Jaunted - Tag: Wine

Mile High Boozing: Five Airlines That Really Know Their Wine

kjb — 2010-05-03T11:40:31-05:00

We kind of have an in-flight drinking problem. We tried to take it easy with specialty drinks, but we’re once again hungry for beverages with a little bit of alcohol. All major airlines put an emphasis on their wine selections and pairings to lure business customers aboard their planes, but there are a few that take their selections to the next level. After all, there’s way more to selecting wines than swinging by Trader Joe’s for a couple cases of “Two Buck Chuck” on the way to the airport. Here are five airlines that put the most thought into their in-flight wine selections.

· Air France
When you think of wine one of the first locations that should come to mind is France, so it’s no surprise that Air France takes their in-flight beverages pretty seriously. Not only do they offer plenty of wine, but they also offer plenty of champagne. They crack open about 900,000 bottles of champagne per year and it’s free to all passengers on long-haul trips—including those in the back of the plane. Billecart Salmon, Duval-Leroy, Pol Roger, and Heidsieck are just some of the types of bubbly served. All flight attendants receive training on fine wine at the same time that they learn how to do the safety demo, so you should be informed of the bottle’s origin, vintage, and type from your flight attendant. Not surprisingly, the only option on Air France is French wines.

We're popping more corks after the break...

Would You Like Some Cheese To Go With Your WineSkin?

kjb — 2009-04-28T12:01:46-05:00

Ever since bringing liquids in your carry-on baggage became a misdemeanor, taking some wine back from your vacation has been quite a pain. Your options? Down the bottles before you hit security (no need for Xanax!), take the chance of packing them in your suitcase where breakage and spillage are very real possibilities or ship 'em home. Or consider the WineSkin.

The WineSkin is no engineering feat. It's basically just a big bubble wrap envelope shaped like a wine bottle. It has a dual-strip seal to keep any spillage from spilling over into your suitcase. However, a thin sheath of bubble wrap won't prevent breakage caused by overzealous baggage handlers. So while we like the idea of the WineSkin, we’d still want to wrap it in a shirt or two, just in case.

What to Do if the Wine Cellar on your Superyacht Does Not Suffice

Victor Ozols — 2009-02-21T16:24:48-05:00

I recently got my hands on the new 2009 issue of Burgess Superyacht Living & Style Magazine, and I'm more convinced than ever that superyachting is for me. There's simply no more potent symbol of wealth, success, and conspicuous consumption than one of these 40-meter-plus luxe boats. A private jet is nice, but who's going to see it beyond a few people at the airport? An opulent mansion is a little more visible, but you can't force people to drive by your house to envy you (yet). With a superyacht, however, you can seek out the poor people (i.e. owners of "regular" yachts) whether they're in Monaco or Wildwood and slowly cruise by with a margarita in your hand, guaranteeing the admiration and jealousy of all who witness the spectacle.

Miami Beach: Back Of The Envelope Guide: South Beach Wine And Food Festival

BS — 2009-01-08T10:30:45-05:00

Thousands of foodies will descend on the greater Miami area next month for the annual Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival, considered by many the biggest food event of the year, running February 19-22. But what to do in SoBe when you get tired of stalking Giada De Laurentiis, Rachael Ray and Emeril?

OR: Toast Your Thanks In Oregon

egw — 2008-11-19T13:00:16-05:00

To deal with holiday stress, some of us reach for the bottle. Turn stress-induced drinking into a learning experience with the Willamette Valley Wineries' Wine Country Thanksgiving.

Over a hundred wineries are throwing open their doors over the holiday weekend for wine snobs and "Sideways"-watching amateurs alike. How to choose? Check out the incentives some vineyards are offering: At Carabella Vineyard in Newberg, you can buy wine "futures" to get a great deal on next year's vintages along with this year's bottles; Stag Hollow Wines in Yamhill promises chocolate pairings with your vino.

Remember: Be safe and use a designated driver. Try sweetening the deal by offering to get them a Black Friday treasure like a Blu-Ray player!

[Photo: themarioblog]

South Africa Field Trip: Wine Tours

Jaunted — 2008-10-01T10:30:36-05:00

Our Southern Africa embed Jill Nawrocki recently ducked out of Namibia for a field trip to South Africa.

Namibia is home to a handful of lagers and just one brand of wine, so I was excited to tour some of South Africa's vineyards and sample what the country had to offer. Kev--the go-to guy at our hostel for all things Cape Town--suggested Easy Rider Wine Tours.

At just R350 ($43) for a full-day trip to four different vineyards, including a delicious restaurant lunch, it was well within our budget. And plus, it sounded like a lot of fun.

Logroño: Fall Culture Travel: Drink (Wine) to Your Health

egw — 2008-09-15T15:05:28-05:00

Not all of us want to be clanking steins with our fellow men in Germany this fall: For the discriminating palate, why not visit the northeastern city of Logroño, Spain September 21-28 for the first fruits of the Rioja region?

The Festival of the Vendimia Riojana consecrates the wine produced by this temperate region that's also home to the Camino de Santiago. On September 21, the patron virgin is offered juice from the first harvested batch of grapes before it goes into bottles. Dancing, parades and cork-popping ensue!

And in case you miss the mellifluous sounds of polka, the German band Trachtenkapelle plays Monday, September 22. Just don't ask for the local beer.

Related Stories:
· Straight Lines Are for Losers [Jaunted]
· Tourism Board Travel: Cheap Wine in Philly [Jaunted]
· Wine Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo of the Bodega de Herederos del Marqués de Riscal: tecnorrante]