Xylitol Addition Enhances Generation Z Liking of Red Wine: A <scp>CATA</scp> and Penalty Analysis Approach

ABSTRACT The wine industry is facing a global crisis with a significant decline in wine consumption. This decline is particularly marked for red wine and the industry is seeking innovations to increase the attractiveness of such wine. The addition of sugars is known to improve the palatability of red wine, but the risk of in‐bottle fermentation necessitates the use of stabilizers. Xylitol is a non‐fermentable sugar alcohol with a sweetening power similar to sucrose. To evaluate young adult perception of xylitol‐sweetened products, we applied an innovative penalty analysis approach combining liking scores with CATA (Check‐All‐That‐Apply) questions. The results obtained in this study show that its addition to red wine significantly increased liking among a panel of 119 young adults, with an average age of 22 years. The combination of CATA, liking, and penalty analyses revealed that attributes such as sweet, soft, and fruity were enhanced by xylitol addition and positively impacted liking, whereas attributes such as acidic, bland, and bitter characterized the control red wines and negatively impacted liking.