High-Altitude, High Value? Consumer Preferences and Willingness to Pay for Mountain Wines

This study examines consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for mountain wines and assesses the potential impact of extending the EU quality term "mountain product" to the wine sector. A discrete choice experiment was conducted with 256 wine consumers from the Veneto region (Italy). In the experiment, participants were presented with various wine options with different attributes, including a mountain designation, organic certification and price. The multinomial logit model was used to analyse consumer preferences and estimate WTP. The results show that consumers have a positive WTP for mountain wines, especially in combination with organic certification. Price, mountain designation and organic certification were the most influential factors in the decision-making process. In addition, environmental awareness and the perception of mountain wines had a significant impact on consumer choice. These findings provide actionable insights for policymakers and producers, highlighting the potential of the"Mountain

product" label as a tool for sustainable rural development. [Publisher's text]