“The first kiss and the first glass of wine are the best.” – Marty Rubin

Do you remember your first taste of wine? For me, it was a magical moment, this red divine substance with fruity taste made me realise that life has just begun. In the name of good wine, in this article I will ponder on the everlasting discussion among experts: Does the price of a bottle of wine affects the way we perceive this divine drink? Is it better to go for a bottle of discount wine or break the bank for an expensive one?

In order to properly carry out the discussion of price vs. taste, we must rely on scientific facts brought to us by people such as the eminent psychologist prof. Richard Wiseman who performed a wine study with 600 participants. It was a blindfolded wine taste test with one glass of wine. The wine was either from a cheap bottle or from a bottle that was two to three times the amount of the cheap wine. He asked the participants if they can guess whether the wine they are tasting is expensive or cheap. 53% of the time, one people identified the expensive wine correctly. During the second round the participants were told that the expensive wine is Bordeaux and then 61% of the time people choose the cheap wine as Bordeaux.

This experiment proves that a wine’s price does not necessarily influence its taste, even experienced drinkers cannot tell cheap and expensive wine apart. Therefore, the smartest thing to do is to buy discount wine when there are good deals online. This way, you can get the best of both worlds, great texture and a couple hundred dollars saved.

The pale dividing line between cheap and expensive wines urges winemakers to analyse what the evidence clearly suggests: even the most expensive wine does not taste any better than their cheap wine counterparts.

The famous winemaker and statistician Robert Hudson conducted one of the most conclusive studies that proved that price is not the only criterion – a discount wine is not any less satisfying than a 100 dollars wine in terms of texture, flavour and aroma. He analysed series of wine competitions, wanted to know and learn how his wine can beat them all. He conducted his blindfolded test on judges (with great experience behind them) and he gave them the same wine three times in a row. The funny thing is – each time they described it in a different way. According to this, we can conclude that everything is about perception. Wine industry knows this, therefore, you as consumers should also know it. Science has proved that the level of enjoyment is closely linked to the mindset and the atmosphere.

In addition, another study has showed that the current mood is what determines whether you will like the wine you are tasting, or you won’t. If you drink it in a room with bad lighting and with no music you will not like as much if you drink it in a room with good lighting, music and good company.

In conclusion, to be on the safe side, it is best to become best friends with renowned online stores that will keep you posted through email and be your source for great discount wine. Trust your instinct and enjoy every sip!