Purpose: This article aims to analyse various wine differentiation strategies (price, origin, type and production system) to counteract the commercial success of new wine producers compared to traditional ones.Design/methodology/approach: The methodology consisted of a survey of 400 Castilla‐La Mancha wine consumers during the month of March 2004, whose preferences were determined through several multivariate techniques.Findings: Three consumer segments were identified: the first shops for wine mainly by price, the second, by origin and the third, by a combination of price and type of wine. In this sense, except for the first segment, where competition by a cheaper wine from other places could endanger the local market, possible strategies would be to continue emphasising origin in a traditional approach and to search for a new wine differentiation based on organic production. Both strategies, which can be carried out jointly, would require government backing in addition to support from the business sector.Originality/value: This paper contributes to a greater knowledge of Spanish consumer habits by analysing the degree of influence that various factors have on attitudes towards the purchasing of wine.

In international wine markets, two different commercial strategies coexist: one from emerging countries, based on grape varieties, and one from traditional countries, based on designations of origin (DOs). This study focuses on Spain, a country with a long tradition in wine production and consumption, where there is an increasing demand for quality wine from DOs. The aim of the study is to develop two theoretical models to explain the consumption intensity of a quality wine and of a wine protected by a specific DO. Three surveys were carried out to collect data related to the wine producers belonging to the Alicante DO (Spain), catering professionals and red wine consumers. Statistical analysis was conducted using structural equation models. Findings show that the models that explain quality wine and Alicante DO wine consumption intensity share a direct relationship with an interest in gastronomy, and the opposite relationship with a healthy life. However, the first model includes social activity as an explanatory variable of quality wine consumption, whereas the consumption of wine from the Alicante DO is better explained through consumer ethnocentrism.

In this research an alternative is proposed for viticulture producers that would allow them to maintain their income and prevent the abandonment of their agricultural activity. The proposed alternative is the production of organic wine with subsequent commercialization in the local market. The suitability of the alternative is measured by the acceptance of the product in local markets. This acceptance was determined through contingent valuation, which relates probability of purchase to willingness to pay (WTP). Since regional differences could exist for product acceptance, the preliminary hypothesis was formulated that the importance of the viticulture sector in the regional economy makes consumers value farm work more highly and pay more for sustainable agricultural practices. Two regions of Spain were taken into consideration because of the different weight of their agricultural activity: Castile-La Mancha and the Community of Valencia. A survey of 800 wine consumers was made (400 from each region) to determine WTP. From the results it was shown on the one hand that organizing organic wine in local markets can be a profitable alternative for wine producers and, on the other hand, consumers from regions where wine production shares a larger proportion of the regional economy are willing to pay more for organic wine.

The aim of this article is to analyse whether growing traditional horticultural varieties would be a profitable alternative so farmers could attend to their traditional activity in rural areas without the loss of income. Besides, it is intended to provide results to help promote vegetable consumption. Research is focused on tomato, one of the main horticultural crops from the important agricultural region of South-Eastern Spain. The proposed solution for growers to improve profits is to cultivate traditional tomato varieties for local markets. Whether consumers are willing to pay the premium price for these products is analyzed and the influence of several attributes on willingness to pay is evaluated. To accomplish these aims, two methods have been used: a hypothetical method, the contingent valuation, and an experimental method, the Vickrey auction. Results show that local market consumers very positively value these varieties and are willing to pay very high premium prices, especially for the traditional flavour from their own area of influence.