The next time you're thousands of feet in the sky on an airplane and trying to enjoy a glass of wine, but failing, it's more than just the selection being offered in coach. Here are 5 reasons why wine tastes different when you're on an airplane.
1) The "...combination of altitude and low humidity tends to accentuate a wine's acidity and alcohol," reports Will Lyons in The Wall Street Journal.
2) Darrell Hartman, writing in Travel and Leisure, reveals your palate might be affected by both plane velocity and flight stress.
3) Let's talk saliva! Master of Wine Bob Campbell explains: "Protein in our saliva wraps around the tannin molecules in red wine, making it appear softer. In a dry atmosphere we become less efficient at salivating, so red wines taste more astringent." Read the rest in Wine Searcher.
4) Background noise might be making what your drink (and eat) bland. Jason Palmer of BBC News has the story.
5) Things start getting grim right after takeoff. 1 Wine Dude's Joe Roberts quotes a NY Times article: "As the plane ascends, the change in air pressure numbs about a third of the taste buds."
