WHAT YOU NEED T O KNOW ABOUT DRINKING WINE IN THE SKY

Cathay Pacific’s sommelier of the sky ROY MOORFIELD offers someome insight

1 Flavour is amplified

Due to the atmosphere in the cabin, bitterness and tart flavours are heightened. This means any wines with too much wood or extraction are eliminated from menus.

2 Our tastebuds change

Cabin atmosphere is about 40 per cent drier than normal. This changes the way aroma and taste receptors react. Many assume it’s the altitude, but that doesn’t determine the taste of wine.

3 Top wines struggle

A wine’s ability to travel is the biggest contributing factor, as the movement of wine has a dulling effect on the aroma and flavour. Post-travel, wine is described as being fatigued.

4 It’s paired to your meal l

The key to pairing is to avoid contrast, such as strong tannins in wine and acidity in food, so wine is chosen with these fundamentals in mind.

5 Look out for rosé!

Cathay Pacific was the first airline to introduce a dry rosé to their wine list. It was a great success and in the future, it should be on all in-flight wine menus. It ticks all the boxes for red and white wine drinkers.