From Roots to Leaves: Understanding Consumer Acceptance in Implementing Climate-Resilient Strategies in Viticulture

. Tis study investigates consumer perceptions and acceptance of innovative strategies implemented to counter the efects of climate change in the wine industry. Te acceptance of wines derived from grapes grown using four diferent vineyard management practices—kaolin application, use of plant growth regulators, introduction of resilient rootstocks, and fungus-resistant grape varieties (PIWI)—is analyzed. Utilizing a latent profle analysis, the study identifes fve distinct consumer profles, each displaying unique sensitivities and perceptions towards climate change threats. Te fndings reveal notable variations in consumers’ willingness to accept these innovations. Additionally, the study ofers insights into how these preferences infuence the marketability of wines produced using these innovative techniques. Te overall results depict heterogeneous acceptance of these practices. Consumers seem more inclined to choose wines derived from vines with innovative rootstocks and those treated with kaolin. Te acceptance for PIWI varieties and PGR is comparatively marginal. Te outcomes of this study provide valuable insights for winegrowers, policymakers, and other industry stakeholders on efectively implementing and communicating these solutions. Overall, the research fndings contribute signifcantly to understanding consumer behavior within the context of climate change in the wine industry, presenting substantial implications for sustainable viticulture practices and wine marketing strategies.


Introduction
In the last years, the increasing global warming has progressively modifed landscape and growing techniques of many cultivated plants.Similarly, rising temperatures, changes in rainfall patterns, and extreme weather events like droughts and foods are afecting grapevines' growth and quality [1,2].Indeed, the grapevines are highly sensitive to temperature and moisture levels, and any signifcant change in these factors can have a severe impact on the crop yield and quality of the wine [3].Tus, climate change has had a signifcant impact on the wine industry [4,5].Climate change is adversely afecting the wine industry by causing the loss of traditional grape-growing regions that are already experiencing its impacts [6,7] since warmer temperatures are causing grapes to ripen earlier, leading to a reduction in the wine's complexity and favor [8].
In response to these challenges, the wine industry has turned to a combination of technological advancements, novel cultivation techniques, and varieties to mitigate the impacts of climate change and maintain the quality of their wine production [9,10].Innovative solutions have been developed to allow winegrowers to adapt their crop management systems to the changing climate.
One such innovation is the use of kaolin, a clay mineral, as a crop protectant.Kaolin is applied to the surface of the grapevines, creating a protective layer that refects sunlight and reduces heat stress, efectively reducing the overall temperature of the grapevine [11].Additionally, plant growth regulators (PGRs), including auxins, cytokinins, and gibberellins, are naturally occurring hormones that can infuence grapevine development stages, from bud break to berry development and ripening.Applied strategically, PGRs allow winegrowers to manage the grapevine growth cycle and ripening process, despite the changes in climate patterns [12].Further, the introduction of innovative rootstocks is emerging as a prominent strategy.Rootstocks bred for specifc resilience traits, such as greater resistance to salinity and reduced water demand, can help grapevines better withstand extreme weather conditions.Tis approach could not only sustain yield and wine quality under changing climate but also enable cultivation in previously unsuitable regions [13].Another signifcant breakthrough in this space is the use of fungus-resistant grape varieties hereinafter defned as PIWI (Pilzwiderstandsfähige). Tese varieties are bred to have increased resistance to common vine diseases, thus reducing the need for frequent pesticide applications.Tis not only helps winegrowers cope with increased pest pressures due to climate change but also reduces the environmental impact of viticulture [14].
While these innovative strategies show promise in addressing the challenges posed by climate change, their adoption does not guarantee market success.Te acceptance and demand from consumers play a signifcant role in determining their ultimate impact on the wine industry.For instance, although the application of kaolin does not directly interfere with the grape's inherent characteristics or the wine-making process, its visual impact on the plants could raise questions about the naturalness of the cultivation process among some consumers.Similarly, the use of PGRs, while scientifcally sound and benefcial for adapting to climate change, may raise more concerns as PGRs may be viewed as a form of "chemical intervention."Introduction of new rootstocks, particularly those developed through advanced breeding techniques, can be seen as a deviation from traditional practices.However, given that the changes are not directly visible, they may be more readily accepted if the wines produced maintain their quality and favor profles.Finally, the use of PIWI grape varieties could have the most noticeable impact on consumer perception [14].Indeed, while these varieties are benefcial in terms of reducing pesticide use, consumers who value the unique characteristics associated with specifc grape varieties might have reservations about these new types.
Terefore, while these innovations ofer potential solutions to the challenges of climate change, it is crucial to understand that their adoption may afect consumer perceptions and preferences.Indeed, any innovative strategy may prove economically unsustainable if it fails to gain consumer approval, regardless of its technical efcacy.Moreover, it is also necessary to identify if there are specifc segments of consumers who are more accepting of these innovations.By understanding consumer segmentation, we can target our eforts more efectively, tailor the communication strategies for diferent consumer segments, and develop products that better meet their needs and preferences [15,16].Indeed, consumer segmentation ofers several benefts for producers as well.Firstly, it enables targeted marketing eforts, allowing producers to focus resources and messages on consumer segments more receptive to agricultural innovations.Secondly, it facilitates tailored product development, aligning innovations with the specifc preferences and needs of distinct consumer groups.Tis optimization of resources and strategies not only enhances proftability [17] but also mitigates risks by diversifying the consumer base.
In light of these premises, the current paper aims to address these issues.Specifcally, it aims to investigate whether there are variations in consumer perceptions and acceptance among diferent innovative climate change adaptation strategies in the wine industry.Additionally, it seeks to delineate consumer profles based on their acceptance of these innovations.
To accomplish the overarching objective, we conducted a latent profle analysis (LPA) focused on consumers' preferences for wines produced from grapes obtained through more sustainable vineyard management practices [18].Te fndings of this paper will help winegrowers, policy-makers, and other industry stakeholders implement and communicate these innovative solutions, thereby contributing to the resilience of the wine industry in the face of climate change.
Te remainder of the paper is structured as follows: Section 2 describes the main contribution of current empirical evidence on sustainable vineyard practices and consumer preferences.Section 3 provides a description of survey design and data analysis.Section 4 reports main results by analyzing the latent profle of membership and assessing consumer characteristics.Section 5 discusses the results by connecting them with the existing literature of consumer acceptance of biological innovations and technical practices useful to reduce the climate change impacts.Section six concludes the paper by presenting the main limitation of the study, managerial and marketing implication, as well as the novelty of the study, and provides useful insights to develop further research.

Study Background and Research Hypotheses
In recent years, the impact of climate change has been pushing agriculture towards the adoption of innovative production techniques aimed at countering the negative efects of climate change [2].Viticulture is one of the food sectors most afected by climate change and the negative efects it generates [19].
Many Southern European countries, which traditionally are major wine producers, risk-reducing vineyard surface, leading to negative externalities related to the loss of public goods associated with viticulture such as natural landscapes and ecosystem services [5,20].Accordingly, in recent years, several innovative production practices have been studied to safeguard traditional grape production areas in this region [9,10].
However, the literature suggests that consumers are not always inclined to accept food products obtained through the use of innovative production techniques, and wine is no exception [19,21,22].Indeed, besides the intrinsic sensory 2 Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research properties of the product, consumer's perception of wine may depend on extrinsic aspects, such as the innovativeness or naturalness of the production practices [23].
Previous studies have analyzed consumer perceptions of environmentally sustainable practices in viticulture, such as organic production.Tese studies suggest that consumers' perception of the naturalness of practices adopted by organic wine producers, or the reduction in pesticide use, positively afects consumer preferences [24][25][26][27].Moreover, despite being crucial to understand the willingness of producers to adopt innovative practices, knowledge of market responses from the consumer's perspective is recommended since any innovative strategy may be economically unsustainable if it is not approved by consumers.
In terms of consumer preferences, research suggests that consumers generally prefer grapes that are free from chemical residues and are produced using sustainable and environmentally friendly methods [28][29][30].Terefore, it is possible that consumers may have a positive perception of grapes produced using kaolin.In addition, some consumers might not be familiar with kaolin or might prefer grapes that are not treated with any substances, even if they are natural.Moreover, its visual impact on the plants could raise questions about the naturalness of the cultivation process among some consumers.
(H1): in this respect, it is well worth eliciting consumer acceptability of plants treated with kaolin.
Additionally, research on consumer response to plant growth regulators in wine is quite limited.However, some studies have investigated consumer attitudes and preferences towards wines produced using diferent agricultural practices, including the use of synthetic chemicals and organic farming methods [31,32].Overall, research suggests that consumers generally prefer wines that are produced using sustainable and environmentally friendly methods, such as organic or biodynamic farming [33][34][35].Consumers may also be concerned about the potential health efects of synthetic chemical residues in wine [36]; therefore, it is possible that consumers may have a negative perception of wine produced using plant growth regulators if they perceive these practices to be unsustainable or harmful to the environment or human health.
(H2): considering this premise, the present study also aims at exploring the consumer response to plant growth regulators in wine since this topic is rather limited in the literature.
Empirical evidence demonstrates that the implementation of innovative rootstocks can help maintain plant water balance and improve crop performance [37].Te reduction in water usage aligns well with growing consumer demand for more sustainable and environmentally friendly products [38].As awareness about environmental issues increases, many consumers are becoming more conscious of their purchasing decisions and are looking for products that minimize environmental harm [31].Terefore, wines produced using drought-tolerant rootstocks may be viewed more favorably due to their lower environmental impact.On the other side, introduction of new rootstocks can be seen as a deviation from traditional practices.
(H3): for the abovementioned reasons, it becomes interesting to verify the consumer acceptance of wine deriving from vines raised on nontraditional rootstocks.
Finally, recently scientists have provided the possibility of growing new hybrids to replace the traditional grape varieties as an alternative solution to adapting to the climate changes.Tese are called PIWI (Pilzwiderstandsfähige) varieties, a short name to indicate "fungusresistant grape varieties.However, it is important to note that PIWI varieties are still relatively unknown outside of certain regions, and some consumers may still prefer traditional grape varieties [39,40].Additionally, there may be challenges in marketing PIWI wines to consumers who are unfamiliar with these varieties or who may be skeptical of their quality compared to traditional grape varieties [27].Teir market share is still relatively small, and their acceptance may vary by region and individual taste preferences [19].
(H4): overall, there is some evidence of growing interest in PIWI varieties among certain segments of wine consumers.
Tese practices encompass a spectrum of approaches aimed at addressing the impact of climate change on viticulture, ranging from the grapevines' roots to their leaves.Together, they ofer efective interventions to address diverse aspects of climate change challenges while catering to a wide range of consumer attitudes towards naturalness and technical intervention in wine production.However, a comprehensive study investigating the consumer acceptability of these various agricultural techniques, specifcally aimed at mitigating the negative efects of climate change on viticulture, is currently lacking to the best of our knowledge.
Based on this background, the current study aims to investigate consumer's acceptability for four diferent innovative production practices in viticulture: (i) kaolin application, (ii) the use of plant growth regulators (PGRs), (iii) the introduction of resilient rootstocks, and (iv) PIWI grape varieties' cultivation.
Findings from this study can serve as important inputs for policy-makers, winegrowers, and other stakeholders in developing future strategies for viticulture in the context of climate change.Moreover, in today's digital age, consumers have access to a multitude of information sources.Terefore, even if frms do not communicate production innovations directly, revealed consumer preferences may indirectly encourage the adoption of such innovative viticultural strategies aiming at increasing viticulture resilience to the negative consequences of climate change.
Te following sections provide an in-depth exploration of the selected strategies for addressing climate change challenges in the viticulture industry and their potential impact on consumer perceptions, particularly in relation to the perceived naturalness of the wine.
Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research

Participants and Procedure.
To investigate consumer acceptance of various innovative vineyard practices, we administered a survey to a convenience sample of 810 wine consumers in Italy, a country renowned for its rich wine tradition [41].Te sample size of 800 was chosen to satisfy an efect size f 2 of 0.12, thereby achieving a statistical power of 90% and an alpha of 0.05, as per the a priori power analysis conducted using G * Power 3.1 [42].Responses were collected via the Google Forms platform and employing a snowball-sampling technique.
Te questionnaire was structured into three primary sections.Te frst section served as a flter to identify habitual wine consumers.In the second section, acceptance levels for four vineyard practices (namely, kaolin, plant growth regulators, innovative rootstocks, and PIWI) were assessed.Tese diferent agronomic strategies were selected through an extensive analysis of scientifc literature, consultations expert, and considerations of varying levels of naturalness and intervention in the grape cultivation process.
After presenting a brief overview of the issues faced by vineyards due to climate change and providing a nontechnical description of the four practices designed to address these challenges, participants were asked to rate their (i) willingness to accept each practice (e.g., "Would you support the use of this technique in viticulture?");(ii) willingness to consume wine produced using each specifc practice (e.g., "Would you be willing to consume wine that comes from a vineyard treated with this technique?");and (iii) willingness to pay a premium for wine made using each practice (e.g., "Would you be willing to pay a higher price for wine produced with this innovation to support some of the costs incurred by vine growers?").Tese three dimensions of acceptance were custom-designed for this study to capture varying levels of consumer engagement with the innovative practices.Responses were collected on a Likert scale ranging from 1 ("absolutely not") to 5 ("absolutely yes") and were averaged to generate a comprehensive measure of acceptance for each practice, providing a holistic view of consumer response.Te reliability of these acceptance measures was assessed using Cronbach's α, with calculated values ranging from 0.88 to 0.94, indicating strong internal consistency and reliability in the acceptance measurement.Te third and fnal section of the questionnaire aimed to gather sociodemographic and general information about the participants.

Statistical Analysis.
To address RQ1 and compare the acceptance scores across four vineyard practices, we conducted a repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA).Tis approach allowed us to test the null hypothesis that all practices, namely, kaolin, plant growth regulators, rootstocks, and PIWI, have the same mean acceptance score.Upon fnding a signifcant overall efect, we employed post hoc pairwise comparisons with Bonferroni correction to control for Type I error across multiple tests.Tis step was crucial to pinpoint which practices, if any, difered signifcantly in acceptance from the others.
A latent profle analysis (LPA) was then employed as the main statistical analysis in the present study, in order to identify segments of consumers based on their preference for wine made with diferent vineyard practices (i.e., kaolin, plant growth regulators, rootstocks, and PIWI).
LPA is a categorical latent variable approach that focuses on identifying latent subpopulations within a population, based on a certain set of continuous indicators [18].In our study, these indicators were the acceptance levels of the four vineyard practices mentioned above, which were used to identify distinct profles or subgroups of wine consumers.LPA thus assumes that people can be typed with varying degrees of probabilities into categories that have diferent confgural profles of personal characteristics.Hence, in LPA, the heterogeneity in preferences is assumed between segments, while consumers within a segment are assumed to be homogeneous.
After identifying the optimal number of latent profles by comparing Akaike and Bayesian information criteria (AIC and BIC), we conducted an analysis of covariates as predictors of latent profle membership, in order to assess whether certain consumer characteristics were associated with the latent profles.Specifcally, the three-step maximum likelihood (ML) approach proposed by Vermunt [43] was employed.
Tis method has several advantages over other approaches to analyzing covariate efects in LPA.Firstly, it accounts for the uncertainty in the latent class assignment, which can afect the estimation of the covariate efects.Secondly, it maintains the integrity of the profles when the covariates are added in the model [44].All statistical analyses were performed using Stata 18. Te three-step ML approach was not directly implemented in Stata, and it was performed using the community-contributed software STEP3 [45].

Descriptive Statistics. Our sample consisted of 810
Italian wine consumers, 64% of whom were aged between 19 and 34 years.Tis suggests an overrepresentation of younger individuals when compared with the general population of wine consumers.Te sample exhibited a nearly even gender distribution with 51% males and 49% females.Te majority of participants reported annual household incomes in the range of 10,000€ to 30,000€, comprising 50% of the sample.With regard to wine consumption frequency, most of the respondents (74%) reported consuming wine at least once a week, with 18% consuming wine daily.Te remaining 26% had a less frequent consumption pattern, ranging from once a month to once a year.Te main descriptive statistics of the sample are presented in Table 1.

Consumer Acceptance of Vineyard Practices.
Prior to conducting the LPA, a preliminary analysis of variance (ANOVA) for repeated measures was conducted on the entire sample to investigate the efect of vineyard practices on consumers' acceptance (RQ1).

Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research
Te results showed a signifcant main efect of vineyard practices (F(3, 2427) � 348, p < 0.001), indicating that not all practices were accepted equally, with some practices seeing signifcantly higher acceptance than others.Specifcally, the Bonferroni post hoc test revealed a clear ranking of practices in terms of consumer acceptance.Wine derived from innovative rootstocks was most accepted by consumers, with the highest average score.Tis was followed by kaolin, then PIWI, with plant growth regulators having the lowest acceptance (Table 2).
Tese initial fndings provided a foundation for the subsequent LPA, allowing us to explore potential subgroups or profles within our sample that might exhibit diferent acceptance patterns across the four vineyard practices.

Latent Profle Analysis.
LPA was employed to identify distinct segments of consumers based on their acceptance of wine made with diferent vineyard practices, namely, kaolin, plant growth regulators, rootstocks, and PIWI (RQ2).Te results of the LPA were assessed using AIC and BIC, which indicated fve profles as the best grouping solution (Table 3).
LPA identifed fve distinct profles of consumer acceptance, each representing a subgroup of consumers with a distinct pattern of acceptance for the four vineyard practices.Tese profles were named based on their characteristic acceptance patterns and are presented in Table 4 and Figure 1.
Firstly, "Skeptics" represented 14% of the sample.Tis profle displayed relatively low acceptance for most practices, with a notably higher acceptance for rootstocks.Tis suggests a preference for more traditional or familiar wine production methods.
Te "Traditionalists," comprising 27% of the sample, showed moderate acceptance for all four practices.Tis moderate approach might refect a value for the continuity of proven, tested vineyard practices and a balanced view of innovation, recognizing the need for adaptation but wary of extreme departures from tradition.
Te "Naturalists" constituted 13% of the sample.Tese consumers showed a high acceptance for drought-resistant rootstocks and kaolin.Tese methods are both generally considered environmentally friendly, implying a consumer preference for practices that align with more sustainable practices and/or perceived as less invasive for the environment and the wine's favor profle.
Te "Modernists," the largest group representing 32% of the sample, had higher acceptance for plant growth regulators and PIWI compared to the previous three groups.Tis pattern might suggest a preference for practices that refect research-led innovation and potentially showing acceptance of technology and science as tools to adapt to changing conditions and improve wine production.
Finally, "Enthusiasts," representing 14% of the sample, demonstrated high acceptance for all vineyard practices.Tis suggests an openness to diverse methods of wine production, likely driven by a curiosity and a willingness to support innovative approaches to wine making.
In order to investigate the association between consumer characteristics and the identifed latent profles, an analysis of covariates was conducted.Te covariate analysis revealed signifcant associations between consumer characteristics and the identifed latent profles.Te base outcome for comparison was the "Modernists" profle, as this was the largest group.
Notably, the "Skeptics," "Traditionalists," and "Naturalists" profles were generally composed of older consumers compared to "Modernists."Tis fnding suggests that age  plays a crucial role in the acceptance of new vineyard practices, with older consumers seemingly more resistant to certain types of innovations."Skeptics" and "Naturalists" were found to have lower average incomes than "Modernists."Examining wine-related behaviors, "Traditionalists" were more likely to consume local and regional wines, refecting a preference for familiar products and perhaps indicating an afnity for traditional wine production methods.Contrarily, the "Enthusiasts" group reported consuming less local wine, suggesting a more adventurous palate and openness to trying wines from diverse regions or produced through new practices.Interestingly, the "Naturalists" profle reported consuming wine more frequently and was willing to spend more on average for a bottle of wine compared to "Modernists."Tis suggests a segment of consumers who highly value the wine they consume, prioritizing quality and potentially environmental impact, which could make them more accepting of innovations viewed as enhancing these factors.
Tables 5 and 6 report and summarize the descriptive characteristics for each of the fve identifed groups, while Figure 2 shows how the average price spent for a bottle of wine and wine consumption frequency (and their interplay) infuence the probability of belonging to each profle.Te contour plots illustrate the marginal posterior probabilities of group membership as functions of the average price spent per bottle of wine, the frequency of wine consumption, as well as their interaction efect.In this analysis, we replicated the methodology of the previous covariate analysis by applying the three-step ML approach [43], ensuring consistency across statistical procedures.

Discussion
Tis study set out to examine the acceptance of innovative vineyard practices capable of mitigating and adapting to the adverse efects of climate change.We focused on four strategies involving all major parts of the plant, from roots to leaves.Te primary result of our research allowed us to provide evidence on consumers' acceptance of these innovative climate change adaptation strategies.Moreover, the study succeeds in identifying and characterizing different consumer segments in terms of their acceptance of these innovations, thus creating multiple clusters that display heterogeneous acceptance of these innovative techniques.Specifcally, fndings from this study revealed that consumers prefer wine made with innovative rootstocks, followed by kaolin, PIWI, and PGRs, respectively.In terms of consumer preferences, wines derived from innovative rootstocks emerged as particularly attractive maybe because historical pest emergencies like phylloxera led producers to adopt new rootstocks, gradually encouraging consumer acceptance of wines stemming from this innovation [14].Hence, consumers seemingly perceive this as a nonintrusive, climate-resilient technique.Moreover, it was found that kaolin, a product naturally derived from clay and used to decrease grape temperature [46], garnered signifcant consumer appeal, likely perceived as akin to traditional organic fungicides, despite its distinct function.Even though recent emphasis is on the role of fungus-resistant grapes, our study detected minimal interest in PIWI wines.Tis might be due to consumer confusion, with many considering this practice akin to transgenic innovation.Consequently, the adoption of fungus-resistant grape varieties seems to have little  6 Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research infuence on consumer acceptance, even though these could potentially reduce the use of agrochemicals in grapevines [47].Hence, while fungus-resistant grape varieties undeniably constitute a pivotal innovation in the evolving landscape of the wine industry, their signifcance remains confned to a relatively small and specifc group of consumers [19].Tis limited adoption may be attributed, in part, to a lack of clarity and information regarding the origins of PIWI wine varieties [26].Finally, the acceptance of plant growth regulator in vineyard management practices received the lowest score.Tis outcome appears quite consistent with recent studies indicating how consumers largely prefer food products with no artifcial growth hormone [48].Terefore, the generalized perception about meat consumers is confrmed even in the case of the PGR in grapevine growing since they are considered the least important tool to reduce the climate change [49].Additionally, the study fndings revealed that 'Skeptics," "Traditionalists," and "Naturalists" profles were generally composed of older consumers compared to "Modernists," thus meaning that older consumers are more reluctant to certain types of innovations.Tis fnding is supported by the existing literature since past research showed that older consumers often display lower acceptance of novel wines when technological innovations are introduced in the wine industry [50].Furthermore, in traditional wine-producing countries, Castellini and Samoggia [51] found younger consumers more   Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research enthusiastic towards the acceptance of novel wines [51].Conversely to our result, Galati and colleagues [36] found that younger consumers prefer more frequently natural wines than older consumers.Moreover, looking at the wine-related behaviors, "Traditionalists" consumers, meaning consumers who showed moderate acceptance for all four practices, showed a preference for traditional and local wine production methods.Tis fnding is in line with previous studies, which showed underscored consumer ethnocentrism among traditional wine consumers [52,53].
On the other hand, the "Enthusiasts" group indicated a lower consumption of local wine.Tis probably occurs because this kind of consumer shows a high propensity to openness and accepting innovativeness [54], such as adventurous taste and a willingness to explore wines from imported varieties or made using innovative methods.Interestingly, the "Naturalists" profle is willing to spend more on average for a bottle of wine compared to 'Modernists."Tis suggests a segment of consumers who highly value the wine they consume, prioritizing quality and potential environmental impact, which could make them more accepting of innovations viewed as enhancing these factors.A recent study has shown that "Naturalist" consumers are willing to pay a price premium for a more sustainable wine, to encourage the adoption of more sustainable practices [55].

Study Implications.
Te empirical results of this study have signifcant implications both in theory and practice.In terms of theory, this study contributes to the literature on consumer perception of technological innovations in the agrifood sector by providing preliminary evidence regarding consumer preferences for agricultural practices that aim to enhance the resilience of traditional vineyards to the adverse efects of climate change.While recent literature has ofered some empirical evidence regarding consumer preferences for wines produced through environmentally sustainable or less sustainable techniques [19], there is a lack of empirical fndings concerning consumer preferences for agricultural practices aimed at increasing the resilience of traditional vineyards in the face of climate change consequences.Furthermore, the results of this study add to the scientifc literature a detailed segmentation of consumers based on their preferences for these management techniques and the relationship between these preferences and certain sociodemographic variables.
Te practical implications of this study are also noteworthy.Knowing the agricultural practices preferred by consumers can make it easier for vineyard owners to adopt specifc practices.Conversely, policymakers can anticipate interventions to incentivize practices less preferred by consumers, which vineyard owners might be hesitant to adopt.Additionally, since the average consumer often lacks knowledge about the management practices underlying wine production, it might be benefcial to include information on the "most preferred" practice on the label to preserve the quantitative, qualitative, or landscape characteristics of a specifc vineyard.

Conclusion
Climate change represents a critical issue for the wine industry.Wine consumers can aid in mitigating this concern by opting for wines produced by growers adopting innovative, climate-resilient viticulture practices.
Te overall results depict heterogeneous acceptance of these practices.Nevertheless, consumers seem more inclined to choose wines derived from vines with innovative rootstocks and those treated with kaolin.Te acceptance for PIWI varieties and PGR is comparatively marginal.However, when excluding traditionalists and skeptics, over half of the sample population showed a relative willingness to embrace such innovations.Te results further demonstrate that this acceptance is positively correlated with younger age.Additionally, other covariates such as income, wine consumption frequency, wine price, and preference for locally produced wine have shown some signifcance.
Te novelty of this paper lies in its exploration of consumer acceptance of climate-resilient viticulture practices through the lens of consumer segmentation.It unravels the complexities of consumer preferences and underlines the role that certain demographics play in this evolving situation.
Tis study holds helpful implications for producers and marketers.It emphasizes the need for efective communication about the benefts and safety of plant growth regulators and PIWI varieties to consumers.Grape growers and wine producers can improve the sustainability and quality of their products by responsibly using plant growth regulators, but at the same time, they need to carefully preserve consumer trust and preferences.
However, this study is not without its limitations.Te use of convenience sampling used could introduce bias, as the participants may not be representative of the broader Italian wine consumer population.Furthermore, an overrepresentation of younger consumers may skew the data, limiting the extrapolation of these fndings to a broader, more diverse audience.Nevertheless, given the exploratory nature of this study and considering the future consequences that some agronomic practices may have in the near future, we believe that having a sample composed of a younger population can help understand the evolving choices of future consumers.
Future research could focus on expanding the sample to include a more diverse age range, diferent consumer profles, and individuals from various nationalities.Tis could ofer a more comprehensive understanding of global consumer attitudes towards climate-resilient viticulture practices.Further studies could also delve into more nuanced consumer attitudes and behaviors regarding wines produced with climate-resilient innovations, leveraging qualitative research methods for a more in-depth understanding.Longitudinal studies could provide insights into how these attitudes and behaviors evolve over time, particularly as innovative viticulture practices continue to develop, and more information becomes available to consumers.Moreover, while our study identifed distinct consumer profles assessing their levels of acceptance for various vineyard 8 Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research practices, we did not delve into the underlying reasons for these variations.Tis aspect warrants further investigation in future studies.Furthermore, future studies could delve into the willingness of producers to adopt such practices.Lastly, to refne marketing strategies, it would be worthwhile to explore the potential infuence of communication approaches and labelling on consumer perception and acceptance of wines produced with climate-resilient strategies.

Figure 2 :
Figure 2: Predicted posterior probability of belonging to each profle by wine consumption frequency and average price spent for a bottle of wine.

Table 2 :
ANOVA post hoc results.

Table 4 :
Estimated margins of indicator variables for each profle.Notes.Diferent letters within a row indicate signifcant diferences between segments at the 5% level.

Table 6 :
Main sociodemographic characteristics and habits of each group.