tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post5055965832773592168..comments2024-03-18T04:47:16.199-07:00Comments on The Gray Report: Why expensive wines taste better: Psychology 101W. Blake Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-45799211199534275552010-11-09T13:25:40.050-08:002010-11-09T13:25:40.050-08:00Anatoli: I don't want to extend this. But do c...Anatoli: I don't want to extend this. But do consider that the wineries have a point of view and a business to run. <br /><br />The reason they have a tasting room is not for people to have a pleasant picnic lunch on their site. And while they will never publicly say this, it's not to enhance your knowledge of wine either (though it's a worthwhile secondary goal). That would be W. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-54438851796560292682010-11-09T11:17:08.332-08:002010-11-09T11:17:08.332-08:00Blake,
well, few points, if I may:
1. There may ...Blake,<br /><br />well, few points, if I may:<br /><br />1. There may be a lot of reasons to visit the winery, same as for the wine tasting - the idea is to experience the wines and extend your understanding of what you like and what you don't. Buying wine at the winery is not necessarily the end goal. Having lazy lunch with friends with the wine you like - might be.<br /><br />2. I live in Anatoli Levinehttp://www.talk-a-vino.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-3608595092748182382010-11-09T07:34:11.545-08:002010-11-09T07:34:11.545-08:00Anatoli: We're not talking about rational valu...Anatoli: We're not talking about rational valuation.<br /><br />Wineries won't say it publicly, but they're not all that interested in having tasting-room visitors looking to buy $10 wines.<br /><br />And if you insist on seeing it only from the consumers' point of view, and not the wineries', consider this -- visiting a tasting room to buy $10 wines is terrible value, W. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-61988602579870599102010-11-09T05:51:32.333-08:002010-11-09T05:51:32.333-08:00Great post!
I want to comment only on the cost of...Great post! <br />I want to comment only on the cost of tasting the wines (talking about the whole "wine taste" phenomena will convert a comment into a blog post :)): if your general focus is on the value wines (those which have great QPR), the more you have to pay for the tasting room access, the more detrimental it gets. I don't believe paying more for the tasting represents valueAnatoli Levinehttp://www.talk-a-vino.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-12363937559861699912010-11-08T13:09:45.819-08:002010-11-08T13:09:45.819-08:00Even though I alternated between your post and a w...Even though I alternated between your post and a window with porn on it, I still thought your post interesting and worthwhile.<br /><br />I, too, have a Psych BA and a wine blog! Are we the only two?<br /><br />http://pauljkiernan.wordpress.com/about_paul/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-67770188870892801552010-11-07T12:25:14.277-08:002010-11-07T12:25:14.277-08:00To W. Blake Gray,
We as yet don't have an off...To W. Blake Gray,<br /><br />We as yet don't have an offical tasting room, and unless people are having a small food match to wine, or it's a huge busload that wants to taste but don't buy anything, we generally don't charge.<br /><br />To Edmaryellen,<br /><br />If it was just a couple that came up to taste the wine, (as you mentioned that you do) you wouldn't be charged, as Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-62619150302569887502010-11-06T11:55:43.426-07:002010-11-06T11:55:43.426-07:00Great post. For more on this check out Predictabl...Great post. For more on this check out Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely (http://danariely.com/). He is an MIT behavioral economist who does a similar experiment with beer. His book offers wonderful insights into how humans think and how we defy logic, even when we think we don't.Ice Cream Fellowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09784834273184384217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-51855981099889320612010-11-05T15:25:50.599-07:002010-11-05T15:25:50.599-07:00That last sentence made the whole article worth it...That last sentence made the whole article worth it. Awesome. (It would have been worth it anyway....but my out loud belly laugh that woke my dogs made it even better...)Dani Fake Webbhttp://www.danifakewebb.com/blognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-19545695791910621382010-11-05T14:54:29.230-07:002010-11-05T14:54:29.230-07:00MediumRare: It's fair to say that critics of a...MediumRare: It's fair to say that critics of anything -- wine, theater, automobiles -- have a number of factors that separate their taste preferences from "civilians." Cognitive dissonance is probably the largest, though, especially for critics of expensive products. <br /><br />Wilf: Thought experiment for you. If you won $200 million in the lottery tomorrow, would you start W. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-55080034433124318682010-11-05T13:11:58.919-07:002010-11-05T13:11:58.919-07:00Not only did I spent three minutes reading your bl...Not only did I spent three minutes reading your blog, now I am spending more time leaving a comment. I got your point though. I never have and never will spend $500 on a bottle of wine. I worked to hard to earn that $500. Besides I know its not really worth that much. But then some people have more money than brains and it gives them bragging rights to show that $500 bottle to their 'friends&Wilf G.Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01991786398415985824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-79680390435307985792010-11-05T12:40:11.526-07:002010-11-05T12:40:11.526-07:00Blake,
Thanks for another stimulating post. No d...Blake,<br /><br />Thanks for another stimulating post. No doubt cognitive dissonance is at play, but I believe the phenomenon another reader pointed out which you described as confirmation bias is a far larger factor in wine tasting and buying (it is also known as the brand effect).<br /><br />One quibble, however: I think, rather than any psychological factor, the occasional gap between criticMediumRarenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-66526816467827373552010-11-05T12:38:25.615-07:002010-11-05T12:38:25.615-07:00Thanks for sharing.
"Coeds Need Cash"? ...Thanks for sharing.<br /><br />"Coeds Need Cash"? So THAT'S the end result of internships becoming unpaid.W. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-23872543514168158862010-11-05T11:41:58.843-07:002010-11-05T11:41:58.843-07:00I was reading your article while enjoying a 2005 N...I was reading your article while enjoying a 2005 Napa cab and a piece of Belgian chocolate with a "Coeds Need Cash" video played on an adjacent window, and I was thinking, I should really be doing something more productive than be reading articles by wine bloggers.<br /><br />So I went back to viewing the porn.John Loganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01713763177727883586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-75167208809934954552010-11-05T11:07:42.341-07:002010-11-05T11:07:42.341-07:00The winery where we had a less-than-positve experi...The winery where we had a less-than-positve experience was Lambert Bridge.Maryellenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05933536715066296239noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-10865089965949470852010-11-05T10:48:23.576-07:002010-11-05T10:48:23.576-07:00Nice post.
It seems like the concept of cogniti...Nice post. <br /><br />It seems like the concept of cognitive dissonance, at least in this context, has everything to do with ego. People tend to default to positive self-judgement. "I'm no fool" says it all.rhithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16099401764991161218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-90871481326781768572010-11-05T09:57:16.286-07:002010-11-05T09:57:16.286-07:00Blake, Arthur Johnson is a long time geek from the...Blake, Arthur Johnson is a long time geek from the Philly Area.<br />He has had this web page for a long time.<br />http://wine-people.com/maincontents.htmMark Cochardhttp://www.chaddsford.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-78804805839898592752010-11-05T09:40:13.445-07:002010-11-05T09:40:13.445-07:00Rich: I remember the Cab test. That's confirma...Rich: I remember the Cab test. That's confirmation bias (hmm, another post?) Per awful experiences in tasting room -- it happens a lot more than it should; read Edmaryellen's comment.<br /><br />Edmaryellen: Your experience is important but not really a test of cognitive dissonance; other factors are at work. Plus, some people are more attuned to actual experience than others. Many peopleW. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-24686128728699449202010-11-05T09:17:36.855-07:002010-11-05T09:17:36.855-07:00I think that a slightly different explanation for ...I think that a slightly different explanation for the phenomenon of preferring expensive wine is that you often appreciate a wine to a degree proportionate to the attention you devote to it. When you have some reason to expect a wine to be special (e.g., bottle age, highly recommended, price, etc.), you probe it more thoroughly and usually turn up some subtleties that you would have missed in a Stewart Johnsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-68315930006264246892010-11-05T09:03:28.749-07:002010-11-05T09:03:28.749-07:00I know you didn't bring it up, but there was ...I know you didn't bring it up, but there was the famous study where several wine tasters were given three Cabernet samples - they were told the first wine was $8 a bottle, the 2nd wine was $18 a bottle; and the third wine was $75 a bottle. The tasters overwhelmingly preferred the $75 bottle of wine. Problem was, it was all the same wine from the same bottle. Now, that is real cognitive Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-60137323755715763702010-11-05T08:42:38.942-07:002010-11-05T08:42:38.942-07:00All the points in the article make perfect sense, ...All the points in the article make perfect sense, except for one. And that is about the tasting fee.<br /><br />I am completely opposed to being charged a tasting fee. I visit select wineries to find new and interesting wines. My expectation is that the winery will appreciate my visit and engage in thoughtful conversation in order to make me a customer. The cost of the wine I taste is what Maryellenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05933536715066296239noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-82443746631275177472010-11-05T07:53:15.772-07:002010-11-05T07:53:15.772-07:00Thanks for the interesting read
jo6pacThanks for the interesting read<br />jo6pacAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-75995503496548276442010-11-04T17:01:41.541-07:002010-11-04T17:01:41.541-07:00Mark: I'll bite, who's Arthur Johnson?
Mo...Mark: I'll bite, who's Arthur Johnson?<br /><br />Mountford: You're reading it right. It pains me a little to say that, because I like to think of myself as a consumer advocate.<br /><br />Try an experiment in the tasting room -- try telling some people a wine is $15, then others $25. Control the conditions as best you can and see what happens.<br /><br />I'm so sorry, consumers. W. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-75555503725051161452010-11-04T16:24:14.710-07:002010-11-04T16:24:14.710-07:00That made for very interesting reading. Certainly ...That made for very interesting reading. Certainly gives us thought regarding what we charge for with certain things, eg cellardoor tastings. I may be misreading, but from our perspective, it seems better for us to be charging that not to as this encourages people to spend more on the wines, be more positive regarding the whole experience and rave about the wines to others.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-61367085463749866882010-11-04T12:59:38.863-07:002010-11-04T12:59:38.863-07:00We have an old saying, it is called the Arthur Joh...We have an old saying, it is called the Arthur Johnson rule. At wine dinners or offlines it is always asked which was your WOTN. Invarialby each person votes for the wine that they brought. They paid for it, cellared and developed an emotional attachment to the wine. So they can't bear to admit that their's was not the best. What you say makes perfect sense and the Arthur Johnson rule Mark Cochardhttp://www.phillywine.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-66354510632268545752010-11-04T12:59:09.638-07:002010-11-04T12:59:09.638-07:00Now I'm sad... you just reminded me that I cou...Now I'm sad... you just reminded me that I could be looking at porn instead of your blog... unfortunately, I'm at work today, so you're a sad substitute for midgets doing naughty things with lime jello.Portland Charcuterie Projecthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11741838890062064902noreply@blogger.com