Why United Airlines blended its newest wine at 35,000 feet

After nine trial blends at 35,000 feet, Jesse Katz found the one. Led by Cabernet Sauvignon, the Sonoma County red blend showed plush fruit balanced by tannins and freshness, without trading the unmistakable terroir of Farrow Ranch in Alexander Valley.

That wine, Air and Vine, represents an unusual collaboration between Katz of Aperture Cellars and United Airlines. The 2024 blend is scheduled to be served in Polaris business class in 2028.

As a frequent flyer of United, I first noticed a bounce in the wine programme from the passenger seat. I normally abstain from alcohol when flying, but in March, I started asking for full pours. Wines from Heitz Cellar, Domaine Serene, Catena and VIK started appearing in rotation. The shift was pronounced enough that I started asking questions.

Finding creative ways to build the best wine lists

Aaron McMillan, United’s managing director of hospitality programmes, told me the shift was deliberate. ‘When you think about luxury travel, premium travel, the investments customers are making to have this experience on board, you can’t neglect one part and leave the wine programme behind,’ he said. ‘It’s got to keep pace with everything we’re doing.’

This change coincides with the carrier’s debut of its Elevated Interiors and Studio Polaris seats on its new Boeing 787s, upgrades meant to make United more competitive on high-profile international routes.

Developing a wine programme to match poses challenges at scale. According to McMillan, a typical wine rotation lasts three months and can require 6,000 to 7,000 cases, limiting the airline’s access to smaller producers.

United has tried shorter runs instead. VIK, for example, appeared for only one month.

Partnering with a winemaker on a custom wine offers another way – fun yet practical – around the constraint of sourcing a sufficient volume of a finished wine in advance.

Tackling the challenges of wine at altitude

So why Katz, a bright star on the Sonoma scene? It turns out his relationship with United predates Air and Vine. Growing up in Colorado, he travelled with his father, photographer Andy Katz, to vineyards and wine regions around the world, often on United.

‘I truly would not be a winemaker if it was not for my father’s art and travel,’ Katz said.

Aperture began supplying Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc for Polaris, which eventually led to the idea of creating a wine designed for inflight service.

On a flight from New York to San Francisco in September, Katz tasted a line-up of components under the same conditions in which passengers would drink the finished wine.

For example, Katz said, dry cabin air mutes aromatics and fruit, while making acidity, tannin and texture more apparent. Tasting the blend again on the ground immediately afterward showed the reverse effect. Aromas opened up and the fruit became more intense.

‘Tasting at altitude directly shaped the proportions of the final blend,’ said Katz, who landed on 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Malbec, 6% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc.

‘There were unique elements … that were more present at 35,000 feet that I was able to lean into or blend away from’, he added, making the wine ‘more layered and complex for this unique environment’.

Flying the wine-friendly skies

Other US carriers have also been revisiting premium-cabin wine. American Airlines began refreshing its wine list in May with a crop of well-known California labels.

This October, Delta relaunched its Delta One wine programme with Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson. Heavy on classics like Napa Valley’s Silver Oak and Patz & Hall, Champagne Taittinger and Cune Rioja Reserva, the selections were blind tasted by SkyMiles members before being finalized.

United’s Studio lineup now typically encompasses eight wines, including a Laurent-Perrier Champagne and a Port. But its changes extend beyond what is poured.

On aircraft with Elevated interiors, Polaris menus now include a perforated tasting sheet. Pull it from the pocket in the back of the menu and select up to three wines to compare side by side. An inflight tasting flight.

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