Trying Out US Airways Premium Wines
Yesterday marked my first flight of the year where my upgrade as a Chairman on US Airways didn’t clear. Thanks to my trips to the Ring of Kerry, Dublin, Vienna, and In N Out in the first three months, my EQMs meant I was top of the list. But not today.
So that meant I was sampling the latest US Airways Buy on Board for the first time in awhile AND their premium wine selection. The current offerings are a half bottle of Conundrum White Blend or Meiomi Pinot Noir for $15.99, available on flights longer than 3.5 hours.
For some reason it felt kind of weird to be ordering a half bottle of wine all for myself, even though it’s the same as ordering two single servings and on cross-country flights I probably go through more than that when flying in First. But I squelched my reticence in favor of experimenting (and realizing I had a long long flight ahead of me) and tried the Conundrum.
The flight attendant who served me was quite enthusiastic about it, saying he actually really liked it, and fortunately (and unintentionally) warning me that it’s a slightly sweet wine, which I hadn’t expected, despite the description.
“…offers lush apricot, honeysuckle, and vanilla, with beautiful acidity and complexity.â€
Maybe it was the promise of acidity that made me think it was dry. Regardless, I did enjoy it more than the usual in-flight wine options though there was a touch of bitterness on the finish. And it wound up being better than the wine I had on my next flight when my upgrade did clear.
If you’re going to have more than one glass, it’s only slightly more expensive per serving than the $7 mini bottles of Casa Amada Chardonnay they’re selling. For the Belle Glos Meiomi Pinot Noir, I’m not quite as confident. The mini bottle selection is currently from Dona Dominga, a Chileanwinery, which means for the price point it’s likely to be much better than a Californian option. But since it looks like my upgrade on the return isn’t going to clear, perhaps I will try it out.
Oh! I and I got a great tip from the flight attendant – if put the bottle down at your feet between pourings, it stays pretty chilled.
And If you’ve purchased premium wine options on a plane, what were your impressions? And is it alarming to see your seatmate order half a bottle of wine for herself?
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Settling for half a bottle is never socially acceptable.