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Judging reliability at wine and water competitions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 November 2022

Elena C. Berg ,
Michael Mascha  and
Kevin W. Capehart Open the ORCID record for Kevin W. Capehart [Opens in a new window]
Elena C. Berg
Affiliation:
Department of Computer Science, Math, and Environmental Science, The American University of Paris, 5 Boulevard de la Tour-Maubourg, 75007 Paris, France
Michael Mascha
Affiliation:
FineWaters, Fine Water Academy
Kevin W. Capehart*
Affiliation:
Department of Economics, California State University, Fresno, 5245 N Backer Ave M/S PB20, Fresno, CA 93740
*
Corresponding author: Kevin W. Capehart, email: kcapehart@csufresno.edu
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Abstract

Studies suggest the inter-rater reliability of judges at wine competitions is higher than what would be expected by random chance, but lower than what is observed when experts in other fields make judgments specific to their expertise. To further contextualize the (un-) reliability of wine judging while also extending the study of fine water, we examine the inter-rater reliability of judges at an annual international competition for bottled waters. We find that the inter-rater reliability of water judging is generally better than chance and, at best, about the same as the inter-rater reliability of wine judging at some wine competitions. These results suggest that perceptible differences between fine waters exist but are less pronounced than those between fine wines and, also, that aesthetic standards with respect to fine waters exist but are currently less established than those for fine wines.

Keywords

blind tastingexpert evaluationinter-rater reliabilitywaterwine

JEL classification

Q25: Water L66: Food • Beverages • Cosmetics • Tobacco • Wine and Spirits D83: Search • Learning • Information and Knowledge • Communication • Belief • Unawareness
Type
Article
Information
Journal of Wine Economics , Volume 17 , Issue 4 , November 2022 , pp. 311 - 328
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of American Association of Wine Economists

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