On designing experiments and analysing data to assess the reliability and accuracy of blind wine tastings

Abstract

The author discusses reliability research designs and data analytic strategies that are required in future wine competitions. The sources of variations that are identified and need to be controlled in order to increase both the reliability and, to the extent possible, accuracy of wine tasting evaluations derive from two literature sources, wine research and biostatistical research. These sources of variation include: the manner in which the sample of wine tasters is selected; the type of a priori screen required to eliminate inconsistent wine tasters before the competition begins; a careful selection of the specific wine characteristics that the tasters are required to utilise, with specific criteria provided to the tasters; the selection of well defined wine measurement scales; the selection of appropriate wine glasses for the tastings; and the application of appropriate state-of-the-art statistics to analyse the data deriving from the wine competitions.

Acknowledgements

A preliminary version of this research was presented at the Second Hawaiian International Statistical Conference in Honolulu, HI, 6 June 2003.