Does Believing It is Natural Affect Consumer Wine Choices? Evidence from a Survey in Italy

Wine consumers show increasing interest in natural wine. However, there is still a limited understanding of their preferences for natural wine. This study aims to explore the effect of beliefs on wine consumers’ preferences and willingness to pay for natural wine attributes. We conducted a survey in Italy on a convenience sample of red wine consumers. The questionnaire included a choice experiment focused on the natural attributes of red wine, along with questions that captured consumer attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge of natural wine. Our results revealed that consumers tend to mainly associate natural wine with production techniques, such as spontaneous fermentation and the avoidance of added sulphites. The study highlights that wine consumer preferences are influenced by whether a wine is perceived as natural or not.