This article documents how the COVID-19 crisis has affected the drinking behavior of Latin European wine consumers. Using a large online survey conducted during the first lockdown in France, Italy, Portugal, and Spain (n = 7,324 individuals), we reconstruct the purchasing and consumption patterns of the respondents. The number of people who maintained their wine consumption frequency is significantly higher than those who increased or decreased their consumption. Wine consumption frequency held up better than other types of alcohol (beer and spirits). We analyze heterogeneities among countries and individuals by employing the Marascuilo procedure and an ordered logit model. The latter identifies the impact of demographic, commercial, and psychosocial factors on wine consumption frequency. The results shed light on changes in wine consumer behavior during the first lockdown and consider possible post-lockdown trends that could be useful to industry players. (JEL Classifications: D5, L66, Q1)

Purpose: The present study aims to provide new evidence regarding the factors that determine the survival of firms in the Spanish wine industry and to improve the understanding of sector dynamics.Design/methodology/approach: The empirical analysis, conducted over a representative sample of wineries in the DOC Rioja wine industry, is based on non-parametric (Kaplan–Meier graph) and semi-parametric survival models (Cox proportional hazard model).Findings: The empirical model finds that wineries with a higher number of networks with institutions enjoy better survival prospects. This study also shows that a winery’s previous performance affects the winery’s survival probability; therefore, successful wineries in the past encounter a smaller hazard of exit. Although spending on R&D and exporting are factors likely to improve wineries' efficiency and competitiveness, these factors did not contribute significantly to the survival of DOC Rioja wineries.Originality/value: This paper makes a significant contribution to the understanding of the determinants of wineries' survival and has important policy implications. In order to raise the probability of survival, policy makers should promote the networks that link wineries and institutions. Moreover, this study is based on survival analysis which, although frequently used in medical and behavioural sciences, has rarely been applied to wine economics. Finally, it uses a unique data set obtained from primary data collection, which previous studies have not analysed in relation to the probability of winery survival.

Purpose: Using the behavioural perspective as a theoretical complement of rational models, this paper examines factors that influence the decision of producing organic wines.Design/methodology/approach: Based on a quantitative analysis of 687 wineries belonging to Denomination of Origin in Spain, the authors empirically examine the sequential relationships between manager's personality and winery and institutional level factors, on organic wine production activity and winery export performance.Findings: This paper investigates the direct and indirect sequential relationships between wineries' factors including an organic production activity and two dimensions of export performance, namely: volume-based and value-based performance. The results of a sequential model provide evidence that openness to experience, a manager's personality trait, has a positive causal relationship with organic wine production.Practical implications: This paper offers richer insights into the factors leading wine production managers to change from conventional to organic production methods. Specifically, the study shows that wine production managers are susceptible to make decisions to whether produce organic wine or not that may not be consistent with the current theoretical models based on economic efficiency (i.e. comparing costs and benefits). Instead, these decisions are, in part, based on their personality traits. Future research could study how the functional attribute affects the willingness to produce organic wines.Originality/value: This study contributes to a new strategic implication of organic wine production activity and export performance linkage in behavioural and traditional theoretical perspectives. These findings are valuable for policy makers in the wine sector, as they can better inform and guide policies directed to identify organic production support programs.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the determinants of internationalisation among late starters in the wine sector. Strategic implications for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in a young wine producing region are derived based on the findings.Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected through a quantitative survey among 38 wineries that are engaged in export activity in the Romagna wine producing area (Italy). Both multivariate analysis of cardinal company data through multiple and fractional regression models as well as nonparametric analysis of Likert-type survey elements were carried out.Findings: The study identifies several determinants that affect the export intensity of businesses in the sample: Resources within the business turn out to be important, as well as the choice of distribution partners. Characteristics of exported goods were found to differ on comparing intra- and extra-EU exports.Practical implications: Competitiveness in the international marketplace is closely linked to the product quality, distribution network and productivity of a firm. Regional networks can help businesses to develop these factors, overcome export barriers and strengthen the competitiveness of a region as a whole.Originality/value: This study investigated the determinants of internationalisation in a wine producing region which is considered a late starter of internationalisation in the wine industry and it is the first one spotlighting on a regional firm-level in the Italian wine industry.