Two things truly unify New York City. One is its great restaurant and bar culture driven by some of the top culinary and service in the world. The other, without question, is the New York Knicks. It is impossible to describe the buzz in the city when the Knicks are hot (ask any New Yorker about Linsanity, which swept our region in 2012 when unknown Jeremy Lin, just two years out of Harvard, led the Knicks on a 7–0 run in February and sparked an unexpected trip to the playoffs). Every other major sport in New York nurtures a deep chasm between warring fan bases, always exacerbated when the two local teams play each other; on a warm weekend in mid-May, the Yankees traveled to Queens to meet the Mets for the first of two series for interborough bragging rights. (The Mets will go to Yankee Stadium for the second series beginning Sept. 11.)

I went to the first two games of this “Subway Series” (and got to meet one of my baseball heroes, the affable legend Darryl Strawberry). The Yankees greeted the Mets by taking the opener on Friday night, the Mets returned the favor Saturday night, but the mood in the stands between the normally combative fan bases was not hostile as usual, as everyone fell under the giddy spell of the Knicks waiting for the Cleveland–Detroit series winner to join them in the Eastern Conference Finals.

On Sunday morning, after the Mets’ Saturday win (they would win on Sunday as well), I headed down on the D Train for our second year of Global Traveler’s Wines on the Wing being held at The Ned NoMad, just a few blocks south of Madison Square Garden.

© Christopher P. Ottaunick

This marks Year Three for me hosting and organizing this competition. Thank you to The Ned’s hospitality industry veteran Billy Berkis and his superbly attentive and gracious staff, especially the crack squad of Carlos and Carlos. Everything was in order and ready to go when I arrived with the GT team and the whirl of wine that needed to be opened and served. All other details had been handled ahead of time, allowing us to settle in with a sense of ease.

Last year the 55th annual New York Pride Parade gave us NYPD checkpoints and traffic rerouting. This year we were lucky, as we would have had Game 1 of the Conference Finals at MSG the same day IF the Cavs had won in six games. Since that series went to Game 7, the streets were open with lazy Sunday morning movement. But NYC being NYC, there had to be some logistical challenges; with the Long Island Railroad strike still at an impasse, a few of our judges were stranded out east. I resolved to control what we could control. It was unseasonably warm, and we needed to get the bubbles and whites lined up on ice and out of sight ASAP before the judges arrived.

A huge thank you and debt of gratitude to Eunice Fried, the great wine writer and author of the groundbreaking book What Every Woman Should Know About Wine, published in 1974. Eunice founded this competition for Global Traveler, and we are fortunate to still have as judges some of her friends who were there with her for the inaugural WOW. And here we were about to pop corks and pour for the 20th renewal of WOW. According to the veteran judges, I am a little more permissive of casual chatter at the tasting tables; Eunice ran a tighter ship.

Tom Gannon © Christopher P. Ottaunick

We cannot thank the judges enough — some new rising wine stars along with the seen-it-all vets. Luckily for us, one of our new judges, Hak Soo Kim (formerly wine director of Jungsik and Per Se) was not currently engaged in his other professional pursuit as an opera singer and gave his tone and tenor to our tasting. Clocking 25 years in the wine scene of NYC myself, I know well the demands of their time professionally and am grateful for their spending leisure hours and sharing their wealth of knowledge with us on a Sunday afternoon. We include their short bios here, a Murderers’ Row lineup 99 years after the 1927 Yankees.

That morning, looking up the lunar calendar, I saw we had slipped from a fruit day into a root day. Loyal GT readers who remember last year’s survey know that according to biodynamic planting and growing tenets, some winemakers and sommeliers believe wines are more vibrant and exhibit more depth of flavor on fruit days versus flower days and especially leaf and root days. Not everyone in the industry subscribes to this, but everyone has on and off days. Like a skilled baseball hitter who may not see the ball as clearly from one day to the next, you need to center yourself and rely on fundamentals to get the job done. And, fundamentally, we had gathered a room of some of the best and most focused palates in the New York region.

Thirteen airlines submitted their wine lists and wines this year for the consideration of our judges. Some new airlines among them and the level of wines they sent showed why they wanted to join this competition. As with the past two years, airlines are serving some truly serious wines in flight, and it’s clear the increased sophistication of wine and food has become a major factor in customer loyalty, offering a way for airlines to connect with guests to capture repeat business especially as higher fares become the norm due to rising fuel costs. Delta Air Lines even introduced an in-flight TV series, The Wine Game, featuring Knicks legend and wine lover Carmelo Anthony and Chef José Andrés with a rotating cast of celebrity guests in a wine blind tasting challenge; wines are selected by Andrea Robinson, MS, another author of a groundbreaking wine book, Great Wine Made Simple, 1997.

© Christopher P. Ottaunick

All participating airlines sent Global Traveler their wine lists based on class of service, and the corresponding wines from those lists were served to our judges to compare, contrast and champion. All wines were presented, swirled, sniffed, tasted and judged blind. The judges were informed before the wines were served of the theme of the wines they were being presented in the flight — for example, California Pinot Noir or red Rhône varietals (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre) to ensure a consistent bracket in which
to frame their thoughts and consider the merits of each wine within those categories. We opened and poured wines in a separate room into numbered glasses (also to keep the aggregated scores accurately compiled) so there could be no chance of an inadvertent glance at a wine bottle’s shape or the color of a capsule which could unduly influence anyone’s opinion of the quality of the wine. The ideal result is complete impartiality in fairness to the judges, airlines and, ultimately, the winemakers and their wines.

Our afternoon affair began with bubbles to toast, awaken and stimulate our palates, and continued with zesty white wines laddering up to more full-bodied whites with oak aging. Moving on to reds, flights of lighter wines led off (Studying for the Master Sommelier exam, I received a tip from an old pro on how to check a red wine’s color density for clues as to what the wine might be by holding the glass above your wrist “to see if you can read your watch through the wine.” This only works with lighter-skinned varietals.), then we worked our way through the order of darker-colored, more tannic and powerful wines.

The standard for the Overall Category winner mandates an airline submit at least two white wines, two red wines and one sparkling wine for its in-flight guests in that category. Some fine airlines serve interesting and delicious wines individually but may not have had all three options available or submitted within their programs.

© Christopher P. Ottaunick

Collating all the scores from our judges this year, a very strong showing from the wines served by British Airways put it atop the standings in International First Class. BA came out over Korean Air at No. 2 and last year’s winner, Swiss International Air Lines, at No. 3. Qatar Airways always offers a stellar range of wines, and this year was no exception. British Airways had the second-favorite sparkling wine according to the judges: Charles Heidsieck, Blanc des Millénaires Brut 2014. BA also registered the
second-favorite white wine, Inama, Fumé Sauvignon del Vento 2023, and the top finisher for red wines in International First Class, Alta Mora, Contrada Guardiola Etna Rosso 2020 from Sicily.

Victoria Schuster, director of Customer Experience, British Airways, shared, “We’re delighted with our results from Wines on the Wing this year, especially the prestigious Top International First Class award. These stem from a careful selection process that brings customers a mix of classics, such as Charles Heidsieck’s superb Blanc des Millénaires Champagne, as well as wines to take them on a journey — to the volcanic slopes of Etna, as one example. Just as for Wines on the Wing, blind tasting is a key step to ensure the very best quality, alongside other factors such as performance at altitude, customer expectation and balance on the menu. We typically taste 10 wines for every one chosen, so it’s a thorough and rigorous process.”

A tip of their caps from the judges must be given to Cathay Pacific, as well, for having the top sparkling wine in International First Class: Krug Vintage 2004, which set off a scramble at the afterparty when the wines were unveiled. Cathay Pacific also offers Taittinger Brut Réserve, which scored No. 1 in the Sparkling Wine International Business Class category, and No. 1 and No. 3 wines in Red and White International Premium Economy Class, respectively: Katnook Estate’s 2024 Shiraz/Cabernet and 2024 Chardonnay in Coonawarra, South Australia.

© Christopher P. Ottaunick

Ronald Khoo, wine beverage manager, Cathay Pacific, told us, “At Cathay Pacific, we see our wine program as an extension of the overall customer experience. Behind every bottle is a significant amount of planning, collaboration and tasting. Every wine is selected following a rigorous blind-tasting process where we evaluate not only quality but how a wine will perform at altitude and the story it brings to our passengers. Ultimately, we want every glass poured at 35,000 feet to feel thoughtful, memorable and uniquely Cathay Pacific.”

It was a pleasant surprise to see a wide range of top-quality wines from Australia given more than their just due in representation from many of our airlines. The wines from OZ have never been better, and the secret that was obscured for many years by the “critter labels” is now out. I recommend the book How to Drink Australian by my friends Jane Lopes, MS, and Jon Ross, MS, for the most in-depth dive into wines from Down Under.

Korean Air followed its robust second in International First Class with the top overall honors in International Business Class, and I found myself a healthy pour at the afterparty of its Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Premier Cru Mont de Milieu 2023. And its offering of Krug Grande Cuvée 172ème Édition (along with Qatar Airways) in International First Class proved a popular first pour for many of our judges and GT V.I.P.s at the afterparty.

© Christopher P. Ottaunick

When I first saw the list of submissions, I smiled at the wines listed from Air Tahiti Nui, which would sit comfortably on a wine list at a bustling wine bar in Brooklyn or the Lower East Side. The judges agreed, and the airline’s offering of Lionel Osmin & Cie “Clos Cancaillaű” Le Dernier Carre Jurançon 2015 won the top spot for White Wines in International Business Class, along with the top White Wine in International Premium Economy Class, Château de Montguéret “Le Petit Saint Louis” Saumur Blanc 2024.

Asked to comment, Caroline Borawski, vice president of the Americas, Air Tahiti Nui, responded, “At Air Tahiti Nui, our wine program is thoughtfully curated to complement our in-flight cuisine while reflecting the warmth, elegance and French Polynesian spirit of our brand. We look for wines that offer exceptional quality, balance and a strong sense of place while also tasting beautifully at altitude. Our goal is to create a memorable onboard experience across every cabin and to make the journey feel special from the moment our guests step on board.”

American Airlines stood atop this year’s North America Premium Class, a very close finish above Aeromexico and Delta. The wow factor of the wines submitted by the airlines from both North and South America had everyone’s attention as they were unveiled. The overall strength of SkyTeam won the pennant this year for Top Alliance after oneworld took it home in the previous two years.

As the final wines were tallied, Global Traveler V.I.P.s were waiting for us down the hall as Carlos and Carlos had quietly moved the wines and set them up in the party room for display and easy self-service. We adjourned to toast another year of Wines on the Wing; caught up on travel plans for the summer; and shared conversations and laughter revolving around the wines, New York baseball and whether the Knicks could bring home the NBA Championship for the first time since 1973.

Champagne sales spiked here in June, while many newborn babies were named Jalen … and the city is still celebrating.

WINNERS’ CIRCLE
FIRST CLASS INTERNATIONAL
Top International First Class Wines on the Wing
1. British Airways
2. Korean Air
3. Swiss International Air Lines

Top Sparkling Wines International First Class
1. Cathay Pacific Airways – Krug Vintage Champagne 2004, France
2. British Airways – Charles Heidsieck, Blanc des Millénaires Brut 2014, Champagne, France
3. TIE: Qatar Airways and Korean Air – Krug Grande Cuvée 172ème Édition

Top Red Wines International First Class
1. British Airways – Alta Mora, Contrada Guardiola Etna Rosso 2020, Sicily, Italy
2. Swiss International Air Lines – Château Lynch-Bages 2017, AOC Pauillac, Bordeaux
3. Qatar Airways – Château Cos d’Estournel, 2nd Grand Cru Classé 2012, AOC Saint-Estèphe

Top White Wines International First Class
1. Qatar Airways – Leeuwin Estate, Art Series Margaret River Chardonnay 2021, Australia
2. British Airways – Inama, Vulcaia Fumé Sauvignon del Vento 2023, Veneto, Italy
3. Korean Air – Levantine Hill Estate Chardonnay 2020, Yarra Valley, Australia

Top International Business Class Wines on the Wing
1. Korean Air
2. Aeromexico
3. LATAM

Top Sparkling Wines International Business Class
1.Cathay Pacific Airways–Taittinger Brut Réserve NV, Champagne
2. Qatar Airways – Louis Roederer Collection 246
3. LATAM – Vollereaux, Brut Réserve NV, Champagne

Top Red Wines International Business Class
1. British Airways – Château de La Liquière, Faugères 2023, Languedoc, France
2. LATAM – Don Melchor, Cabernet Sauvignon, Concha y Toro 2022, Chile
3. Aeromexico – Proventus by Tr3smano 2021, Duero, Spain

Top White Wines International Business Class
1. Air Tahiti Nui – Lionel Osmin & Cie “Clos Cancaillaü” Le Dernier Carré Jurançon 2015
2. Korean Air – Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Premier Cru Mont de Milieu 2023
3. Aeromexico – Lagar de Proventus Alvarinho 2024, Douro, Portugal

Top Sparkling Wines International Premium Economy Class
1. Cathay Pacific Airways – Astoria Lounge Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Dry, Veneto, Italy
2. Air Tahiti Nui – Château Haut-Mouleyre Brut Crémant de Bordeaux AOP
3. Swiss International Air Lines – Casa Bottega Millesimato Brut,Veneto, Italy

Top Red Wines International Premium Economy Class
1. CathayPacificAirways– Katnook Estate Shiraz Cabernet 2024, Coonawarra, South Australia
2. Air Tahiti Nui – Château Le Vieux Fort Médoc Cru Bourgeois 2021, Bordeaux
3. Swiss International Air Lines – La Cuvée Mythique Vin de Pays d’OC 2024, Languedoc-Roussillon, France

 Top White Wines International Premium Economy Class
1. Air Tahiti Nui – Château de Montguéret “Le Petit Saint Louis” Saumur Blanc 2024, Loire Valley
2. Swiss International Air Lines – Chasselas de Romandie 2024, Lake Geneva Region, Switzerland
3.Cathay Pacific Airways– Katnook Estate Chardonnay 2024, Coonawarra, South Australia

Top North America Premium Class Wines on the Wing
1. American Airlines
2. Aeromexico
3. Delta Air Lines

Top Sparkling Wines North America Premium Class
1. American Airlines – Champagne Vollereaux Brut Réserve, Champagne AOC, France
2. Aeromexico – Champagne Chanoine Frères, Épernay, France
3. United Airlines – Domaine Serene “Evenstad Reserve” Brut M.V. 5 NV, Dundee Hills, USA

Top Red Wines North America Premium Class
1. American Airlines – High Heavens Vintners “Roaming Elk Red Blend” 2021, Columbia Valley, USA
2. Aeromexico – Lleiroso Reserva D.O. 2021, Ribera del Duero, Spain
3. Delta Air Lines – Matthiasson Cabernet Sauvignon 2021/2022, Napa Valley

Top White Wines North America Premium Class
1. American Airlines – Pfaffl “Vom Haus” Grüner Veltliner 2025, Niederösteireich, Austria
2. JetBlue – Weingut Loimer Lois Grüner Veltliner 2022, Austria
3. Aeromexico – Lagar de Proventus Alvarinho 2024, Duoro, Portugal

Top Alliance Wines on the Wing
1. SkyTeam
2. Star Alliance
3. oneworld

Francis X. Gallagher © Christopher P. Ottaunick

HOW WE JUDGE

To participate in Global Traveler’s competition, airlines throughout the world that operate long-haul international first-class service and/or business-class service are invited to submit two white wines, two red wines and one Champagne or other sparkling wine currently on their wine lists, as well as the wine lists themselves. The same rules apply to our North America category, which includes airlines with first-class and/or business-class service beginning and ending in North America.

All wines are coded and divided into flights or categories, according to their type. Wines are presented to judges in code-marked glasses. Judges are told only the type of wine and, when appropriate (vintage Champagne, for example), the year. If judges feel a wine is flawed, a reserve bottle is poured. GT staff monitor the tasting. Each wine is judged on a modified Davis 20-point scale. The judges’ individual scores for each wine are added and averaged, and the average scores of an airline’s submissions are totaled. Individual wines with the highest scores and the airlines with the highest total scores win Wines on the Wing awards.

JUDGES’ BIOS
CESAR BAEZA is an oenologist and a consultant for the wine industry. A native of Chile, he studied winemaking there and in France, Spain and California, and worked at several wineries. For 20 years he was wine master and co-owner of Brotherhood Winery in New York.

J. SCOTT CARNEY, MS, is a wine educator, working in concert with the CMS at both the International Culinary Center in Soho until 2020 and presently at the Institute of Culinary Education in lower Manhattan.

BEN COLBERT is the business development manager at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, representing Jackson Family Wines
through the SGWS portfolio. He was previously a fine wine and spirits consultant for Independence Wine & Spirits.

BRIAN DIMARCO is founder and master blender at Harlem Standard and a classically trained chef and sommelier with more than 30 years of expertise in advertising and marketing. DiMarco founded Barterhouse Wines and Spirits. He founded Harlem Standard in 2020, offering a modern take on American whiskey.

CHRIS DOOLEY is a brand ambassador and luxury hospitality expert. Brands he works or has worked with include OVID Napa Valley and The Macallan. He’s previously led prestigious establishments including Restaurant Daniel and Eleven Madison Park.

JOHN FANNING is director of private dining for Il Gattopardo Group. He has been wine director and/or general manager of other restaurants in New York: The Lambs Club, SD26, Accademia di Vino, Il Trulli, Beppe, Felidia, Coco Pazzo and Palio; and in Rome, Bramante and San Michelle.

DAVID FRIESER is general manager at McCabes Wine & Spirits, a long-established wine shop on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. He has been in the retail wine business for more than 40 years as both an owner and manager. He specializes in the areas of Bordeaux, the Rhône, and Champagne. He is an advisor to both corporate and private collectors and has extensive knowledge of both current and rare wines.

HAK SOO KIM currently works as a consultant for various restaurants while focusing on his return to the operatic stage. He was most recently head sommelier at Per Se, where he oversaw the restaurant’s beverage program for more than six years. He found his way into wine after a career under Plácido Domingo at Los Angeles Opera. In 2012 he took a position at modern Korean restaurant Jung Sik in Manhattan and developed a passion for service and wine.

DAVID KRAVITZ has more than 30 years of experience in the restaurant industry. Kravitz is corporate beverage director for The Group, overseeing its programs in New York; Chicago; Washington, D.C.; and Miami.

AMEENA MAKHDOOMI is the marketing manager at Cognac One in New York City. The company imports and distributes authentic, high-quality wines from renowned estates and boutique producers. Mahkdoomi is also WSET 2-certified.

ADRIAN MURCIA is a wine writer, educator and marketing consultant as well as a sommelier and fromager. He is a specialist in the wines, cheese and gastronomy of Spain.

NIKKI PALLADINO is currently district manager, Lux Group, at Fedway Associates. She is also a writer, educator and wine enthusiast, and a correspondent for The Italian American Herald. A certified sommelier, Palladino co-founded Cordino Cellars with her wife.

MICHAEL PAPALEO is vice president of Business Development for Banville Wine Merchants. He has more than 20 years of experience in the wine business. Papaleo resides in Sea Cliff, New York, where he is raising two daughters with his wife, Maggie.

ROBERT SCHMIDT is the director, Sales & Business Development, Wine, for AmaWaterways. His career, focused on directing and growing companies in the fields of travel, hospitality and wine, previously included roles at The Ojai Vineyard; Wally’s Fine Wine, Spirits & Gourmet Market; and American Ring Travel, Inc.

DARRIN SIEGFRIED is President Emeritus of the Sommelier Society of America. His Park Slope wine shop, Red, White & Bubbly, was named Best in Brooklyn in The New York Times; and his wine bar, Il Gallo Giallo, was called Best in the Hudson Valley.

ERIC WHITE has worked in wine for more than 20 years and has been general manager of THE WINERY NYC since 2008. He is certified with the Wine & Spirit Education Trust program and American Sommelier Association, among other accolades.