Midmorning on a humid Sunday in late June, I was sweating and carrying my suit jacket over my shoulder as I made my way to The Ned in NoMad, New York City. We had booked the 19th Wines on the Wing tasting months earlier at the new venue and expected familiar faces alongside a handful of seasoned wine professionals who had committed their time, palates and candid impressions to evaluate the lineup of wines we would present. I was grateful for their support and looked forward to sharing a few celebratory glasses with old friends when the work was done. First, though, everyone had to get there.
© Christopher P. Ottaunick
New York thrives on possibility: Broadway, jazz clubs in the Village, world-class museums, Michelin-starred restaurants and the endless energy of the neighborhoods. Truman Capote’s line from Breakfast at Tiffany’s—“New York is not a city, it’s a world”—captures that spirit. Boredom is not an option here.
Even on a summer Sunday when the city slows a bit, something is happening. That morning the 55th Annual NYC Pride March was assembling nearby, and the communal joy was tangible. Roads around the parade route were blocked, and thousands were gathering to celebrate. To reach The Ned, a block from Fifth Avenue where the march was building, we had to persuade NYPD officers at a cordon to let us pass. After explaining the tasting’s purpose to the good-natured officers and a few drag performers at the checkpoint on 25th Street and Sixth Avenue, I was allowed through and set about chilling the sparkling and white wines and organizing flights for efficient service. At another barricade, judge and Global Traveler contributor Kelly Magyarics requested access and was met with the NYPD’s bemused response: “Well, you wouldn’t have made that up.”
© Christopher P. Ottaunick
The Ned NoMad occupies a Beaux-Arts building designed by Schickel and Ditmars in 1903 for Caroline H. Johnston. Converted into The NoMad Hotel in 2012, the property became The Ned in 2022, joining a hospitality brand that began in London in 2017 and has expanded to Doha and Washington, D.C. Like its sibling SoHo House, The Ned operates with a membership mindset and private spaces that draw celebrities seeking discretion. Its elegant guestrooms, Cecconi restaurant, Little Ned bar and public event spaces—including our second-floor room overlooking Broadway—make it a fitting setting for a tasting of this scale.
Special thanks to the event staff led by NYC wine and hospitality veteran Billy Berkis. I first met Billy at Acme years ago before he joined the sommelier team at Danny Meyer’s two-Michelin-starred The Modern and later became general manager there. At The Ned he runs events with an unflappable professionalism that kept service humming all afternoon. A particular shout-out to Ronald, the hotel’s “can-do” man, who navigated blocked streets and pushed a luggage cart from the hotel on 28th and Broadway to Eighth Avenue to ferry materials from the Global Traveler van.
© Christopher P. Ottaunick
By odd coincidence, the day before the tasting I had stopped in a Cincinnati Sky Club and spotted a back issue of Global Traveler featuring last year’s Wines on the Wing. I took it as an omen for favorable travel and, for those who follow biodynamic calendars, this year’s tasting fell on a “fruit day,” which enthusiasts believe enhances a wine’s vibrancy and fruit expression.
Seventeen New York wine professionals found their way through the revelry to assess the airline submissions. This year featured 14 airlines eager to have their wine programs evaluated. To future entrants: you can’t win if you don’t play.
The tasting flowed from sparkling wines to refreshing whites, then through lighter reds to fuller-bodied reds, finishing with the most powerful offerings. Many judges traveled from afar on a hot morning—from the Finger Lakes, Montauk and Brooklyn—and some adjusted busy schedules to attend. My longtime friend Mike Papaleo made the trip in from Sea Cliff, Long Island, even though it was his birthday. Their dedication and camaraderie make these events possible, and we are grateful for their time and expertise.
© Christopher P. Ottaunick
To be eligible for the overall Top Wines on the Wing, airlines must submit a complete package: two whites, two reds and a sparkling wine or Champagne. Some airlines entered standout individual wines but did not provide a full slate and therefore were not eligible for the top prize.
After tallying scores across categories, Swiss International Air Lines emerged as the Top International First Class Wines on the Wing. SWISS narrowly beat last year’s winner STARLUX, with Qatar Airways close behind. Highlights for SWISS included Pommery Cuvée Louise Millésime 2006 Parcelles among top sparklings and, notably, Cayas Syrah Jean-René Germanier Vétroz Valais 2022 as the top red—an impressive reminder of Swiss quality, even though Switzerland’s production is small and largely consumed domestically.
In International Business Class, newcomer Air Tahiti Nui took the top spot ahead of Qatar Airways and American Airlines. Air Tahiti Nui’s list featured the top-scoring white (Samuel Billaud Chablis 2023) and a strong Margaux second wine, Blason D’Issan 2019. Notably, in blind tasting the Blason D’Issan slightly outscored Château D’Issan itself, which appeared on STARLUX’s program.
© Christopher P. Ottaunick
In North America Premium Class, Aeromexico took top honors over American Airlines and JetBlue. We didn’t award an overall winner in International Premium Economy because no airline submitted a complete set for that category, though Ethiopian Airlines earned top marks for its sparkling entry, Pommery Brut Apanace.
Among alliances, oneworld retained the top spot, with Star Alliance second and SkyTeam close behind.
Bordeaux continues to feature prominently in many airline wine programs. Notable selections included Domaine de Chevalier Pessac-Léognan and Château Faugeres Saint-Émilion on SWISS, Château Cos d’Estournel and Château Lynch Moussas on Qatar Airways, and Château La Vaisinerie on Virgin Atlantic’s business-class list.
When judging concluded, we opened the ornate pocket doors separating the judges’ room from the room of bottles. Everyone gathered to see what they’d been blind tasting all afternoon, and as I poured Champagne for the judges to enjoy without notes, lyrics from a song by my late friend, Broadway composer William Finn, came to mind: “The world is good, you said / Enjoy its highs, you said / The summer flies, you said / So make a parade of every moment.” It felt apt—an invitation to celebrate what’s great.
© Christopher P. Ottaunick
My glass was full, and we had indeed focused a whirlwind afternoon on some great wines from around the world—our own small parade, one floor above the celebratory procession on the streets below.
WINNERS’ CIRCLE
FIRST CLASS INTERNATIONAL
Top International First Class Wines on the Wing
1. Swiss International Air Lines
2. STARLUX Airlines
3. Qatar Airways
Top Sparkling Wines International First Class
1. Qatar Airways – Champagne Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 2013
2. American Airlines – Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs 2015
3. Swiss International Air Lines – Pommery Cuvée Louise Millésime 2006 Parcelles
Top Red Wines International First Class
1. Swiss International Air Lines – Cayas Syrah 2022, Jean-René Germanier Vétroz, Valais AOC
2. Qatar Airways – Elderton Command Shiraz 2020
3. Qatar Airways – Château Cos d’Estournel, Second Grand Cru Classé, AOC Saint-Estèphe, 2012
Top White Wines International First Class
1. STARLUX Airlines – Schloss Vollards Schlossberg Riesling Grosses Gewäch QBA 2019
2. STARLUX Airlines – Louis Jadot Savigny – Les Beaunne 1er Cru Clos de Guettes 2021
3. TIE: Qatar Airways – Penfolds Reserve Bin 20A Chardonnay 2020 / American Airlines – Yealands Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand 2023
BUSINESS CLASS INTERNATIONAL
Top International Business Class Wines on the Wing
1. Air Tahiti Nui
2. Qatar Airways
3. American Airlines
Top Sparkling Wines International Business Class
1. Condor – Champagne Pol Hensler Grande Réserve NV
2. Aeromexico – Champagne Chanoine Freres NV
3. Qatar Airways – Champagne Duval Leroy Brut NV
Top Red Wines International Business Class
1. Qatar Airways – Kangarilla Road Devils Whiskers Shiraz 2021
2. Aeromexico – Vino Tinto Lagar de Proventus 2018
3. Air Tahiti Nui – AOC Margaux Blason D’Issan 2019
Top White Wines International Business Class
1. Air Tahiti Nui – AOC Les Grands Terroirs Samuel Billaud Chablis 2023
2. Avianca – XIC Agosti Torelló Mata 2024
3. Condor – Sauvignon Blanc Wine Estate Te Awa
NORTH AMERICA PREMIUM CLASS
Top North America Premium Class Wines on the Wing
1. Aeromexico
2. American Airlines
3. JetBlue
Top Sparkling Wines North America Premium Class
1. American Airlines – Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte Réserve Exclusive Premier Cru Extra-Brut
2. Aeromexico – Champagne Chanoine Freres NV
3. United Airlines – Boisset “Caviar” Crémant NV
Top Red Wines North America Premium Class
1. TIE: American Airlines – Castello di Verrazzano Rosso Verrazzano Toscana IGT 2020 / Aeromexico – Vino Tinto Lagar de Proventus 2018
2. JetBlue – Famille Descombe Beaujolais Granite 2022
3. JetBlue – Snowden Cousins Cabernet Blend Napa Valley 2023
Top White Wines North America Premium Class
1. Delta Air Lines – Invivo X by SJP Sauvignon Blanc
2. American Airlines – Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite “Aussières Chardonnay,” Languedoc IGP
3. United Airlines – Stag’s Leap “Karia” Chardonnay 2022
PREMIUM ECONOMY — INTERNATIONAL
Top Sparkling Wines International Premium Economy
1. Ethiopian Airlines – Pommery Brut Apanace
2. Air Tahiti Nui – AOP Crémant de Bordeaux Haut Mouleyre Brut NV
3. Swiss International Air Lines – Millesimato Brut – Casa Bottega 2023
Top Red Wines International Premium Economy
1. TIE: Air Tahiti Nui – Château Le Vieux Fort Cru Bourgeois Médoc AOP / Swiss International Air Lines – Assemblage de Romandie Domaine les Perrières, Geneva
2. Swiss International Air Lines – La Cuvée Mythique – Vin de Pays d’Oc
Top White Wines International Premium Economy
1. Air Tahiti Nui – Château de Montgueret Petit Saint Louis Saumur Blanc AOP
2. Swiss International Air Lines – Chasselas de Romandie
Top Alliance Wines on the Wing
1. oneworld
2. Star Alliance
3. SkyTeam
© Christopher P. Ottaunick
HOW WE JUDGE
Airlines operating long-haul international first- and/or business-class service are invited to submit two white wines, two red wines and one Champagne or sparkling wine currently on their lists, along with the wine lists themselves. The same guidelines apply to airlines in the North America category whose first- and/or business-class service begins and ends within North America.
All entries are coded and grouped into flights by type—New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs judged together, for example, and Rioja entries judged together. Wines are poured into code-marked glasses; judges are given only the wine type and, when relevant, the vintage. If a wine appears flawed, a reserve bottle is opened. Professional assistants handle pouring while Global Traveler staff monitor the tasting.
Judges score wines on a modified Davis 20-point scale. Individual scores are averaged for each wine, and airlines’ averages are totaled. Highest-scoring wines and airlines win Wines on the Wing awards.
© Christopher P. Ottaunick
JUDGES’ BIOS
CESAR BAEZA is an oenologist and wine-industry consultant from Chile who studied winemaking in Chile, France, Spain and California and served for 20 years as wine master and co-owner of Brotherhood Winery in New York.
OSKAR BYNKE is co-owner of Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard, a leader in the Finger Lakes region known for its Riesling. Previously he worked with distributors for Diageo and Moët & Hennessy.
J. SCOTT CARNEY, MS is a wine educator who worked with the International Culinary Center in Soho and currently teaches at the Institute of Culinary Education in lower Manhattan.
MOLLY CHOI transitioned from advertising to wine marketing, serving more than 20 years with Cape Classics and later Broadbent Selections in senior marketing roles.
BRIAN DIMARCO is founder and master blender at Harlem Standard, a classically trained chef and sommelier with extensive experience building wine and spirits brands.
JOHN FANNING is general manager of Hakkasan New York and has led wine and beverage programs at several notable restaurants in New York and Rome.
DAVID FRIESER is general manager at McCabes Wine & Spirits on Manhattan’s Upper East Side and a specialist in Bordeaux, the Rhône and Champagne.
AURELIEN GOUSSE is a winemaker for the City Winery brand.
HAK SOO KIM was head sommelier at Per Se and built celebrated beverage programs at restaurants including Jungsik; he now consults while pursuing a return to opera performance.
KYUNGMOON KIM graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, led acclaimed beverage programs including at Jungsik, and became a Master Sommelier in 2016.
DAVID KRAVITZ has more than 30 years in the restaurant industry and is corporate beverage director for The Group, overseeing programs in multiple U.S. cities.
KELLY MAGYARICS is a wine, spirits and travel writer, Mixology columnist for Global Traveler and holds a WSET Diploma.
MICHAEL PAPALEO is vice president of Business Development for Banville Wine Merchants with more than 20 years in the wine trade.
LUCA MESSANA SANTANDER trained in oenology and viticulture in Italy, gained experience internationally and joined Wölffer Estate Vineyard in 2022.
BOB SHACK spent 18 years at Rémy Amérique before founding HB Wine Merchants, an importer focused on Old World producers.
DARRIN SIEGFRIED is President Emeritus of the Sommelier Society of America and owner of acclaimed wine retail and hospitality ventures in New York.
ERIC WHITE has worked in wine for more than 20 years and has been general manager of THE WINERY NYC since 2008, holding certifications from WSET and the American Sommelier Association.