Airplanes are made for flying, not for tasting wine. Nonetheless, they serve wine on (some) airlines, so why not taste it? Well, for one thing, most of it is pretty awful. In economy, they have those little 187 ml. bottles that have labels like Chateau de Somewhere or Turkey Neck Cellars. Yes, it’s liquid, contains alcohol and is either red or white. I think it’s fair to say they make it from grapes. Beyond that, you’re taking your chances.
But if you’re fortunate enough to be flying in Business Class or (gasp!) First Class, they often have some pretty good wine available. We’ve done a lot of international business travel which has given us quite a few such opportunities. We’ve had Dom Perignon, Penfold’s St. Henri, and Chateau Beychevelle, among some of the more notable wines, while aloft. If you’re flying overseas, why not avail yourself of a tasting based on the wine list the airline offers? Tell the flight attendant that that’s what you’re trying to do and he or she will often be happy to give you two glasses so that you can compare, say, a California Cabernet versus a French Bordeaux. Or ask for a white before your meal (pretty much only on overseas flights only) and then red wine with it.
If you would like to experiment in this way while flying, there are a few things you ought to think about.
Airplane cabins are not ideal locations for wine tasting. The air is pressurized and recirculating. The light is not in a good place to appreciate the color. And your senses are not the same as they are on the ground. As a general rule, powerful wines come across better in the air than lighter ones because they overcome the natural dulling of your smell and taste that are the result of airplane conditions. As a result, what you might fall in love with in the air may taste overpowering when you order later, in a restaurant or shop. Steve once discovered a Cambria Syrah only to find he really didn’t like it when he tasted it in California’s Central Coast.
Don’t forget that wine is alcohol. And you’re going to feel it sooner and harder. So the general rule that you should sip not drink if you’re wine tasting goes double up in the air. But it’s soooo easy to forget. The movie is playing and the attendant keeps filling your glass, so why not have a little more, and a little more and…
Once, Steve was flying home from Japan and asked the steward for one of those forms that you can use for comments. JAL had had to do a lot of maneuvering to get him on the plane and upgraded and he wanted to thank them. The steward must have broken protocol and read the comments, because he reappeared with a broad smile and a bottle of champagne. For the rest of the flight, he wouldn’t let Steve’s glass become empty, to the point that Steve had to fake sleeping in order to get him to stop. Or maybe he wasn’t faking?
Airplanes bounce. If your flight is long enough, you’re bound to hit some turbulence somewhere. And, lo and behold, wine will slosh. You could have a long way to go with red wine all over your pants. That’s why airlines don’t use stemware, so that their glasses, especially when filled, will have a lower center of gravity. So try not to have your glass filled to the top. Of course, you could drink quickly so there isn’t much in the glass. Bad idea. Or you can ask the attendant not to pour too much, which also has its drawbacks. The flight attendants like to show the airlines’ generosity to their higher-paying customers and so give you a lot and come back to give you more. However, they never seem to be there just when you’d like another drop or two. For some of the more expensive wines, they may not have a lot of bottles on board, so if you don’t take these fine wines when offered, they may not be there when you want them. Still, restraint is always a good approach.
All the above sounds like we’re discouraging you from sipping wine in the air. Not so. We just hope that you do what you would do if you were on a tasting visit to Wine Country. Think about what you’re doing. Use discretion. And then open your taste buds and your mind and taste what may prove to be something wonderful. Have a good time. And bon voyage.