Here’s Why Wine Can Taste Weird On A Plane And How To Fix It

Have you ever ordered a fancy glass of wine on a plane, only to take a sip and regret your choice? That might have been because wine actually tastes different when you’re in the air.

Lower humidity levels in airplane cabins can affect your tastebuds, leading to less sensitivity. That means that wines that normally taste sweet seem far less so. This is also part of the reason why airplane food is heavily salted. In order to choose wines to serve at high altitudes, airline sommeliers actually conduct tastings in pressurized rooms that mimic the environment found in a plane cabin.

Though there’s not much you can do about your taste buds on a plane, you can choose wines that won’t suffer as much from the altitude shift. Experts recommend choosing wines with more acidity and stronger flavors and staying away from light and sweet wines. If you never drink red wine, your next flight might be a good time to start.

Of course, there’s no need to opt for alcohol at all on a flight. Sticking with water or herbal tea is a good way to stay hydrated and feel fresher when you arrive at your destination.

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