South Africa Wine Technical Yearbook 2025

A)

B)

C)

FIGURE 3. The word clouds illustrate how consumers from South Africa, France and Portugal described the aromas of wine (A), white wine (B), and red wine (C). The darkest text represents the South African data , the intermediate shade the French data , and the lightest shade the Portuguese data . The size of the text corresponds to the percentage of participants who used each attribute, considering only attributes cited by at least 10% of participants in one country.

wine aromas (correlations between 0.65 and 0.81) falling in between and sharing elements of both (Figure 1). When comparing the wine concepts from South Africa, France and Portugal, the data show that the wine and white wine concepts were generally similar (correlation greater than 0.75), but the red wine concepts showed significant variation (correlation less than 0.57) between these countries (Figure 2). Red wines are generally viewed as more complex than white wines, possibly contributing to the observed differences. Similarity tests also show that the wine conceptualisations of French and South African consumers were more similar to the Portuguese than to each other. This is surprising, given that South Africa and France grow the same grape varieties. “Fruity” is the attribute most frequently associated with the general wine concept (Figure 3A). For white wine, in addition to fruity, French consumers frequently described it as “floral” and “mineral”, and South African and Portuguese consumers frequently cited “fresh” and “light” descriptors (Figure 3B). This association of freshness (fresh, acid and crisp) with white wine is less prominent in the French data (Figure 3B). This is possibly due to different winemaking styles, such as the use of malolactic fermentation in Burgundy, where the French data was collected. The sensory attributes “fruity” and “wooded” were used to describe red wines in all three countries (Figure 3C). South African and French consumers described red wine as having a “spicy” and “undergrowth” character. Additionally, unique descriptors like “heady/rich”, “deep”, “heavy”, “smoke” and “black fruit” appeared in South African data, while “dried fruit” and “tannins” were distinctive to Portuguese and French red wine descriptions, respectively. Portuguese consumers emphasise “body” and “boldness” in red wine,

while French consumers highlight the presence of “animal” and “red fruit” aromas with “tannins”. South Africans associate red wine with “spicy” and “smoky” notes. Interestingly, French consumers often used a hedonic trait (pleasant aroma), suggesting a stronger enjoyment-based and less analytical connection to wine than others. This may also indicate that consumers had difficulty isolating aroma from the wine enjoyment experience. Participants also provided descriptors related to taste, mouthfeel, appearance, emotions, intensity, and concepts like quality, minerality and complexity. Significance of the study This study sheds light on consumer expectations across various cultural contexts, highlighting opportunities for tailored wine marketing strategies. For instance, South African wine marketing could emphasise the “spicy” and “smoky” qualities of red wines (when relevant to the wine) to attract domestic consumers. In contrast, French consumers may respond more favourably to messages that focus on fruit aromas and tannins, which they associate with quality and complexity. Additionally, in cultures like France, where wine is closely linked to enjoyment, marketing and labels can emphasise the pleasure of drinking wine alongside technical details, such as aroma or complexity. Understanding how wine is described in different cultural settings can also benefit local wine tourism. For example, knowing which wine descriptors are popular with French and Portuguese consumers can help sommeliers and tasting room staff present wines in ways that enhance tourists’ willingness to purchase. Future research could explore these conceptualisations further, offering deeper insights into how consumers experience wine. 

Reference https://www.wineland.co.za/cultural-insights-in-wine-aroma-descriptions-in-south-africa-france-and-portugal/

For more information, contact Samantha Fairbairn at fairbairn@sun.ac.za.

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TECHNICAL YEARBOOK 2025