Wine is booming in the airline industry, and seeing bottles of Dom Perignon at elevation isn’t unusual anymore. Everyone from Quantas to Singapore Airlines to Delta are pushing wine as a way to differentiate their service to the flying rich. Tasting at altitude is a bit of a tricky business though, and it typically requires a stronger set of flavors to shine through. While bigger airlines are growing armies of Sky Somms (looking at you Delta!), how is the wine on Southwest for those of us in the cheap seats?
Hacienda Chardonnay
For white, Southwest is offering Hacienda Chardonnay, a California chardonnay that can be had on the ground for $5 a bottle. How does it do in air?
Sight: A bright gold, sighting the edge is slightly difficult given the fullness of the glass. Who’s complaining though
Smell: Pear is immediately evident, even from some distance. Flowers and lemons play at undertones. The scent is strong.
Sip: The body is big and round, but there’s enough acidity to wake up the palate, but not so much as to be lively. Orange blossoms join the pear, creating a fruit forward flavor. Touches of lemon pith are hinting at the edges.
Savor: The ending is a little abrupt, leaving behind some pear notes, wet rock, and lemon. Flowers are present too in the finish
Hacienda Chardonnay is a powerful fruit forward Chardonnay with lots of floral and pear notes. Given how wine changes in planes, this is a nicely muscular Chardonnay that can push through the fade. The lack of smoke and vanilla will disappoint some, but as a sipping chard goes, it’s pretty good for a healthy $5 pour
Verdict: Pear, Orange Blossom, Citrus, Round
Price: $5 a glass
Carmenet Cabernet Sauvignon
Sometime through having the Hacienda Chardonnay, I decided it was time to try Southwest’s red selection, the Carmenet Cabernet Sauvignon. I apparently look spill prone at altitude, as my wine came with a lid!
Sight: A deep purple body with possible lighter pink or magenta around the edge. Again, fullness makes this tricky!
Smell: Smoke and toast are immediately apparent with a backdrop of preserved blackberries. Hints of currants and plums join the preserved blackberries in the background as the oak takes over.
Sip: A very soft body helps ease the lack of brightness, which gives it a hint of flabbiness, but a nicely textured mouthfeel. Flavors of currants, blackberries, hints of herbs, and plum all come together behind a curtain of smoke. The oaky flavors lean toward vanilla.
Savor: As it finishes, the smoke continues but leans more toward caramel, vanilla, and toast. Subtle dark fruit comes in to try to round out the finish, but obviously isn’t the star when compared to the smoke.
As Cabernet Sauvignon is concerned Carmenet Cabernet Sauvignon is a deeply oaky example with a back up of fruit. The strong flavors are good for altitude, although a little more sharpness in the body wouldn’t hurt. The texture is simply lovely though, and fans of big reds will be able to enjoy Carmenet Cabernet Sauvignon at altitude.
Verdict: Smoke, Toast, Baked Black Fruit, Round
Price: $5 for a generous pour. May not include lid.Or you can pick it up from Wine.com on the ground!
Wine on Southwest Verdict
Overall, the wine on Southwest is nice, and at $5 a glass, the pours are generous. If you don’t go in expecting a world class experience, the wine on Southwest will keep you relaxed, and satiated on your flight.