Adapting online wine education to China: a two-study multimethod approach
International Journal of Wine Business Research
ISSN: 1751-1062
Article publication date: 27 August 2024
Abstract
Purpose
Teaching wine tasting online is challenging, even given the curated digital tools of the Wine and Spirit Education Trust, a highly renowned online wine certification system is used. This paper aims to initially explore wine experts’ opinions about online wine education and subsequently examine the feasibility of customizing wine appreciation lexicons for Chinese learners.
Design/methodology/approach
A two-study multimethod approach was adopted. Study 1, a two-stage Delphi study, was conducted with 17 wine experts representing a number of countries, using a mix of closed/open-ended questions in an online survey. Data was collected in a market study in Study 2, conducted at agricultural markets in Thailand (pilot test) and China. Dialogues with market sellers were undertaken, evoking mental imagery of wine descriptors to explore the relevance of traditional versus local aromas and flavors in describing wine.
Findings
Findings concentrate on three main areas: general advantages/disadvantages of online wine education, reactions toward asynchronous/synchronous methods of wine tasting and, finally, the feasibility of customizing a wine appreciation lexicon for Chinese learners.
Originality/value
The study presents novel insights into the role of online wine education in China.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank three main colleagues: Janette Devlin, WSET, London, UK, for the raw material and expertise she has brought in discussion along 2020 and 2021; the 17 experts from the Delphi study: Angeliki Tsioli, Allison Mildred Lyzenga, Antoinette Louisa Milne, Veronica Mary Wells, Deron Benjamin Deron Tett, Ekaterina Degtiareva, Yunting Fang, Elaine Patricia Taylor, Gauthier Bernardo, Garret Spillane, Joaquim - Dias Soeiro, Michael Sy, Nathan Zachary, Pablo S Fernandez, RP (prefers to stay anonymous), Samuel Michael Adams and TP (prefers to stay anonymous), as well as students from the MM 7106 International Business Marketing class supervised by Sid Suntrayuth PhD in ICO Nida University (Bangkok, Thailand) in 2022, who have participated to the market study: Miss Aina Dulyaseree, Miss Jing Wang, Mr Pariya Chokprasoettaworn, Miss Tidanuch Techaphulphol, Miss Yating Liu, Miss Rui Ma, Mr Xiaoyu Gao, Miss Nattharica Yamroongruang, Miss Natthaporn Yamroongruang, Miss Notorn Khemsastra, Miss Supaluk Sotsukpiam, Miss Fon Promboon, Miss Jin Chen, Miss Xiaojing Ma, Mr. Junyu Zhu, Miss Suchada Karestree). The authors would like to extend their huge thank you to the all of them.
Citation
Pelet, J.-E., Canziani, B. and Terblanche, N. (2024), "Adapting online wine education to China: a two-study multimethod approach", International Journal of Wine Business Research, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJWBR-12-2023-0082
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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