Splendide Mendax:†
False Label Claims about High and
Rising Alcohol Content of Wine
Julian M. Alston, Kate B. Fuller, James T. Lapsley,
George Soleas, and Kabir P. Tumber
†Splendide mendax: Nobly untruthful; untrue for a good object
ABSTRACT. Many economists and others are interested in the phenomenon of
rising alcohol content of wine and its potential causes. Has the alcohol content of
wine risen—and if so, by how much, where, and when? What roles have been
played by climate change and other environmental factors compared with
evolving consumer preferences and expert ratings? In this paper we explore these
questions using international evidence, combining time-series data on the alcohol
content of wine from a large number of countries that experienced different
patterns of climate change and influences of policy and demand shifts. We also
examine the relationship between the actual alcohol content of wine and the
alcohol content stated on the label. The systematic patterns here suggest that
rising alcohol content of wine may be a nuisance by-product of producer
responses to perceived market preferences for wines having riper, more-intense
flavours, possibly in conjunction with evolving climate.
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