Investigating How the Disclosure of Production Methods Influences Consumers’ Sensory Perceptions of Sparkling Wines

Abstract

The primary objective was to identify how the disclosure of production methods, including sustainable practices, would impact consumers’ sensory perceptions. The secondary objective was to identify the attributes consumers use to describe Nova Scotia (NS) sparkling wines. The first trial used projective mapping (PM) and ultra-flash profiling (UFP) to describe eight sparkling wines (n = 77). In the second trial, a check-all-that-apply (CATA) questionnaire and 9-point hedonic scales were used (n = 101). Three sparkling wines, from the previous trial, were evaluated blinded and with a production claim. The first trial found that consumers separated the wines based on their fruit- or earth-like attributes. In the CATA trial, desirable attributes, such as sweet and smooth, were used more frequently to describe the wines with sustainable production methods. No significant differences were found in the overall liking scores after the disclosure of the production methods (α = 0.05). These findings indicate that disclosure of production methods did not impact participants’ sensory perceptions of sparkling wine. In addition, an evaluation among different generations should be considered, as millennials have been found to hold sustainable practices to greater value.