Elite Traveler May-June 2016

INFLUENCE WINE COLUMN Richard Hemming on wine at high altitude

elite traveler MAY/JUNE 2016 59

Choosing wine is rarely a straightforward exercise at ground level, so elevating that decision to cruising altitudemakes for evenmore of a challenge. Master ofWine and wine writer RichardHemming shares his tips for finding the perfect beverage for your journey

the ground and in the sky. In fact, back in 2009 a survey on behalf of British Airways found that 59 percent of business and first class passengers would want to be offered claret. Cathay Pacific often has a vintage Château Lynch-Bages on board which, as a Pauillac, can be one of the more austere styles. As one of the world’s pre-eminent fine wine regions, it seems unthinkable to omit Bordeaux, regardless of its apparent unsuitability. This brings us to personal taste. Your own preferences are equally important as any general guidelines, if not more so. On paper, some of the least appropriate wines to drink while flying would be Italian reds such as Barolo or Brunello di Montalcino, which are routinely high in tannins, acid and bitterness. Yet if these are the qualities you especially enjoy in red wine, then it should be even more enjoyable during a flight. If you have less specific preferences, however, certain wines make better frequent flyers than others. For whites, Cluer recommends German Riesling Kabinett, Alsace Gewurztraminer, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and Meursault-style Chardonnay, all of which offer a big variation of style, but which are all strongly flavored, therefore maximizing their impact at altitude. For reds, he suggests Australian Shiraz, Californian Zinfandel, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and New Zealand Pinot Noir. Again, these all tend towards a pronounced flavor profile, as well as less austere tannins and acid than the likes of Bordeaux or Chianti. A further factor to consider is much more tangible: stemware. Good wine glasses can make an enormous improvement to your enjoyment of wine, regardless of how many feet above sea level you are. A large, plain glass goblet with a tulip shape is the best default choice. And don’t forget to stow a good corkscrew, too. Richard Hemming became a Master of Wine in 2015. He has written for The Financial Times , Decanter and World of Fine Wine . Richard also hosts dinners, tastings and teaches master classes.

Luxury travel deserves luxury refreshment, but making sure you have the most suitable wine on board relies on an understanding of two key factors: how air travel affects your olfactory senses as well as your own personal taste preferences. Most of the research on flavor perception while flying relates to food. While there is no conclusive evidence, there is a general consensus on certain matters. One key influence is atmospheric conditions on planes, which provide lower pressure and lower humidity than on terra firma. As your nose and palate dry out in the arid air, your capacity for smell is diminished, which means much of a wine’s primary aroma can be lost. On the tongue, salt and sweet flavors are similarly suppressed – which is why these flavors tend to be emphasized in airline cuisine – whereas umami and bitter flavors remain more perceptible. It is also thought the level of white noise generated inside a plane, although no one knows how, affects these changes. Evidence concerning the impact of lower cabin pressure on flavor is

similarly inconclusive. Some believe the wine ‘thins out’ – though any suggestion that liquid expands or contacts under in-flight conditions is untrue. However, there is one particular observable difference for wine: the bubbles in sparkling wine will be more effervescent, providing a happy opportunity to investigate by opening some champagne. Any excuse! Master of Wine James Cluer is in charge of wine for Qatar Airways, and he suggests the most suitable styles of wine to drink at altitude have “high aromatic intensity, ripeness of fruit on the nose, nothing too fragile or elegant, soft tannins and plush texture and not too austerely dry.” Having said that, he adds that differences are generally minor, and are more dependent on the physiology of the taster changing rather than the inherent quality of the wine – meaning that it will vary from person to person. Even so, it seems sensible to avoid wine with especially high acidity and tannins – yet these are two notable features of red Bordeaux, which remains a perennially popular choice, both on

“Good wine glasses canmake an enormous improvement to your enjoyment of wine, regardless of how many feet above sea level you are”

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