THE CONCEPT OF A WORKING WINERY in the heart of Manhattan became reality in 2008 when Michael Dorf leased a Varick Street building and opened City Winery. By combining a boutique winery with a restaurant, concert venue and event spaces for receptions, parties and meetings, Dorf established a multifaceted destination. That success led to additional City Winery locations in Chicago, Nashville, Atlanta, Boston and Washington, D.C.
A major change is now under way for the original City Winery. The Varick Street building was sold and is slated for demolition, so City Winery closed its doors there on July 31. The business plans to reopen in a larger space at Hudson River Park’s Pier 57 in early 2020 and will continue limited operations at Manhattan’s Pier 26 until the new location opens.
Before the Varick Street location closed for good, Global Traveler staged its 2019 Wines on the Wing international airline wine competition at City Winery. Twenty-three wine professionals evaluated wines currently served in first and business class on long-haul international flights. A separate North America category judged wines served on first- and business-class flights that begin and end in North America.
All entries were tasted blind — poured into numbered glasses so judges saw only the wine’s category (for example, Chablis or Zinfandel), not the bottle or producer. Judges evaluated each wine on aroma, flavor, balance and overall quality, recording their opinions and scores before results were compiled.
When scores were tallied, American Airlines emerged with the highest total in the international first-class category.
“This award is a direct reflection of the investments we’ve made in the premium customer experience, and American is honored to be recognized by Global Traveler,” said Janelle Anderson, vice president, Global Marketing, American Airlines. “Together with our master sommelier, Bobby Stuckey, we focus on designing a wine list that will give our guests something new while also providing them with wines from their favorite regions.”
To build its first- and business-class program, Bobby Stuckey and Intervine taste more than 1,600 wines from 16 countries each year. American opens roughly 1,320,000 bottles annually across its international premium cabins.
Among American’s highest-scoring selections were Bollinger La Grande Année 2008 Champagne; Joseph Drouhin Chassagne-Montrachet 2015 and Simonnet Febvre Les Clos Chablis 2014 among whites; and RoseRock Pinot Noir 2015 (Drouhin Oregon) and Masi Riserva Costasera Amarone Classico 2012 among reds.
The top-scoring airline for international business-class service was Etihad Airways. Its Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Brut shared top honors among business-class Champagnes; Château Moulin Haut-Laroque 2012 was the highest-scoring business-class red; and Grosset Springvale Riesling 2016 ranked among the best business-class whites.
“These prestigious awards give us the opportunity to showcase our innovative beverage portfolio,” said Linda Celestino, vice president, Guest Services and Delivery, Etihad. “Our boutique inflight cellar focuses on Old- and New-World wines with a range of both subtle and intense flavors, ensuring we offer wines to delight all palates.”
Singapore Airlines also performed strongly, placing among the top five first-class carriers and earning high marks in several wine categories. The carrier is likewise among the leaders in business class, with highly rated Champagnes and red wines.
“Our commitment to the traveler is at the forefront of our in-flight wine program, and it gives us great pride to be named one of the top five scoring airlines in Global Traveler’s airline wine competition,” said Betty Wong, divisional vice president, Inflight Services and Design, Singapore Airlines. “We keep frequent flyers interested by rotating labels every few months and sourcing small-batch wines, many previously unavailable in flight. We’re particularly pleased by the performance of our Meursault and Château Tour Haut-Caussan selections.”
Singapore Airlines has broadened its artisanal wine offerings, including an expanded Burgundy roster with 47 labels—many from small producers and several Grand Cru—rotated over an 18-month cycle. The airline also plans to increase its Champagne variety. On average, Singapore serves more than 900,000 bottles in first and business class each year.
United Airlines earned strong scores in the International Business Class and North America categories. “Our goal is to offer a diverse group of wines that all of our customers can enjoy,” said Master Sommelier Doug Frost. Charlean Gmunder, vice president, Catering Operations, added, “We are proud of the selection of Champagne and wines we offer and take pride in our mix of well-known brands and lesser-known offerings. It creates a unique inflight experience for United customers.”
Air France ranked among the top five first-class airlines and saw its Krug Grande Cuvée named the best first-class Champagne, while Château Lynch-Bages 2008 earned top marks among red wines.
Aeromexico scored highly in the international business-class category, with Jacquart Brut Mosaïque Champagne tying for first place and Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 recognized as a top business-class red. In the North America category, Aeromexico’s Champagne led the field and its whites and reds were among the category winners.
Seventeen participating carriers belonged to global alliances. The alliance with the highest average score this year was oneworld, represented in the contest by American Airlines and LATAM.
As Homer suggested, wine can lift spirits and inspire song and dance. While the judges didn’t sing or dance, they applied their expertise to evaluate and rank the wines — a skilled task that remains central to recognizing excellence in inflight wine programs.
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 menus, plus the corresponding wine lists. The North America category follows the same rules for flights beginning and ending in North America. All bottles are coded and grouped into flights by type—New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs together, for example; Rioja entries together. Wines are poured into code-marked glasses and judges receive only the wine type and, when applicable, the vintage. If a judge suspects a flaw, a reserve bottle is opened.
Professional assistants pour and Global Traveler staff monitor tastings. Each wine is evaluated on a modified Davis 20-point scale. Judges’ scores are averaged for each wine; those averages are totaled for each airline. The highest-scoring individual wines and the airlines with the highest total scores receive Wines on the Wing awards.
JUDGES
CESAR BAEZA — Oenologist and wine industry consultant, educated in Chile, France, Spain and California; former wine master and co-owner of Brotherhood Winery, New York.
JOHN BRECHER — Senior editor, Grape Collective; former Wall Street Journal wine columnist with Dorothy Gaiter; co-author of four wine books.
J. SCOTT CARNEY, MS — Dean of Wine Studies at the International Culinary Center, with programs in New York City and Silicon Valley.
BETH COTENOFF, DWS — Senior vice president at R/West with 20 years in wine and spirits; WSET diploma holder and certified wine instructor.
JOHN FANNING — General manager of Hakkasan New York and long-time restaurant wine director in New York and Rome.
FRED FERRETTI — Wine and food writer, former New York Times reporter and long-time Gourmet columnist.
XAVIER FLOURET — Owner of Cognac One, LLC, wine importer and wholesaler focusing on sustainable, terroir-driven producers.
DAVID FRIESER — Fine wine purchaser at Park Avenue Liquor Shop; frequent lecturer with three decades in the wine trade.
DOROTHY J. GAITER — Senior editor, Grape Collective; former Wall Street Journal wine columnist and co-author of four books.
CURTIS GREEN — President of TenFolk Enterprises, promoting wine education among African American consumers and publisher of SlightlyChilled.com.
DAVID LECOMTE — Chief winemaker at City Winery; trained in France’s Rhône Valley and experienced in international wineries.
HARRIET LEMBECK — President of the Wine and Spirits Program; wine educator and author of Grossman’s Guide to Wine, Beer and Spirits (6th and 7th editions).
GILLES MARTIN — Winemaker and operations director at Sparkling Pointe Winery on Long Island; trained in France and experienced with notable producers.
DAVID MILLIGAN — President of David Milligan Selections, representing fine French producers with over 30 years in the trade.
KATHERINE MOORE, FWS — General manager of Union Square Wine & Spirits in Manhattan.
MARSHA PALANCI — President of Cornerstone Communications with two decades managing wine media relations and prior experience at Schieffelin & Co.
LIZ PALMER — Author of The Ultimate Guide to Champagne and international wine journalist.
JUDITH RUNDEL — Wine buyer and events coordinator at Heights Chateau with more than 20 years in retail wine operations.
ARNO SCHMIDT — Veteran executive chef who organized numerous wine-and-food events during a long hospitality career.
BOB SHACK — Owner of HB Wine Merchants/R. Shack Selections and Clos Robert Winery; former Rémy Martin Amerique executive.
WILLIAM SHORT — Regional manager for Dreyfus Ashby & Co., a long-serving fine-wine importer and sales veteran.
AYELE SOLOMON — Winemaker and honey-wine pioneer at Bee D’Vine, producing still and sparkling honey wines.
PAMELA WITTMANN — Principal of Millisime, Ltd., a PR and marketing firm helping foreign wineries enter the U.S.; trained in oenology and business.
WINNERS’ CIRCLE
TOP INTERNATIONAL FIRST-CLASS WINES ON THE WING
1. American Airlines
2. All Nippon Airways
3. Air France
4. Singapore Airlines
5. Etihad Airways
TOP INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS-CLASS WINES ON THE WING
1. Etihad Airways
2. United Airlines
3. Aeromexico
4. All Nippon Airways
5. Tie: Air Tahiti Nui
Singapore Airlines
TOP CHAMPAGNES INTERNATIONAL FIRST CLASS
1. Krug Grande Cuvée (Air France)
2. Bollinger La Grande Année 2008 (American Airlines)
3. Tie: Krug Brut 2004 (All Nippon Airways)
Krug Brut 2004 (Singapore Airlines)
4. Tie: Lanson Black Label Brut (Delta Air Lines)
Charles Heidsieck Brut 2006 (Etihad Airways)
TOP CHAMPAGNES INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CLASS
1. Tie: Jacquart Brut Mosaïque (Aeromexico)
Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Brut (Etihad Airways)
2. Tie: Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve (Air Tahiti Nui)
Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve (Singapore Airlines)
3. Tie: Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut (Aeroflot)
Laurent-Perrier Brut (Air New Zealand)
4. Ayala 2009 (United Airlines)
5. Lanson Black Label Brut (Delta Air Lines)
TOP FIVE WHITE WINES INTERNATIONAL FIRST CLASS
1. Bouchard Père et Fils Meursault 2016 (Singapore Airlines)
2. Joseph Drouhin Chassagne-Montrachet 2015 (American Airlines)
3. Simonnet Febvre Les Clos Chablis 2014 (American Airlines)
4. Domaine Laroche Chablis 2014 (All Nippon Airways)
5. Domaine Verget Pouilly-Fuissé 2017 (All Nippon Airways)
TOP FIVE WHITE WINES INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CLASS
1. Bouchard Père et Fils Mâcon 2016 (All Nippon Airways)
2. Grosset Springvale Riesling 2016, Australia (Etihad Airways)
3. Domaine Verget Mâcon-Villages 2016 (Air Tahiti-Nui)
4. Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis 2017 (United Airlines)
5. Casa de Compostela Alvarinho 2017, Portugal (TAP Air Portugal)
TOP FIVE RED WINES INTERNATIONAL FIRST CLASS
1. Château Léoville-Barton 2012, Saint-Julien, Bordeaux (All Nippon Airways)
2. RoseRock Zéphirine Pinot Noir 2015, Drouhin Oregon (American Airlines)
3. Château Giscours 2011, Margaux, Bordeaux (All Nippon Airways)
4. Château Lynch-Bages 2008, Pauillac, Bordeaux (Air France)
5. Masi Riserva Costasera Amarone Classico 2012 (American Airlines)
TOP FIVE RED WINES INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CLASS
1. Château Moulin Haut-Laroque 2012, Fronsac, Bordeaux (Etihad Airways)
2. Tie: Bramare Malbec 2013, Argentina (Etihad Airways)
Château Rauzan-Ségla 2006, Margaux, Bordeaux (Singapore Airlines)
3. Château Haut-Caussan 2015, Médoc, Bordeaux (Singapore Airlines)
4. Petit Castel 2017, Domaine du Castel, Israel (EL AL Israel Airlines)
5. Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Sonoma, California (Aeromexico)
BEST NORTH AMERICAN FIRST CLASS/ BUSINESS CLASS WINES ON THE WING
1. American Airlines
2. United Airlines
3. Aeromexico
4. Delta Air Lines
BEST NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPAGNE/SPARKLING WINE
1. Jacquart Brut Mosaïque (Aeromexico)
2. Ayala 2009 (United Airlines)
3. Mionetto Prosecco Brut (Delta Air Lines)
4. Lanson Black Label Brut (American Airlines)
BEST NORTH AMERICAN RED WINE
1. Battle Creek Cellars Pinot Noir Reserve 2017, Oregon (Alaska Airlines)
2. Château Villotte 2016, Bordeaux (United Airlines)
3. Antica Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, Napa, California (Delta Air Lines)
4. Tie: Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Sonoma, California (Aeromexico)
Hall Merlot 2015, Napa, California (American Airlines)
5. RoseRock Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir 2015, Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon (American Airlines)
BEST NORTH AMERICAN WHITE WINE
1. Joseph Drouhin Saint-Véran 2017, Mâcon, Burgundy (American Airlines)
2. Decoy Chardonnay 2017, Sonoma, California (Aeromexico)
3. Gravelly Ford Chardonnay 2017, California (United Airlines)
4. J. Hofstätter Pinot Bianco 2017, Alto Adige, Italy (American Airlines)
5. Rued Chardonnay 2018, Sonoma, California (Alaska Airlines)
BEST ALLIANCE WINES ON THE WING
1. oneworld
2. Star Alliance
3. SkyTeam