An Investigation into the Quality of Wines : Evidence from Piedmont

In this paper we study a combination of four quality ratings as dependent variables, regressing them on a large number of explanatory variables. In particular, we focus on Piedmont which is the largest and most important Italian wine region; it produces prestigious wines such as great Barolo and Barbaresco as well as lower quality products. Collected data allow us to test the effect on different measures of quality of a series of wine- and winery-dependent factors. In particular, we test a wide range of factors that comprehend classification, appellation, individual reputation, ownership structure and owner preferences