A consumer sensory evaluation was part of a recent research project at the MGWII. We welcomed consumers over 5 weeks to taste wines of various varieties and to rate their liking of those wines. The results of this project will be available on our website soon.
At the beginning of each of the five sessions, the consumer participants were presented with a short 5-minute lecture about the Iowa grape and wine industry covering the following topics:
- Iowa cultivars
- Iowa grape and wine history
- Iowa grape growing
- Iowa winemaking
- Iowa wine industry and tourism
We hypothesized that these short educational presentations would increase their level of interest in the industry, and motivate them to experience the industry for themselves.
Before the session to evaluate the wines, the participants were asked to rate themselves on several attributes:
- Knowledge of where to access Iowa wines
- Intent to access Iowa wines
- Consumption level of Iowa Wines
Four weeks after the final session, participants were asked again to rate themselves on the above attributes.
Results from these pre and post-session ratings is shown in the three bar graphs. For all three attributes, participants rated themselves higher on the post-session survey. We attribute this to the information shared during the brief lectures. Participants seemed very enthusiastic about these short informational sessions.
This model could be easily adapted in a winery tasting room setting. Owners or managers could develop short semi-scripted talking points concerning areas of the Iowa grape and wine industry. While many tasting room staff are already interacting with customers, few are educating them beyond the history or facts tied to the winery itself. By expanding the discussion to the general grape and wine industry, customers will have a greater appreciation and understanding of the industry and may be more likely to visit other wineries or revisit that winery.
If you are interested in developing these types of talking-points for your tasting room staff, please reach out to me, Erin Norton (elnorton@iastate.edu) and I can help to narrow down what you want to share with customers and ensure that information is accurate.