Wine Tasting: How Much Is the Contribution of the Olfaction?

Neuromarketing predicts that multiple factors contribute to the choice of a product, among them, the perceived value, pleasantness, and emotion related to the use of it. In this framework, a particular field is constituted by luxury items, such as wine. Wine is particularly suitable to marketing effects, both extrinsic (label) and intrinsic features (volatile composition and color) lead to the constitution of the experienced value, and the analysis of the contribution of olfaction to the process of tasting is fundamental in order to study flavor perception. Scope of the present study was to investigate the reaction to the smell and the gustation of the wine, with and without the olfactory contribution, through an electroencephalographic index, assumed as an indicator of approach or withdrawal (AW) motivation, and an autonomic index (emotional index—EI), deriving from the matching of heart rate and galvanic skin response activity. Results of this pilot research showed a statistically significant increase of the EI values in correspondence with wine-smelling phase in comparison with the other two phases (p < 0.01) and a trend of major avoidance attitude in correspondence with wine tasting with the olfactory component in comparison with the other two conditions. This result could be explained by the lack of specific subjects’ expertise. Present data suggest a synergic action exerted by olfaction and gustation sensory modalities, where manipulation could be further studied so to investigate emotional and cognitive aspects of wine tasting experience.

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