SD26 represents the rebirth of San Domenico: a bright, contemporary restaurant with high ceilings and striking artwork. Located on Manhattan’s East 26th Street, SD26 is the lively, three-year-old successor to the more formal San Domenico that operated on Central Park South for two decades. Although the name, setting and decor were updated, owner Tony May and his daughter Marisa made preserving the restaurant’s cuisine a priority. Italian-born May has long championed authentic Italian cooking, and the signature pastas, game, meats, seafood and cheeses of San Domenico were carried over to SD26.
One notable innovation at SD26 is how guests browse wines. The restaurant was an early adopter of placing an iPad at each table, allowing diners to explore a cellar of roughly 550 wines. The majority are Italian, many with impressive vintage depth, while the remainder represent France and the United States.
It was in SD26’s balcony private rooms, overlooking the dining room, that Global Traveler hosted the 2012 Wines on the Wing airline wine competition. On a May afternoon, 28 wine specialists blind-tasted 134 wines submitted by 29 airlines. When the judges’ scores were tallied, British Airways earned the top honor in the International First Class category.
“A testament to our increased investment in our wines,” Lynn McClelland, head of catering for British Airways, said. “We think we have some great wines on board, and it is fantastic to see the judges agree.”
A larger panel blind-tasted more than a thousand wines from both New and Old World regions to select the winning bottles. Highlights that made GT’s Top Five lists included Laurent-Perrier Grande Siècle Champagne, Chassagne-Montrachet and Sancerre among whites; and Newton Johnson Pinot Noir (South Africa) and Château Gruaud Larose among reds. British Airways also scored well in International Business Class, where its Châteauneuf-du-Pape was the highest-rated red. Because airline wine programs rotate frequently, few bottles remain on board longer than three months.
Brussels Airlines achieved the top spot in International Business Class, placing four of its five submissions in the Top Five categories: Laurent-Perrier Champagne, Les Vieux Murs Pouilly-Fuissé, Tenuta Frescobaldi di Castiglioni and Château de Rochemorin. Brussels launched direct service between New York (JFK) and Brussels (BRU) in June.
“Our wine selection is as important as the meals we serve,” said Philip Mortier, sommelier and manager of inflight products for Brussels Airlines. “We consider many factors when choosing our onboard wine cellar — for instance, that we lose 20 to 30 percent of our sense of taste when flying. Consequently, we select fuller-bodied wines with depth, freshness and clear character. Our diverse passenger base appreciates both classic French selections and wines from lesser-known regions.”
Brussels updates its wine selection twice a year. A panel of three, chaired by Fiona Morrison, MW, defines the airline’s needs; the provider Le Palais du Vin proposes options; and the panel performs a blind tasting to finalize choices. Two flagship wines on long-haul flights rotate every six months, while two additional selections rotate quarterly. Annually, Brussels pours roughly 25,000 bottles of Champagne, 25,000 bottles of still wine and about 500,000 small bottles.
South African Airways finished a close second in the International Business Class Top Five. Its Driehoek Sauvignon Blanc was the highest-scoring white in that category, and its Anura Merlot placed as the second-highest red. Todd Neuman, executive vice president, North America, emphasized that South African Airways supports the national industry by serving only domestic wines. “The consistent high ratings from Global Traveler’s experts speak to the quality of South Africa’s producers,” he said.
The airline’s onboard wines are chosen annually by a 12-person panel that blind-tastes more than 1,000 South African wines over three days. From those tastings, 24 red and 24 white wines are selected for business class, with two reds and two whites rotating monthly. South African Airways allocates approximately $1.3 million each year to its international business-class wine program.
American Airlines also delivered a strong performance, appearing among the Top Five airlines in both International First and Business classes. American’s entries included Gosset Grande Réserve Champagne, a Meursault and Beringer Alluvium in First Class, and Champagne Moutard and Keenan Chardonnay in Business Class. “We are honored,” said Alice Liu, American’s managing director of onboard products. “Our award-winning wine program is a tangible way for customers to experience American’s commitment to enhancing travel.”
Ken Chase oversees American’s wine offerings, creating more than 25 lists for international and domestic flights and rotating selections monthly. At any time, the airline may have over 60 wines in service across its routes.
Asiana Airlines secured the highest-scoring Champagne in International First Class with a Pol Roger 1999, praised by judges for its richness, balanced acidity and clean finish. Asiana’s Clos des Poruzots Meursault was the top-rated white in the same category, noted for depth, a silky palate and a long, complex finish. Tae Keun Han, Asiana’s executive vice president of cabin and airport service, said the airline continually seeks the highest-quality wine and cuisine. Asiana’s wines are chosen by a three-sommelier panel that blind-tastes at least 300 wines, with particular attention to how wines pair with the onboard menu. Asiana spends about $170,000 a year on 5,500 bottles for international first class.
TAM was among the Top Five in both International First and Business Class categories. Both of its Champagne submissions made the Top Five lists: Drappier Grande Sendrée in First Class and Drappier Carte d’Or in Business Class. TAM’s Château Bel-Air-Ouÿ also placed among the Top Five red wines in International Business Class. “We face a big challenge every year in choosing great wines,” said Manoela Amaro, TAM’s marketing director. Selections are made by a committee led by sommelier Arthur Azevedo and are updated annually.
Swiss International Air Lines earned a Top Five spot in International First Class, with its Vinattieri Bianco del Ticino named among the category’s top white wines. “Culinary experience on SWISS significantly impacts customer satisfaction,” said Sarah Klatt-Walsh, director of in-flight products and services, praising the wine as a distinctive Swiss example from Ticino. SWISS’s selections are chosen in blind tastings led by consultant Chandra Kurt and rotate every three months on international flights. Besides Champagne, SWISS opens about 55,000 bottles of still wine in international first class and 190,000 bottles in international business class each year.
United Airlines’ wines also earned the airline a place on the Top Five International First Class list. United’s Bouchard Santenay made the Top Five Red Wines First Class list. Sandra Pineau-Boddison, United’s vice president of food services, noted the airline aims to enhance the onboard dining experience by offering a variety of high-quality wines and Champagne. Doug Frost, MW, collaborates with an internal committee to choose wines, weighing menu pairings, taste at altitude and customer expectations. United rotates its wine program three times a year.
Hainan Airlines featured G.H. Mumm Cordon Rouge Champagne on both international business and first class, finishing first in Business Class and fourth in First Class. Tony Guo explained that Hainan invites an international panel and passenger representatives to an annual tasting. Selections account for route diversity and the effects of cabin air and pressurization on taste.
Fourteen participating airlines belong to the oneworld, SkyTeam and Star Alliance alliances. When averaged, the highest-scoring alliance was oneworld, represented by airberlin, American Airlines, British Airways and Finnair.
In the North America category, which covers first- or business-class service within the United States, Mexico and Canada, American Airlines claimed the overall title for the third consecutive year. Its Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut again won top sparkling wine. United’s Canyon Road Chardonnay was judged the best white, and American’s 181 Merlot took the top red.
Top Five International First Class Wines On The Wing
- British Airways
- American Airlines
- United Airlines
- Swiss International Air Lines
- TAM
Top Five International Business Class Wines On The Wing
- Brussels Airlines
- South African Airways
- American Airlines
- TAM
- British Airways
Top Five Champagnes International First Class
- Pol Roger 1999 — Asiana Airlines
- Gosset Grande Réserve, NV — American Airlines
- Drappier Grande Sendrée 2004 — TAM
- G.H. Mumm Cordon Rouge, NV — Hainan Airlines
- Laurent-Perrier Grande Siècle, NV — British Airways
Top Five Champagnes International Business Class
- G.H. Mumm Cordon Rouge, NV — Hainan Airlines
- Jacquart Mosaïque, NV — Air Tahiti Nui
- Laurent-Perrier, NV — Brussels Airlines
- Moutard 2004 — American Airlines
- Drappier Carte d’Or, NV — TAM
Top Five White Wines International First Class
- Roux Clos des Poruzots Meursault 2009, Burgundy, France — Asiana Airlines
- Clos de la Baronne Meursault 2009, Château Labouré-Roi, Burgundy, France — American Airlines
- Chassagne-Montrachet 2009, Pierre André, Burgundy, France — British Airways
- Domaine de la Chezatte Sancerre 2010, France — British Airways
- Vinattieri Bianco del Ticino 2010 — Swiss International Air Lines
Top Five White Wines International Business Class
- Driehoek Sauvignon Blanc 2011, South Africa — South African Airways
- Villa Huesgen Riesling 2010, Mosel, Germany — Asiana Airlines
- Les Vieux Murs Pouilly-Fuissé 2009, Burgundy, France — Brussels Airlines
- Louis Jadot Mâcon-Villages 2009, Burgundy, France — Air Tahiti Nui
- Keenan Chardonnay 2009, California — American Airlines
Top Five Red Wines International First Class
- Newton Johnson Family Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010, South Africa — British Airways
- Château Gruaud Larose 2001 — British Airways
- Bouchard Père et Fils Santenay 2009 — United Airlines
- Yatir Merlot-Shiraz-Cabernet 2008, Israel — EL AL Israel Airlines
- TIE Aquamarine Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Israel — EL AL Israel Airlines Beringer Alluvium 2007 — American Airlines
Top Five Red Wines International Business Class
- Domaine Font de Michelle Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2009 — British Airways
- Anura Merlot 2009, South Africa — South African Airways
- Château Bel-Air-Ouÿ 2008, Bordeaux, France — TAM
- Tenuta Frescobaldi di Castiglioni 2009, Tuscany, Italy — Brussels Airlines
- Château de Rochemorin 2006, Bordeaux, France — Brussels Airlines
Top North American First Class/Business Class
Top North American Wines On The Wing
American Airlines
Top North American Sparkling Wine
Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut, NV, California
— American Airlines
Top North American White Wine
Canyon Road Chardonnay 2010, California
— United Airlines
Top North American Red Wine
181 Merlot 2008, California — American Airlines
Top Airline Aliance
oneworld, represented by airberlin, American Airlines, British Airways and Finnair
Judging Process
Global Traveler invited long-haul international airlines to submit two white wines, two red wines and one sparkling wine currently served in their business- or first-class cabins, along with their wine lists. Submissions were coded and grouped into flights by type and region so similar wines were judged together—South African Sauvignon Blancs together, Bordeaux St.-Émilion bottles together, and so on. Judges saw only the wine type, origin and vintage where applicable. If a wine appeared flawed, a reserve bottle was opened. The tasting was overseen by GT staff and five professional assistants.
Each wine was scored on a modified Davis 20-point scale. Individual scores were averaged, and an airline’s averaged scores were totaled to determine the Wines on the Wing winners.
Judges’ Bios
Melissa Sutherland Amado is director of marketing at 67 Wine & Spirits in Manhattan and brand strategist at New York Wine Salon.
Manos Angelakis is senior wine and food writer for Luxury Web Magazine and author of the semi-monthly Oenophile Blog; he travels extensively through the world’s wine regions.
Cesar Baeza is an enologist, marketing consultant and educator who trained in Chile, France, Spain and California, and served for 20 years as wine master and co-owner of Brotherhood Winery in New York State.
Molly Choi is executive vice president of sales and marketing at Cape Classics, representing more than 20 South African wine estates.
Jim Clarke is wine director at Armani Ristorante in Manhattan, responsible for a largely Italian selection, and a frequent wine writer and speaker.
Philip di Belardino directs fine wine development at Banfi Vintners and Excelsior Wines and lectures at hospitality schools.
Michael Doctor is wine director of SD26 and was previously wine director at Accademia di Vino.
Lisa Donneson produces Bouké and Bouquet wines on Long Island, is WSET-certified and active in wine education.
John Fanning is partner and general manager of SD26 and has held wine and management roles at several notable restaurants in New York and Rome.
David Frieser is president of Beekman Liquors and a frequent wine lecturer with three decades in the business.
Curtis Green founded TenFolks Enterprises to broaden wine interest among African-Americans through tastings and education.
David Gross represents Sherbrooke Cellars and has worked in the wine trade for more than 20 years.
Karen King is sales manager at Winebow and former wine director at Union Square Café and beverage director at Gramercy Tavern and The Modern.
Peter Martin runs Peter Martin Associates, a wine consultancy for collectors, private clubs and institutions.
Edward McCarthy is a wine writer, consultant and Certified Wine Educator, co-author of Wine for Dummies and a frequent speaker on wine.
John McClement directs wine and spirits for All Weather Management, overseeing programs for several restaurants and pubs.
David Milligan leads David Milligan Selections, representing fine French producers, and has four decades of wine experience.
Katherine Moore manages Union Square Wines & Spirits, a large retail shop in Manhattan.
Roman Roth is winemaker and technical director at Wölffer Estate and proprietor of The Grapes of Roth label.
Charles Scicolone is wine and food editor of i-italy.org, a wine blogger, educator and media contributor.
Alie Shaper founded Brooklyn Oenology, New York City’s first modern urban winery, producing wines from locally grown grapes.
Robert Shack owns HB Wine Merchants/R. Shack Selections and Clos Robert Winery in Sonoma and previously led Premiere Wine Merchants at Rémy Martin Amerique.
John Sheldon represents fine wine importers, founded the New York Wine Tasting School and consults for restaurants and private clubs.
Darrin Siegfried owns Il Gallo Giallo Wine Bar, leads the Sommelier Society of America and has opened wine shops and managed restaurants in New York.
Gary Walther is a wine collector and luxury lifestyle writer who previously served as editor in chief of Departures magazine.
Eric White manages The Winery in Manhattan and has focused on wine consulting and tastings for nearly a decade.
Eric Woods co-owns Harlem Vintage, a boutique wine shop in Harlem that highlights artisan wines from around the globe.
Michael Yurch is president of Sherry-Lehmann in Manhattan and a frequent commentator on wine; he previously wrote for Westchester Rockland newspapers.