Does “traditional” still taste right to today’s consumers?

wine

Industry

Beverages

CHALLENGE

A family-owned winery noticed a decline in interest from consumers aged 25 to 40 for its flagship young red wine. Despite positive technical reviews, the team questioned whether the sensory profile was still competitive compared to fresher, fruitier wines in alternative formats like cans or low-alcohol versions.

RESULTS

Sensory data revealed a clear mismatch between the current profile and emerging preferences. Based on the findings, the winery launched two new product lines aligned with younger consumers’ tastes, while maintaining its traditional range.

“We had lots of ideas about why we weren't connecting with younger consumers, but no hard data. This study made things crystal clear—it wasn’t just marketing. Sensory-wise, we were playing a different game. With this insight, we launched a new line with a fresher, lower-alcohol profile.”

Head of Marketing

DO Family Winery

The Challenge

In the wine industry, a strong brand or high technical quality doesn't guarantee a meaningful connection with evolving consumer preferences.

The winery had begun to notice disconnects: lower turnover in urban retail, lukewarm feedback in open tastings, and rising popularity of wines that were less tannic, more fruit-forward, and presented in casual formats like cans or low-alcohol variants.

Although confident in the quality of their product, the team lacked evidence on whether their sensory profile still resonated with today’s younger audience.

They needed a solution that would:

  • Compare their product’s sensory profile with newer market entrants

  • Identify which sensory attributes might be holding back emotional connection

  • Support innovation without compromising the integrity of the traditional wine

  • Justify the development of a new, parallel sensory strategy

The Solution

The team used Sensesbit as their internal tool to design and run a sensory benchmarking test, comparing their young red wine with emerging alternatives on the market.

With the platform, they were able to:

  • Easily set up a blind tasting with real consumers aged 25–40
  • Capture detailed sensory evaluations on key attributes: sweetness, freshness, acidity, astringency, body, and first impression
  • Include contextual questions like: Which one would you bring to a casual dinner?
  • Visualize perception and preference trends compared to their current profile
  • Generate a clear, actionable report to support internal decision-making

The entire process was managed in-house by the Marketing and Quality teams, without relying on external agencies, and was fully documented for future iterations.

The Results

The sensory analysis, carried out internally using Sensesbit, revealed a clear mismatch between the traditional wine’s profile and younger consumers’ expectations: 82% of participants preferred the alternative styles, citing greater freshness and approachability.

With this insight:

  • The team confidently moved forward with two new product lines tailored to younger audiences
  • Maintained their traditional product without unnecessary changes
  • Made strategic decisions in just 9 days, without needing external agencies

With Sensesbit, taste becomes readable.

👉 Ready to get better sensory solutions?

GET A DEMO

The Challenge

In the wine industry, a strong brand or high technical quality doesn't guarantee a meaningful connection with evolving consumer preferences.

The winery had begun to notice disconnects: lower turnover in urban retail, lukewarm feedback in open tastings, and rising popularity of wines that were less tannic, more fruit-forward, and presented in casual formats like cans or low-alcohol variants.

Although confident in the quality of their product, the team lacked evidence on whether their sensory profile still resonated with today’s younger audience.

They needed a solution that would:

  • Compare their product’s sensory profile with newer market entrants

  • Identify which sensory attributes might be holding back emotional connection

  • Support innovation without compromising the integrity of the traditional wine

  • Justify the development of a new, parallel sensory strategy

The Solution

The team used Sensesbit as their internal tool to design and run a sensory benchmarking test, comparing their young red wine with emerging alternatives on the market.

With the platform, they were able to:

  • Easily set up a blind tasting with real consumers aged 25–40
  • Capture detailed sensory evaluations on key attributes: sweetness, freshness, acidity, astringency, body, and first impression
  • Include contextual questions like: Which one would you bring to a casual dinner?
  • Visualize perception and preference trends compared to their current profile
  • Generate a clear, actionable report to support internal decision-making

The entire process was managed in-house by the Marketing and Quality teams, without relying on external agencies, and was fully documented for future iterations.

The Results

The sensory analysis, carried out internally using Sensesbit, revealed a clear mismatch between the traditional wine’s profile and younger consumers’ expectations: 82% of participants preferred the alternative styles, citing greater freshness and approachability.

With this insight:

  • The team confidently moved forward with two new product lines tailored to younger audiences
  • Maintained their traditional product without unnecessary changes
  • Made strategic decisions in just 9 days, without needing external agencies

With Sensesbit, taste becomes readable.

👉 Ready to get better sensory solutions?

GET A DEMO