United 1st class international wines

I haven’t paid for a First Class ticket since I hired people and couldn’t afford for everybody to go First Class, but got an upgrade.

On this trip home from Argentina I set a new personal record: Scheduled time, airport to airport was 20 hours. It took 50. The unpleasant, incompetent crew on the first cancelled flight was just a bonus.

The wines, all opinions blatantly mine. The notes are very abbreviated, I was short on sleep, long on ire and not in an exceptionally good mood, nor focusing on the wines after tasting almost 200 in 3 1/2 days of tasting for business.

Before takeoff they offered “Champagne”. I asked for a glass. Blatantly not Champagne. Warm and bad. I didn’t write down the name, but think it was Paul Cheneau. Not rated (under 80… actually way under 80). One sip did me, and I was thirsty.

2015 Fournier Sauvignon Blanc, Loire -
The tasting note dissed New Zealand (I agree) and said this was ‘mild’. That’s a mild synonym for soft and boring. Drinkable, barely. 81 points.

2015 Wente Chardonnay Rive Ridge, Arroyo Seco (Monterey) -
The tasting note commented on their history in Livermore, without mentioning that Arroyo Seco is 100 miles away.
The tasting note said rich: Semi-correct IMO.
The tasting note said bold: No.
Good clean Chardonnay, a little more oaky and buttery than my preference, but just fine if that’s your style. 86 points.

2015 Colombo Syrah ‘Collines de Laure’ - Light, fine, vigorous, good intensity of flavor but lacks some body. Nice fruit and balance. 87.5 points.

2016 Gundlach-Bundschu Mountain Cuvee - No idea what’s in it, but tastes like Atlantic grapes, moderately rich, nicely balanced, I’m getting really tired and it may taste better than it is, but 89 points, good body and plump, probably won’t improve as it doesn’t seem to have the intricacy to develop and will lose freshness.

It was not on the cart. They probably know who paid and who got bumped up, but I spotted another bottle of bubbles (I was in the 1st row). So I asked. So glad I did!

NV Champagne Alfred Gratien Brut - I’ve always loved this, and never more than on this flight. Rich, firm, balanced, toasty, in fine fettle. Rated 93.

Dan Kravitz

They have been pouring the Gratien in 1st/business for about a year now. Lovely stuff.

I feel your pain Dan. I travel international frequently and American flagged carriers are the worst for wine service in buisiness and first.

Yeah, it sucks. I do a bit of travel to Europe each year, and from NJ it is United. Business First for work. Wines suck, but champagne in flight is usually drinkable. I remember years ago American Air JFK to Brussels serving 1990 Leoville Barton in business, believe it or not.

Surprised there was not a good Riesling. Selbach-Oster and Robert Weil have been featured on recent flights,

US carriers have crappy wines.

Europeans can be hit and miss

Middle East and Asian in first are almost always great.

Same rankings can generally be applies to planes, food, lounges etc. US carriers are twenty years behind the likes of Emirates, Cathey, Singapore etc

It’s shocking to me they need Somellier Doug Frost MW to put out what they do in first and business. I get he’s operating on a budget and availability constraints, but any semi decent amateur could do better with the same constraints.

I completely agree. Singapore was my first experience with Krug and JAL introduced me to Salon.

Alicante?

Emirates has the best wine cellar in the sky.

recently saw 08 Valbuena, 15 Y by Yquem, 05 Figeac

Would shitty wine in 1st class, be the definition of #1stworldproblems?

Right up there with an undercooked potato served with the filet.

I think there is an upcoming UN resolution pending about it.

I’ve never done well having the red meat in first/business. It just cannot be prepared properly. Chicken, fish, pork etc always better options.

They have moved to 16 Y now…

When I see United and 16 Y it worries me that they’re going to 16 across seating on their long haul planes.

eventually.

At least you made it home. The Lion air flight was supposed to be a short one. They never made it. At all.

I don’t think I would ever complain about being in first, if given the chance.

I’m sure someone’s working on that now. Just narrow the seats and armrests a bit … eliminate an aisle…

When I fly I drink whiskey.

Thanks for the interesting comments:

1. I did not complain about being upgraded. I had a lot better flight than I would have in Economy.
2. I did not call any of the wines “shitty”, except for the “Champagne” served before takeoff, for which ‘shitty’ would be an accurate if pallid descriptor. Can’t remember the last time I had Andre, but I don’t think it could be much worse.
3. Yes, I am grateful that I got home. I know that the Lion Air passengers did not. However air travel is still overall safer than cars. I expect to get home. I do not expect it to take 50 hours instead of 20. I’ve spent a lot of money on United Airlines in the past decades, but nobody, even a first time economy passenger deserves the treatment we received. Of course I understand that delays happen due to weather and/or mechanical problems. My complaint is with the discourtesy and shoddy, incompetent service.
   From what the public knows, it sounds like the Lion Air flight was lost due to a combination of a faulty sensor, poorly designed software and an undertrained crew. Apparently the day before the same thing happened to the same plane, but a better trained crew had been taught how to override the problem and returned safely. It sounds like when blame is apportioned, it will be Lion Air more than Boeing, for permitting takeoff with a crew that had not been made aware of a possible problem, and most importantly, how to compensate for it.

Dan Kravitz