17

This research focuses on the impact of changing alcohol content, perceived as a central attribute of the “wine” category, on categorization and consumer preferences. It was conducted with French and Italian consumers, two countries characterized by an old wine tradition. This study shows that the modification of the central attribute “alcohol content” impacts the categorization, because few people, in France or Italy, identify the wine lightened in alcohol as a wine. On the other hand, the results between the two countries differ when one considers the importance of the “alcohol content” criteria when buying and consuming wine. While for French respondents this attribute isn’t a discriminating criteria, it is of prime importance at the moment of purchase and consumption among Italian respondents. The managerial implications, particularly in terms of possible innovations for the wine sector, are finally discussed. JEL Codes: M31