Delta Adds $165 Silver Oak To Business Class, But United Still Has A Better Wine List

Delta is adding Silver Oak Cabernet to international business class and expanding Taittinger Champagne to domestic Delta One (premium cross country business class) on October 1. That’s a substantial improvement in what they’ve been serving. The announcement’s bottle photo specifically shows Silver Oak’s 2021 Napa Valley Cabernet, which the winery lists at $165. Delta’s new offering is clearly ahead of American’s recent limited wine refresh (which was itself an improvement). United still has the overall list to beat among U.S. airlines, ” target=_blank>including JetBlue which has offered some interesting bottles for awhile. Several of Delta’s less expensive selections may be actually better choices paired with a meal at altitude. Credit: Delta Air Lines Delta’s New Wine Lineup Delta is bringing on 13 wines from 11 wineries. The selections rotate, and domestic and international Delta One get different bottles: Silver Oak is scheduled for long haul business class from October 2026 through March 2027. Trefethen Cabernet, Crossbarn Pinot Noir and Freemark Abbey Chardonnay are scheduled for premium domestic business class during that period. St. Supéry Sauvignon Blanc will be available in both October 2026 through September 2027. Patz & Hall Chardonnay will be onboard long haul business April through September 2027. The Wines I’d Be Most Interested In Drinking These are some interesting wines, finally, which means Delta is coming a long way from its subpar selection. Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon. a serious pour for business class. The Napa Valley bottling pictured is distinct from Silver Oak’s less expensive Alexander Valley wine. The 2021 has dark fruit, modest tannins and is well-oaked. It’s got a high alcohol volume which can be a challenge at altitude and it’ll need to open in the glass. Trefethen Cabernet Sauvignon. This is respectable and I much like their wines. It’ll have well-balanced fruit, acidity and tannins. This will go nicely with beef dishes. Crossbarn Pinot Noir. This is a fruit-forward Pinot with cherry, ripe strawberry, and pomegranate. It should pair well with chicken and mushroom dishes. Freemark Abbey Chardonnay and Patz & Hall Chardonnay. United has served Freemark Abbey cab, which I love, and I find their chardonnary drinkable as well. This’ll go well with rich chicken dishes and creamy sauces. St. Supéry Sauvignon Blanc and Loveblock Sauvignon Blanc. I don’t usually enjoy most sauvignon blancs but their crispness survives well at altitude. So these are your seafood pairings, and some will just enjoy them as a refreshing glass on their own. Jean-Marc Brocard Petit Chablis. This is a good producer, and won’t be as rich as California Chardonnay. Served too cold, as wines often are onboard, you’re going to lose al of the flavor. Maybe try this with a light starter but I can definitely see this seeming thin in the air. Ontañón Reserva Rioja and Cune Reserva Rioja. These will bring ripe fruit, savory character and oak and should work well across a variety of onboard meals. La Fête du Rosé. A dry Provence rosé can work with lighter food, but I’d probably give it a miss myself (I rarely have a strong preference for rosé). Taittinger is good Champagne. I’ve previously preferred American’s Bollinger Special Cuvée at altitude, though. I find Taittinger too delicate in a pressured cabin. Still, seeing this on domestic transcons will evince a premium feel. United Is Now The U.S. Standard, And American Is Finally Improving I wrote about United’s jump in wine quality at the end of 2024, with Laurent-Perrier, Freemark Abbey Cabernet, Guigal Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Luca Chardonnay. Their investment continued. United committed $35 million to wine as part of a broader $150 million food and beverage overhaul. That’s significant, though smaller Emirates touts $1 billion spend over the past 20 years on its wine program. Rotating Polaris selections have included The Mascot, reported at $179 retail, and VIK at $159. Silver Oak falls within that range, though United’s progam overall remains more impressive. The gap is smaller than it was before this announcement though! American’s May improvements were desperately needed: Truchard Chardonnay and Decoy Cabernet for international premium cabins, Migration Chardonnay and Justin Cabernet on premium transcontinental flights. It’s a small list, not premium top end, but respectable business class bottles compared to serving $8 Chardonnay in international first class after dropping their wine expert and outsourced picks to a vendor. Why Airlines Spend On Wine — And Why Altitude Isn’t An Excuse For Bad Bottles Wine is a quick and easy investment to make compared to the hard product, and it comes with its own reputational halo. Meanwhile, wineries get to feature their offerings in front of customers who might buy it at home or order it in a restaurant. And the airline can offer volume purchases without putting publicly discounting. However, the cabin changes the experience. Reduced cabin pressure, low humidity and background noise harm flavor perception. Aromas can become harder to appreciate, while a dry mouth and muted fruit can leave a tannic red feeling especially astringent. That’s why you find a lot of fruit bombs on airline wine lists. Champagne works really well, but some bottles remain too delicate. Ideally, selections work best when tasting in cabin conditions. Singapore Airlines has a pressurized room for this purpose at their headquarters. The Crew Needs To Know What’s In The Bottle Delta says they’re investing in wine education as well as wine and should get some credit for that. In a 2017 interview, their wine expert described Delta’s Sky Sommelier program as 38 video modules, with quizzes and a final exam. Delta announced four courses for flight attendant leaders on transoceanic flights in 2024 covering wine styles, grapes, presentation and service. Singapore has trained Air Sommeliers. Emirates launched three levels of wine courses in 2024, with classroom sessions lasting up to eight hours and tastings of the wines crew would be serving. Most passengers don’t know the wines they’ll be drinking. And when a flight attendant doesn’t even know what’s been boarded that diminishes the value of the investment. Ideally, they’d be able to explain which red is lighter, recommend what pairs well with what’s being served, and recognize when a bottle has gone bad. They should offer a taste of the wine, show the label and know what temperature to pour it at. Topics on this page