We are about to enter another wine survey season. GT is the only magazine that conducts a survey of business- and first-class wine in the United States. It is a major task, and I certainly understand why other financially strapped publications don’t take this on.

We are all looking forward to dealing with the airlines that never seem to be able to get the wines to us without our help. Some airlines finds a reason not to send their submissions because they are understaffed or just don’t care enough to follow through. It is really quite amazing how difficult some people can make this very simple task.

The survey itself is very interesting to watch. Not only is there a panel of about 25-30 professional judges, but every wine is poured in a back room and each glass is labeled at the bottom with an identifying number. It is truly a blind tasting. Read about last year’s survey here.

When we award the winners of the GT Tested awards (this past year we held the function at the Andaz Wall Street), we like to have the winners of the wine survey send samples to be served at the function. This year we had about 350 guests at the Andaz Wall Street. It is a big hit, but some airlines, much like the survey itself, try to have their wines at the event and fall short. This year, we had confirmation after confirmation from winners that the wines would be supplied. We listed them on the event program, never to have the wine show up. Of course, this causes problems.

All this so that you, the business luxury traveler, has the best possible wine while traveling at 35,000 feet!

— Fran Gallagher, publisher and CEO