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Explaining Wine Scores Through Stochastic Frontier Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Ferro Gustavo
  • Gatti Nicolás

Abstract

Experts give scores to wines, which are quality proxies for marketers and buyers. The production of wine quality is explained by a set of observable objective attributes, plus another set of unobservable and subjective (sensory) features, and randomness. We use a Stochastic Frontier Approach (SFA) to understand whether objective and subjective (sensory) characteristics of wines explain the differences in wine scores. We estimate a wine quality stochastic frontier production function, using a database of 1800 top-scored wines, in an 18 years-window encompassing objective determinants (price, production, year, grape, country, etcetera), being sensory aspects related to wine grading unobservable. We find that the variables included explain half of the “efficiency” in attaining scores and our results suggest that sensory variables may have a role in explaining inefficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Ferro Gustavo & Gatti Nicolás, 2022. "Explaining Wine Scores Through Stochastic Frontier Analysis," Asociación Argentina de Economía Política: Working Papers 4621, Asociación Argentina de Economía Política.
  • Handle: RePEc:aep:anales:4621
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bodington, Jeffrey, 2017. "Disentangling Wine Judges’ Consensus, Idiosyncratic, and Random Expressions of Quality or Preference," Journal of Wine Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 12(3), pages 267-281, August.
    2. Lecocq, Sébastien & Visser, Michael, 2006. "What Determines Wine Prices: Objective vs. Sensory Characteristics," Journal of Wine Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 1(1), pages 42-56, April.
    3. Fried, Harold O. & Tauer, Loren W., 2019. "Efficient Wine Pricing Using Stochastic Frontier Models," Journal of Wine Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 14(2), pages 164-181, May.
    4. Lindley, Dennis V., 2006. "Analysis of a Wine Tasting," Journal of Wine Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 1(1), pages 33-41, April.
    5. Cao, Jing, 2014. "Quantifying Randomness Versus Consensus in Wine Quality Ratings," Journal of Wine Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 9(2), pages 202-213, August.
    6. Ashton, Robert H., 2017. "Dimensions of Expertise in Wine Evaluation," Journal of Wine Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 12(1), pages 59-83, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D61 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Allocative Efficiency; Cost-Benefit Analysis
    • L66 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - Food; Beverages; Cosmetics; Tobacco

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