Do More Expensive Wines Taste Better?

A research paper was published in the April, 2008 edition of the American Association of Wine Economists Journal titled, “Do More Expensive Wines Taste Better? Evidence from a Large Sample of Blind Tastings.” The authors (Robin Goldstein, Johan Almenberg, et al.) found that individuals who are unaware of the price do not derive more enjoyment from more expensive wine. In a sample of more than 6,000 blind tastings, the correlation between price and overall rating was small and negative, suggesting that individuals on average enjoy more expensive wines slightly less. For individuals with wine training, however, there were indications of a positive, or at any rate non-negative, correlation. The results of the study indicate that both the prices of wine and wine recommendations by experts may be poor guides for non-expert wine consumers.