Getting more out of wine: wine experts, wine apps and sensory science

How do consumers decide which wines to buy from the bewildering range on offer to them? Who should they turn to for advice? The answers to these questions are of interest not just to consumers but also to producers and wine merchants who hope to influence consumers’ choices and develop their interests in wine. At one time, consumers looked to the points awarded by authoritative wine critics but increasingly, they use wine apps to extend their wine choices. Reliance on digital technology is meant to replace reliance on expert wine tasters whose judgments can be questioned or whose verdicts on what count as good quality wines may not line-up with the tastes and preferences of ordinary wine consumers. Wine apps’ recommendations based on the wisdom of the crowd favour what most people like but offer little insight into why they like it. It is here that sensory science can play a role in identifying the drivers of liking; however liking should be distinguished from quality. Wine experts aim to identify wine quality; wine apps mostly aim at average liking. To get more out of wine consumers need a way to go beyond liking.