Cheap wine vs expensive wine

[driveby]

BEIJING, Jan. 15 (Xinhuanet)-- The more expensive a wine is, the more pleasure a drinker may get from it, showed a study by researchers of California Institute of Technology as quoted by media reports Tuesday.

 

Antonio Rangel and his colleagues at the institute labeled three types of Cabernet Sauvignons with five different prices and asked 20 people to taste and judge which one tasted the best. The participants' brain activities were monitored with MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging).

 

The testers rated the 5 U.S. dollars wine as better than any of the others sampled before they were told the price, but their brains displayed more pleasure at the higher price than the lower one, even for the same wine after the wines were identified with different price.

 

"Our results suggest that the brain might compute experienced pleasantness in a much more sophisticated manner that involves integrating the actual sensory properties of the substance being consumed with the expectations about how good it should be," the researchers reported.

 

In other words, no matter how good a cheap wine may taste, consumers will still likely choose the more expensive wine and believe it tastes better.

 

Interesting

[twiley]

I've done quite a few blind tastings to know this is true - almost had a guy punch me once because I did it to prove a point about HIM. I don't generally give out a price when serving wine because people automatically assume it's going to be good if it's expensive. It took awhile for me to train my brain but now I can say that price has no effect on how I enjoy a bottle now.

[detlef]

Now, this doesn't completely surprise me and I have had more than my fair share of very delicious inexpensive wines.

 

None the less, there are few questions I have about the study.

 

To begin with, were the tasters experienced in wine. This matters a ton because producers have found ways of artificially exaggerating some of the qualities commonly associated with good wines. Adding sugar, using wood chips, etc. If you're typically drinking Coca Cola, these wines might appeal to you more. If you have an appreciation for wine, these will taste out of whack.

 

Another wrinkle, though not as profound, is the fact that some higher end red wines will taste shut down and tannic upon release and need a few years to show their stuff. Thus, to somebody who doesn't know what to look for, they might not taste as good as a cheap one that is locked and loaded.

 

I've done similar, very informal studies, where I've had friends who didn't know much about wines but were somewhat refined in other ways. Essentially, they gave a crap about what they ate and typically were inclined to choose quality over crap in other manners. Drank good beer or liquor over swill, etc.

 

At any rate, whenever we'd do a tasting, I'd always blind taste them on, say a decent, well made, but hardly remarkable Aussie Shiraz (like Rosemounts basic stuff) against a really nice Rhone. Each and every time, they'd pick the nicer of the two.

[detlef]

I've done quite a few blind tastings to know this is true - almost had a guy punch me once because I did it to prove a point about HIM. I don't generally give out a price when serving wine because people automatically assume it's going to be good if it's expensive. It took awhile for me to train my brain but now I can say that price has no effect on how I enjoy a bottle now.

I should have added that I've also had this experience as well. The case I mentioned below was not intended to imply that more expensive wine is always better. Rather that, when it is, the difference can be realized by people who aren't wine geeks.

[Seattle LawDawg]

To begin with, were the tasters experienced in wine.

 

This is it right here. Until a palette is developed, most (mistakenly) think that higher cost = better quality.

[nogohawk]

This is it right here. Until a palette is developed, most (mistakenly) think that higher cost = better quality.

 

Agree 100%

 

My big thing now is to find a really good or great wine for little $$

 

It's a game I play to amuse myself - you don't have to pay alot if you do your homework (e.g. reading up on releases from magazines such as Wine Spectator) and doing a little research on your on.

 

I usually read some reviews pick up a bottle or two (usually priced between $10 - $20, sometimes a bit more, but less than $30) and try it.

 

If I like it, go back and pick up 1/2 case or more.

[Seattle LawDawg]

Agree 100%

 

My big thing now is to find a really good or great wine for little $$

 

It's a game I play to amuse myself - you don't have to pay alot if you do your homework (e.g. reading up on releases from magazines such as Wine Spectator) and doing a little research on your on.

 

I usually read some reviews pick up a bottle or two (usually priced between $10 - $20, sometimes a bit more, but less than $30) and try it.

 

If I like it, go back and pick up 1/2 case or more.

 

There are definitely a lot of good QPR wines out there. While its true that it would be extremely rare to see a 98-100 pt wine in the less than $20 area, it's very easy to find 90+ wines. (although maybe not as easy as pre-Sideways) According to Speculator you don't need to look past the YellowTail Reserve!

[detlef]

There are definitely a lot of good QPR wines out there. While its true that it would be extremely rare to see a 98-100 pt wine in the less than $20 area, it's very easy to find 90+ wines. (although maybe not as easy as pre-Sideways) According to Speculator you don't need to look past the YellowTail Reserve!

Tell me that last bit was tongue in cheek. I just tried the whole line up the other day. Freaking awful! They even make a Pinot which was downright hideous.

 

One of my reps came by and showed me some stuff. I noticed a few other necks sticking out of the bag.

What else you got?

You don't want this, I promise.

C'mon, whatcha got?

 

Freaking Yellowtail the Reserve

I guess that's what the high rollers from The OSU drink

 

Of course I had to try. The Shz wasn't all bad but the pinot and cab tasted silly.

[Seattle LawDawg]

Tell me that last bit was tongue in cheek. I just tried the whole line up the other day. Freaking awful! They even make a Pinot which was downright hideous.

 

One of my reps came by and showed me some stuff. I noticed a few other necks sticking out of the bag.

What else you got?

You don't want this, I promise.

C'mon, whatcha got?

 

Freaking Yellowtail the Reserve

I guess that's what the high rollers from The OSU drink

 

Of course I had to try. The Shz wasn't all bad but the pinot and cab tasted silly.

 

Speculator put it in the top 100. I wish I was kidding. Caused quite an uproar.

[twiley]

Speaking of Yellowtail, a client dropped off a bottle of the Shiraz a few weeks ago raving about it. We cracked it open last week and it was the most god awful tasting wine I've ever had. It almost tasted like someone injected artificial flavoring in it. I envisioned the hack winemaker sitting in his lab tasting it and then saying, "needs more blackberry, give me the blackberry concentrate and while you're at it toss me the vial of oak. I want this to taste like oak infused blackberry."

Edited January 16, 2008 by twiley

[detlef]

Speculator put it in the top 100. I wish I was kidding. Caused quite an uproar.

I understand it was in the top 100 and it should cause an uproar. I have no problem with inexpensive wines cracking the top 100. I am absolutely certain that every year, somebody makes a $10 wine that, price considered (as Spectator's top 100 does) is among the 100 best wines in the world. It just so happens that the Reserve is not one of those wines.

 

Here's a story for you. A friend and colleague of mine knows the folks at Gruet (pretty tasty sparkling wine from New Mexico). The got a call from Specator saying they'd tasted their wines and were ready to give them 90+ pts and wanted to feature them in an article. "Would they be interested in advertising". "No thanks, we don't believe in buying magazine advertising. We want our wines to speak for themselves." Funny thing happened,the article never got written.

 

Speaking of Yellowtail, a client dropped off a bottle of the Shiraz a few weeks ago raving about it. We cracked it open last week and it was the most god awful tasting wine I've ever had. It almost tasted like someone injected artificial flavoring in it. I envisioned the hack winemaker sitting in his lab tasting it and then saying, "needs more blackberry, give me the blackberry concentrate and while you're at it toss me the vial of oak. I want this to taste like oak infused blackberry."

That's it in a nut shell. Now imagine for a second that the Shz is ten-fold better than the rest of the line. Take that same BS approach and apply it to Pinot... Absolutely unreal.

[Seattle LawDawg]

Here's a story for you. A friend and colleague of mine knows the folks at Gruet (pretty tasty sparkling wine from New Mexico). The got a call from Specator saying they'd tasted their wines and were ready to give them 90+ pts and wanted to feature them in an article. "Would they be interested in advertising". "No thanks, we don't believe in buying magazine advertising. We want our wines to speak for themselves." Funny thing happened,the article never got written.

 

So their last name isn't Mondavi?

[sundaynfl]

I understand it was in the top 100 and it should cause an uproar. I have no problem with inexpensive wines cracking the top 100. I am absolutely certain that every year, somebody makes a $10 wine that, price considered (as Spectator's top 100 does) is among the 100 best wines in the world. It just so happens that the Reserve is not one of those wines.

 

Here's a story for you. A friend and colleague of mine knows the folks at Gruet (pretty tasty sparkling wine from New Mexico). The got a call from Specator saying they'd tasted their wines and were ready to give them 90+ pts and wanted to feature them in an article. "Would they be interested in advertising". "No thanks, we don't believe in buying magazine advertising. We want our wines to speak for themselves." Funny thing happened,the article never got written.

That's it in a nut shell. Now imagine for a second that the Shz is ten-fold better than the rest of the line. Take that same BS approach and apply it to Pinot... Absolutely unreal.

 

+1 I saw this all the time in the wien business and to this day think that a lot of what is in the Speculator is skewed towards wieneries that advertise. Maybe it's a subliminal thing why my tastes are closer to the Wien Advocate than Speculators.

[Kid Cid]

+1 I saw this all the time in the wien business and to this day think that a lot of what is in the Speculator is skewed towards wieneries that advertise. Maybe it's a subliminal thing why my tastes are closer to the Wien Advocate than Speculators.

I have absolutely no doubt this is the case. It has been happening for years in the home electrolnics world, that's why you never see a bad word printed about Bose. BTW, I would be almost certain that the Advocate does the same thing. The advertising dollar holds sway over objectivism because publishers are either afraid to lose it or use their bully pulpit to get it.

[sundaynfl]

I have absolutely no doubt this is the case. It has been happening for years in the home electrolnics world, that's why you never see a bad word printed about Bose. BTW, I would be almost certain that the Advocate does the same thing. The advertising dollar holds sway over objectivism because publishers are either afraid to lose it or use their bully pulpit to get it.

 

The Advocate does not have any advertisments in it. It is all subscription based in revenue.

[detlef]

The Advocate does not have any advertisments in it. It is all subscription based in revenue.

Yup, I may not be in total agreement with what he thinks makes a good wine (more of Tanzer guy myself) but you can't argue the fact that he pays his own way so is less likely to be bought.

Edited January 17, 2008 by detlef

[Kid Cid]

The Advocate does not have any advertisments in it. It is all subscription based in revenue.

I didn't know that. Shows how often I read the wine mags.

[wiegie]

I got a free subscription to the Wine Enthusiast once and it seemed to me that their modus operandi was to pimp the wines that were being advertised.

[Seattle LawDawg]

I got a free subscription to the Wine Enthusiast once and it seemed to me that their modus operandi was to pimp the wines that were being advertised.

 

I think you can probably get better information on the various forums. A bunch of winemakers / owners post to them fairly often and the reviewers are brave enough to make an appearance (usually to get roasted by the drinking public) from time to time.

 

ebob's probably has the best information.

Edited January 18, 2008 by Seattle LawDawg