Ep. 2623 Individual Taste & Perception vs. Traditional Wine Communication with Tim Hanni MW | Masterclass US Wine Market

Welcome to Episode 2623 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this episode, Barbara Fitzgerald talks with the wine business consultant and researcher Tim Hanni MW about how individual taste preferences and perception challenge traditional wine communication, why perceptual segmentation matters, and how conventional sensory-based wine education may unintentionally exclude many consumers.

Key Takeaways:

• Individual Preference vs. Wine Culture. Why wine preference is highly individual and how this reality often clashes with the way the U.S. wine market promotes wine.
• The Power of Perceptual Segmentation. How segmenting consumers by shared perceptual traits, alongside demographics, can fundamentally change how the wine industry understands and reaches drinkers.
• Rethinking Wine Education. How traditional wine education and sensory evaluation frameworks may unintentionally suppress demand instead of growing it.

More about the guest:

Tim Hanni MW is a wine industry consultant, lecturer, and researcher with more than 50 years of experience in food and wine. A professionally trained chef, he was one of the first two resident Americans to pass the Master of Wine examination and earn the prestigious title.

Tim is President of Calyber LLC and HanniCo LLC, where he researches and quantifies the factors that influence personal wine preferences. Widely recognized as an internationally renowned “flavor maven,” he brings a distinctive perspective to the study of taste, consumer behavior, and wine enjoyment.

In addition to his consulting work, Tim is involved in wine business education, providing courses for individuals, organizations, and universities. He also serves as Wine Industry Faculty at Sonoma State University. He is the author of the book Why You Like the Wines You Like, which explores the science and psychology behind personal taste preferences.

Connect: 

Website: https://www.timhanni.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timhannimw/ 

More about the host:

With a career of nearly two decades in the wine industry, Barbara Fitzgerald specializes in D2C marketing and business development. She's led roles from entry level to senior management, combining her extensive experience with data analysis, critical thinking and storytelling while driving revenue growth and brand recognition for California wineries. As a part of the 4th generation of an Italian-American family among the California wine industry pioneers, Barbara has spent her life around wine growing, production, marketing, distribution and hospitality. A Syracuse University graduate, she returned to California to gain diverse industry perspectives from a range of wineries.

As an Italian Wine Ambassador, she brings her expertise to the Italian wine market, known for its authenticity and consumer demand. Barbara now runs Apri La Creative Consulting, coaching wineries in Italy and the US to strategically develop their D2C channels in line with their brand values. Together with her husband, Barbara also owns and operates a boutique wine production company, and a small import company specializing in Italian wines to the US.

Connect:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barbarajeanfitz/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-fitzgerald-iwa/

Website: https://www.aprilacreative.com/ 

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