Lots of experiments have been done proving that when you think a wine is more expensive, you’ll be predispositioned to enjoy it. However, a new study from the Journal of Marketing Research explains why. Simply put, when you order a glass of expensive wine, you (reasonably) expect something of quality – whether or not those expectations are warranted. In turn, you become excited. However, how excited you get has to do with the unique scope of your brain, as examined by MRI scans.
Brains that have more space dedicated toward sensory awareness are less likely to get excited over a wine’s price point alone. This makes sense: if you’re someone who can taste and smell better, you’re more likely to judge a wine on its quality alone, not how it’s marketed. Brains that are bigger on craving rewards are more likely to perk up and expect better wine as the dollar signs on a vino go up. The researchers posit that when people who naturally “seek reward” see a so-called posh wine, they automatically begin to wait for the payoff of drinking a pricy wine – deliciousness. Unfortunately, we know that the price of a wine doesn’t always have to do with how good it is.
As we’ve established before, marketing can have a powerful effect on how you consume your alcohol, so while drinking, it’s important to concentrate on the most important thing at hand: taste. Remember, there are no wrong answers, only extremely high bar tabs.
Header image via Flickr / Dave Dugdale
MRI Image via Bigstock
H/t Time
