Hosting a wine-tasting event at a brewery in Bristol, Pennsylvania may seem like a departure from the usual Wines on the Wing airline wine competition, traditionally held in New York City, but 2020 has demanded flexibility and creativity from event organizers.
Like many gatherings this year, Global Traveler’s 17th annual Wines on the Wing airline wine competition was postponed multiple times. After several rounds of planning and replanning, the event finally took place at Odd Logic Brewery, run by Tim Shaw. Locals often respond to Shaw’s name with some variation of “I know him; he’s a great guy,” and Odd Logic proved to be a welcoming, laid-back venue that matched the spirit of the competition.
Airlines operating long-haul international first-class and/or business-class service are invited to enter the competition by submitting two white wines, two red wines and one Champagne or sparkling wine that appear on their in-flight wine lists. The smaller North American category follows the same rules for carriers whose first-class or business-class services begin and end in North America. Submitting paperwork, menus and samples is a challenge in normal circumstances and was even more complicated this year.
Once submissions arrive, each bottle is coded and grouped into flights, or categories. For the blind tasting, wines are poured into numbered glasses so judges evaluate by sight, smell and taste without knowing the labels. On the tasting day, judges sat at individual tables and received coded samples; they never saw the actual bottles. Each judge scored wines on a 20-point scale, taking into account appearance, nose and palate.
The judges’ individual scores were totaled and averaged within each category. Wines with the highest scores earned awards, and airlines with the best cumulative scores in a class were honored as well. Many entrants belong to one of the major airline alliances; this year oneworld again claimed the highest average score among alliances.
In the competitive Best International Business Class category, LATAM Airlines captured the top overall score. Felipe Gutierrez, LATAM’s chef, highlighted the airline’s long-standing commitment to curating regional wines for in-flight service, noting the expertise of Héctor Vergara, the only Master Sommelier in South America, who helped select a carefully chosen cellar after tasting hundreds of bottles.
LATAM took high marks across Champagne/sparkling, white and red categories, with especially strong performance in the business-class grouping. However, the top individual Champagne/sparkling award in that division went to American Airlines for its nonvintage Cattier Brut Icône Champagne, praised by judges for its light, fruity character and dry, refreshing finish.
LATAM did claim the No. 1 spot for white wines in the International Business-Class group with Viña Aquitania Sol de Sol 2017 Sauvignon Blanc from Traiguén in Chile’s Malleco Valley. Judges described it as crisp and clean, with lively fruit flavors and an unexpected hint of pepper.
The red wine winner in that business-class category was a standout newcomer: Icelandair’s Quinta do Crasto 2015 Superior Syrah from Portugal’s Douro region. Judges noted its bold entry, full body and aftertastes of blackberry and dark chocolate.
American Airlines stood out in the Best International First-Class category, earning the highest overall average in that grouping. The airline credited Global Traveler’s recognition and its team of wine experts, along with collaboration from Master Sommelier Bobby Stuckey, for helping assemble a distinguished onboard wine selection.
American also took top honors for individual white and red wines in first class. Pascal Jolivet’s 2018 Sancerre Les Caillottes from the Loire Valley won for white wine, while Whitehall Lane’s 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley captured the red-wine prize. For first-class Champagne/sparkling, All Nippon Airways won with Champagne Billecart-Salmon 2008, a vintage the judges described as classic, complex, clean, tart and dry.
In the North American category, Aeromexico nearly swept the competition, earning the group’s highest overall score. Aeromexico emphasized how proud the airline is of the recognition and how it inspires continued focus on delivering excellent onboard experiences.
Aeromexico claimed first place in both the Champagne and white-wine categories for North America. Its Jacquart Brut NV was praised as a “winner” with notable flavor, while Duckhorn’s 2017 Decoy Chardonnay from Sonoma County earned best-of-class for white wines, described as oaky but balanced with a clean, sweet finish. American Airlines prevented a clean sweep by taking the North American red-wine top spot with Domaine Drouhin’s 2016 Pinot Noir from Oregon’s Dundee Hills, a sample judges found balanced and pleasantly surprising.
The competition demonstrated the resilience and dedication of airlines and their onboard wine teams during a challenging year for travel. To the winners and all competitors, cheers — this has been a year to remember.
WINNERS’ CIRCLE
Best International First-Class Wines on the Wing
American Airlines
Best International First-Class Champagne/Sparkling Wine
All Nippon Airways, Champagne Billecart-Salmon 2008
Best International First-Class White Wine
American Airlines, Pascal Jolivet Sancerre Les Caillottes 2018, Loire Valley
Best International First-Class Red Wine
American Airlines, Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Napa Valley
Best International Business-Class Wines on the Wing
LATAM Airlines
Best International Business-Class Champagne/Sparkling Wine
American Airlines, Cattier Brut Icône NV
Best International Business-Class White Wine
LATAM Airlines, Viña Aquitania Sol de Sol Sauvignon Blanc 2017, Traiguén, Malleco Valley, Chile
Best International Business-Class Red Wine
Icelandair, Quinta do Crasto Superior Syrah 2015, Douro Valley
Best North American Wines on the Wing
Aeromexico
Best North American Champagne/Sparkling Wine
Aeromexico, Jacquart Brut NV
Best North American White Wine
Aeromexico, Duckhorn Wine Company Decoy Chardonnay 2017, Sonoma County
Best North American Red Wine
American Airlines, Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir 2016, Dundee Hills, Oregon
Best Alliance Wines on the Wing
oneworld