The simple solution to ‘improving’ a cheap bottle of wine

How do you improve a bottle of cheap plonk?

The solution is simple, according to a recent study.

Just tell the people drinking it that it’s more expensive than it actually is.

Chris Barnes, wine educator and lecturer in wine studies at Melbourne University, told 3AW Breakfast he wasn’t surprised by the study largely due to two factors.

“Firstly, it is a fashion item,” he said.

“Why are there $4000 handbags? Is it $4000 worth of leather? No. It’s got a French or Italian name to it.

“Secondly, most people have very little confidence in themselves about their ability to actually assess a wine as being good, bad or indifferent.

“So what they’re looking for are cues that give them confidence to say this must be a better wine.”

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