Editor-in-Chief’s Note: A central mission of Harvard Data Science Review is to foster a global forum for everything data science—and data science for everyone. With such an expansive and inclusive framing, it might not surprise readers to find topics as diverse as the Fulbright France Alumni Association (FFAA), Ukrainian wine, machine learning, psychology, and climate change all featured in this issue’s Bits and Bites. There are plenty of bits to bite into (or byte into)—so I won’t spoil the fun of tasting by summarizing the offerings. Instead, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Christian Kittery, president of the FFAA, for graciously accepting three invitations from me: to cross the Atlantic Ocean, to moderate a session on short notice, and to share this timely reflection. And, last but certainly not least, for giving me a taste of wine from the Ancient World—the 2021 ОДЄСОС Каберне Совіньйон, to be precise.
Keywords: wine, climate change, consumer psychology, artificial intelligence, sustainability
I feel that wine, as much as food or music, is closely intertwined with cultural exchange. In many ways, this Vine to Mind Symposium embodies the principles of the Fulbright program by creating a space where international voices can come together and address pressing contemporary issues that are reshaping the world, thus opening multicultural dialogues and enhancing mutual understanding across nations. During one of my missions dedicated to helping incoming refugees, in partnership with the U.S. embassy in Paris and a local nonprofit organization named Konexio, I had the opportunity to engage with Ukrainian asylum seekers who introduced me to their unique culture of wine that I never knew existed. As I later decided to promote Ukrainian wine during receptions attended by Fulbright alumni, diplomats, and refugees, I noticed how such a simple act of sharing a drink could transcend differences and turn strangers into friends, leading to meaningful collaborations. Ultimately, I realized that wine possesses the magic to spark synergy and raise awareness.
That is why I gladly accepted the invitation to participate in the Vine to Mind Symposium as both an audience member and moderator. Throughout this exceptional learning experience, which gathered experts from around the world in climate change, artificial intelligence, and winemaking, four ideas in particular caught my attention:
Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the wine industry.
Consumer psychology plays an essential role in the wine market.
The wine industry is embracing an intricate balance between tradition and innovation.
Sustainability challenges in the era of climate change require a shared sense of responsibility.
Cathy Huyghe, cofounder and chief executive officer of Enolytics, advocates for the proactive integration of artificial intelligence (AI) within the wine industry. Enolytics has developed an intuitive software interface designed to assist professionals lacking data expertise in critical areas such as viticulture, winery production, sales, marketing, and consumer relations. Pierre Yves Calloc’h, the chief digital officer at Pernod Ricard, a prominent French spirits and wine company, highlights the enterprise’s long-standing utilization of AI, which dates back to 2008. This technology has been incorporated into both marketing strategies and viticultural practices to optimize harvest outcomes, resulting in significant cost savings and enhanced overall wine quality. In a similar vein, Saskia de Rothschild, CEO of the renowned Chateau Lafite, employs data analytics to foster energy efficiency and support ground-connected research and development. This approach underscores a broader trend in industry where companies recognize the potential for technology to coexist with traditional methods. By leveraging advanced analytics, firms are better positioned to understand and meet consumer needs, thereby enhancing their competitive edge.
The presentation by Jeffrey Meisel, general manager of Constellation Brands, exemplifies this strategy by utilizing first-party data to develop personalized customer experiences through a customer data platform (CDP). This platform ensures the maintenance of clean, secure, and compliant data across business operations. Major retail entities, such as Total Wine and More, also employ machine learning and customer embedding techniques to generate personalized recommendations and offerings, thus improving click-through rates and effectively segmenting over 7.5 million customers, as stated by CEO Troy Rice. By aggregating consumer data onto unified platforms, these companies create actionable insights that facilitate the tracking of consumer journeys and satisfaction levels, fostering long-lasting relationships. This strategic application of technology not only enhances business performance but also cultivates a more responsive and rewarding shopping experience for consumers.
In short, the interplay between operational success and customer engagement underscores a mutually beneficial dynamic fueled by innovation. Moreover, this practice reflects the capacity of technology to enrich human connections rather than supplant them, suggesting a promising future for the wine industry as it navigates the challenges of modernization.
The transformation in wine reviews reflects the evolving equilibrium between tradition and innovation within the industry. Traditionally, tasting notes have been characterized by their subjective nature and inherent limitations. However, recent advancements in machine learning are helping the development of methods to more objectively evaluate wine quality, thereby enhancing consumer engagement. Professor Jing Cao, a statistician at Southern Methodist University, highlights the superior performance of AI and machine learning models in sentiment analysis, particularly in their application to the classification of wine reviews within online retail environments. According to her research, three crucial components underpin this process: data transformation, multiple instance classification, and attention mechanisms. In a complementary exploration, Associate Professor Philippe Masset from EHL Hospitality Business School introduced the notion of cross-modal correspondences in wine tasting. He investigates how various sensory experiences interact during the tasting process and elucidates the complex relationship between consumer expectations and perceptions. Masset further underscores the influence of stimuli such as color, music, art, and ambiance on the wine tasting experience, citing empirical studies that demonstrate the placebo and nocebo effects linked to the pricing of wine.
Through the integration of AI, wine tasting evolves from a seemingly elusive art into a more systematic and comprehensible science, fostering a deeper appreciation and informed decision-making among consumers. Additionally, Regent Professor Jill McCluskey, director of the School of Economic Sciences at Washington State University, presents the concept of 'scarcity pricing,' which arises from a strategic underpricing approach. This strategy engenders a perception of scarcity among consumers, subsequently generating excess demand for certain brands within capacity-constrained firms such as wineries. While this approach may result in foregone profits in the short term, it has the potential to increase cumulative profits over time, illustrating the intricate interplay between consumer emotions, experiential factors, and the inherent pleasures associated with wine consumption.
The wine industry, deeply rooted in rich tradition and cultural heritage, currently stands at a critical juncture as it confronts modern challenges, including climate change, shifting consumer preferences, and complexities within the supply chain. In this context, AI emerges not merely as a tool for operational efficiency but as a transformative technology that facilitates a connection between historical practices and future possibilities, enabling the industry to adapt and flourish. However, the integration of such technology often generates resistance among small family-owned grape growers and wine producers, many of whom possess limited familiarity with digital technologies and data management.
To address these challenges in the United States, Enolytics CEO Cathy Huygue seeks to validate the concept that these producers are, in fact, ‘data people.’ Enolytics achieves this by developing a user-friendly software interface that presents relevant information in an accessible narrative format, thereby delineating essential elements of their daily operations. In parallel, Professor Houyem Chaib from the French Institute of Commerce and Development expresses similar concerns regarding the adoption of AI in wine production. She highlights significant issues, including the potential standardization of wine production processes, the risk of diminishing the human touch, and the loss of traditional knowledge, alongside potential conflicts with France's rigorous wine classification system. For numerous organic wine producers, the incorporation of AI may appear at odds with the principles of organic production; however, the global engagement of established wine producers such as the French brands Pernod Ricard, Maison Lafite, Bollinger, the Australian Penfolds, or the Argentinian Bodega Catena Zapata signifies a progressive movement toward innovation.
Sustainability is an overarching theme that intertwines with technological advancements, particularly for industry leaders like Pernod Ricard. This company demonstrates that progress does not necessitate the compromise of ethical practices by employing machine learning systems that accurately predict sugar levels in grapes and optimize harvest schedules through block specificity, historical data, and grape sampling. This approach not only enhances productivity but also promotes environmental stewardship and illustrates how modern solutions can align profitability with ecological responsibility. In light of pressing climate challenges, researchers emphasize the necessity of adapting vineyard practices to mitigate adverse effects.
Industry and academic leaders, such as Italian CEO Marco Simonit (Simonit & Sirch) and Elizabeth Wolkovich, a Canadian research chair in temporal ecology at the University of British Columbia, advocate for innovative techniques, including the cultivation of crops in cooler regions and the development of resilient grape varieties. Likewise, Professor Oliver Gergaud from Kedge Business School examines specific factors inherent to organic and biodynamic practices that may contribute to improved wine-quality metrics. These perspectives reflect a collective commitment to navigating an unpredictable world, underscoring the industry’s responsibility toward both craftsmanship and environmental integrity.
On the technological side, AI has the potential to assist researchers and wine producers in making more informed decisions by enhancing data collection and diversifying grape variety selections. Winemaker Michael Silacci from Opus One in Napa Valley acknowledges the importance of monitoring microclimates within vineyards and implementing effective carbon dioxide harvest systems to mitigate climate-related hazards. In a similar vein, Catherine Kidman, a technical viticulturist at Penfolds in Australia, describes her methodology of conducting site-based risk assessments to analyze global models and select pertinent data archives to anticipate future climatic changes. Mark Sahn, chief financial officer at E&J Gallo Winery, further underscores the substantial potential for sales growth through initiatives aimed at reducing carbon footprints, such as increasing recycled content in packaging, optimizing logistical routes, and rethinking the overall management of water consumption: a batch of innovative ideas acknowledged by the other speakers during the symposium.
The adoption of AI extends beyond individual enterprises, impacting entire rural economies dependent on viticulture. Research conducted in France indicates that the use of AI can enhance economic sustainability and create employment opportunities within smaller communities. This capability to revitalize the agricultural landscape illustrates a broader narrative of transformation, wherein innovative practices inject new vitality into traditional sectors; yet, it also raises concerns regarding the high energy consumption associated with AI itself: a newly emerged issue that needs to be closely monitored as emphasized collectively by the other speakers.
Conversely, the Australian wine industry faces significant challenges posed by climate change, as articulated by Germán Puga, a research fellow at the University of Adelaide, among other experts. Their research highlights the urgent necessity for strategic shifts in grape selection and vineyard management, indicating that proactive adaptation is essential for long-term viability. As global temperatures rise, the quality of wine production is often compromised, creating a cascading effect on market prices, as pointed out by Sarah C. Smith, a postdoctoral scholar at the University of California, Davis. The call for a humble and adaptable approach, as articulated by winemakers like Michael Silacci, resonates with the industry's ethos—a commitment to crafting high-quality wines while securing a legacy for future generations.
The interrelation between climate change's impact on the economic survival of vineyards and the industry's responsibility to mitigate environmental effects is profound. Voices advocating for sustainability and accountability resonate throughout the wine industry, exemplified by leaders and researchers such as Laura Catena, Saskia de Rothschild, and Catherine Kidman. Their dedication to land preservation and the utilization of data-driven methods to understand climate risks embodies a forward-thinking philosophy. Together, these leaders illustrate that a harmonious blend of passion for winemaking and sustainable practice can pave the way for optimism and resilience.
In conclusion, the discussions presented at the Vine to Mind Symposium illuminate the transformative changes within the wine industry, driven by advances in artificial intelligence, evolving consumer psychology, and the urgent need for sustainability. As the industry grapples with the dual pressures of modern consumer expectations and environmental challenges, it is evident that innovation plays a pivotal role in shaping its future. The integration of AI and data analytics not only enhances operational efficiency and fosters consumer engagement but also enables wineries to navigate the complex landscape of climate change and market dynamics.
Moreover, the insights shared by various experts illustrate a nuanced understanding of the balance between tradition and innovation, affirming that preserving the rich heritage of winemaking must go hand in hand with adapting to contemporary realities, while it also suggests a critical examination of the historical discrepancies and peculiarities that have characterized the wine industry. For instance, Clinical Professor of Economics Karl Storchmann from New York University has identified tax avoidance practices, while Professor of Applied Economics and Management Bradley Rickard from Cornell University has explored the evolving regulations surrounding alcohol sales in the United States. Additionally, Orley Ashenfelter, president of the American Association of Wine Economists, has highlighted persistent inconsistencies in judging processes that often occur at wine competitions. Overall, the emphasis on ethical practices, sustainability, and international cooperation underscores a collective commitment to ensuring the industry's resilience in the face of evolving challenges.
As the wine sector continues to embrace these innovations, this symposium serves as a catalyst for ongoing dialogue, encouraging collaboration among industry leaders as well as between industry and academic researchers to cultivate a wine industry that thrives on adaptability, creativity, and a shared responsibility for ecological stewardship. As participants raised their glasses in celebration of the rich flavors and narratives embodied in each bottle during a convivial reception at the conclusion of this enthralling symposium organized by HDSR jointly with the Journal of Wine Economics, it is imperative to acknowledge an industry that remains dedicated to preserving wine as a cherished experience for future generations. Ultimately, the challenges faced by the wine industry transition into new opportunities for advancement, inspiring stakeholders to embrace change with resilience and a hopeful heart.
Christian Kittery has no financial or nonfinancial disclosures to share for this article.
©2025 Christian Kittery. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) International license, except where otherwise indicated with respect to particular material included in the article.