University of California, Santa Barbara

Which U.S. Airline Has the Best Wine? - AFAR

"The top three slots are all occupied by airlines that’ve teamed up with big names in the wine business to curate their selections. For United, that person is Doug Frost, one of a handful of people who have passed two nearly impossible tests to be able to call himself both a Master Sommelier and a Master of Wine. Sadly, for every airline in the top three, the attention seems to be heavily focused on premium fliers, with little creativity for those in the main cabin. United’s premium selections lean Franco-centric, mixed in with some off-the-beaten-track wine regions such as Catalonia’s montsant or Umbria’s torgiano. The best wines are poured for international first class, with Antinori’s Peppoli chianti classico and Pascal Jolivet’s sancerre “Les Caillottes” being particularly noteworthy. One nice feature: Half bottles are for sale for domestic economy fliers, so you don’t have to ping a flight attendant every time you want a refill. My vote if going that route? Cambria’s “Benchbreak” chardonnay from Santa Barbara’s Santa Maria Valley, one of my favorite regions for the white grape." - Bryce Wiatrak