Researchers from the University of Adelaide are investigating how people feel when they drink wine in particular settings, with responses ranked on an emotional scale.
Participants blind-tasted four wines at home, at a restaurant and in a sensory laboratory.
They rated the extent to which the wine prompted 19 different emotions, ranging from warm-hearted or nostalgic to tense or irritated.
Senior oenology lecturer Sue Bastian says the study will provide insight into the ways people respond to particular wine characteristics and how different settings influence their responses.
"They might like a citrus-flavoured wine because it makes them feel energetic and invigorated and they might like another type because it makes them feel romantic," she told AAP.
"We can actually then tell industry (that) if your wine has this particular flavour and aroma, it's going to cause these sorts of emotions in your consumers and they probably prefer it on this kind of occasion."
The study could also help to pinpoint why certain wine traits, such as "green" herbaceous aromas, can prove to be a deal-breaker for some drinkers.
"Green aromas make people irritated and a little bit angry," Dr Bastian said.
"They have been rejected by some markets. Before we would say they just don't like it but now ... we can actually define why they're not liked."
The study could have important findings for Australian winemakers as well as sommeliers and other hospitality workers, Dr Bastian said.
Preliminary findings from the trial are expected to be available later this year.
The study is being funded by the federal government through the Australian Grape and Wine Authority
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