies, market dynamics, and consumer behavior. He leads an international research project, creating the first global database of wine businesses with 5,300 responses from 23 wine-producing countries. He also collaborates with local industry stakeholders and the International Organisation of Vine and Wine
María Pilar Sáenz Navajas (Instituto de Ciencias de la Vid y del Vino, Logroño, La Rioja, Spain) holds degrees in Chemistry and Enology from the University of La Rioja and earned her PhD with European distinction and an Extraordinary Doctorate Award in 2011. She has conducted research at leading institutions in Austria, France, and the United States. From 2013 to 2020, she worked at the University of Zaragoza before joining the ICVV in 2021. Her research focuses on understanding the perceptual and cognitive mechanisms behind wine's sensory experiences and their connection to quality, typicity, and consumer appreciation, integrating flavor chemistry, sensory evaluation, and consumer science.
Heber Rodrigues (Yayin Sense, United Kingdon) is a scientist specializing in sensory perception and consumer research. He is currently the CEO of Yayin Sense, a British company dedicated to helping businesses and professionals achieve sensory excellence, enhancing customer experience and satisfaction.. Founder and editor-in-chief of The Secret Sip, a wine and lifestyle magazine, Heber co-authored the book Consumer Research Methods in Food Science in 2023. His research spans social representation, food consumption, and cultural influences, with a particular emphasis on wine and sensory experiences. He holds a PhD in Food Science with a focus on sensory perception from the University of Burgundy and a Master’s in Food Science and Technology from the Federal University of Santa Maria.
Dominique Valentin (Centre des Sciences du Gout et de l’Alimentation) received a Ph.D in applied cognition and neuroscience from the University of Texas at Dallas in 1996. She is currently a retired professor from AgroSup Dijon where she taught sensory evaluation, cognitive psychology and multivariate statistics to food science engineering students and master students. Her research deals with cognitive processes involved in the perception of food products and beverages. She is particularly interested in understanding the effect of experience and culture on how we perceive, categorize, appreciate and describe chemosensory stimuli. Shis is also a Professor Extraordinary at the Department of Viticulture and Oenology in Stellenbosh (SA) since 2019.
Ernesto Franco-Luesma (Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l’Alimentation) PhD from the University of Zaragoza (2016), specializes in wine chemistry and sensory science. His doctoral research focused on the evolution of volatile sulfur compounds during wine aging in the bottle, developing innovative methodologies for their study. He completed postdoctoral studies in Sensory Science at AgroSup Dijon. His work has been widely published, with notable contributions on sulfur compounds, sensory interactions, and the impact of environmental and cultural factors on wine perception. His expertise includes advanced analytical methods and sensory evaluation, contributing to a deeper understanding of wine's chemical and sensory profiles.
Vicente Ferreira (Laboratory for Aroma Analysis and Enology, Aragón Institute of Engineering Research, University of Zaragoza, Spain) leads the Aroma and Enology Laboratory, a global reference in aroma and enological chemistry. His research focuses on understanding the chemical foundations of aroma and taste perception in complex products, specializing in identifying and modeling sensory-active molecules to optimize product quality and production processes. His work spans oxidation and reduction chemistry, sensory modeling, advanced analytical techniques, and chemico-sensory methods for characterizing flavor compounds.