'Kath and Kim' like a glass of Chardonnay and so it appears do a few other Australians.

 

A new study into Australian consumer attitudes of Chardonnay has found positive perceptions of the wine amongst domestic consumers.

 

Funded by the Grape and Wine Research Development Corporation (GWRDC), the 18 month research project, Attitudes, Drivers of Consumption and Taste Preference - A Focus on Chardonnay, involved a series of focus groups, tasting sessions, quantitative surveys and experimental work.

 

Associate Professor Anthony Saliba from the School of Psychology at Charles Sturt University (CSU) said, the positive perception of Chardonnay is at odds with some messages in the media and even the wine industry itself.

 

“We found that Chardonnay enjoys positive perception with most wine drinkers and that the small numbers of people who are negative about Chardonnay have always existed.

 

“There has not been a big turn against Chardonnay.

 

“Instead, oversupply, more competition from international wines and other varieties like Sauvignon Blanc, and a tendency to talk down Chardonnay meant that sales have dropped off.

 

“The key message is that sales will pick up if we talk it up, explain the flavour style changes since the early days of Chardonnay, which now include fresh fruit styles, and keep making good Chardonnay.

 

“Sales are in fact already picking up since the project ended in 2012.”

 

However, the researchers have warned the Australian wine industry that one of its biggest risks is posed by a lack of research into consumer attitudes and taste preferences. 

“A major message to emerge from this project is that costly industry-wide effects can be caused from not having access to reliable baseline consumer attitudes data,” said Associate Professor Saliba, who is a program leader at the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre.

 

“Baseline consumer attitude and taste preference research is needed, particularly for high-performing varieties.”

 

Funded by the GWRDC, the Chardonnay Challenge project involved three leaders in the field of consumer sensory research: Associate Professor Saliba; Professor Hildegrade Heymann from the University California Davis in the USA; and Associate Professor Johan Bruwer from the University of South Australia.