Introducing Sensory‐Based Wine Choice Criteria Through an Educational Consumer‐Oriented Program: A Mixed‐Method Study

This study examines the effects of a face‐to‐face, consumer‐tailored wine education program conceptualized as sensory training. The program is designed to introduce a sensory‐based choice criterion alongside more common determinants of wine consumption, such as price and familiarity. Quantitative results suggest that the training may have facilitated the distinction of white wine varieties among previously untrained individuals. Complementary qualitative analyses indicate shifts in participants' descriptive language, with increased use of specific sensory attributes. Overall, the findings provide tentative evidence that targeted sensory education may enhance consumers' ability to differentiate wines and engage more analytically with their sensory characteristics.