The sky is one of the few places you don’t have to worry about wine—ordering the right one, or adhering to norms about what and when to drink. Even in business class, where the wine list might include rarer vintages and food pairing suggestions, comfort is the operating principle.
On a recent United Polaris flight to Tokyo, I had nearly fourteen hours to work my way through a wine list without heeding the conventions I’d ordinarily follow on land.
Pair the full-bodied, beef-friendly Shafer Vineyards TD-9 Stag’s Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon with my light vegetarian entree of roasted cauliflower and ricotta white bean purée? Absolutely. Enjoy a duo of Whispering Angel rosé and Diet Coke with my ice cream sundae? There was no one to stop me (or judge). Along with breakfast the next morning, or whatever time it was, I tasted the Taylor Fladgate Porto, just because I had a few more hours to kill and I was curious.
It takes a lot of work to create an experience that feels so casually, luxuriously carefree. On the airline side, crafting a business class wine list requires not only the expertise you need to make one on land, but also an intimate knowledge of how well wines “fly.”
How Altitude Impacts How We Taste
“In an airplane, the dry atmosphere can dull the olfactory senses, muting aromas and flavors,” says sommelier Lisa Redwine, who selects the wines for private jet charter operator Schubach Aviation. “Additionally, the reduced air pressure
This Article was originally published on Wine Enthusiast
