When you reach cruising altitude, a few things happen: the flight usually gets smoother, the seat belt sign may turn off, and your tastebuds dull. But turns out, that may not be a bad thing, at least when it comes to wine. 

A plane is a great place to “try something new,” Stephen Scarnato, the founder of New Roots and Long Island Vine Care, told Crown & Caliber. “It may not be as affronting or aggressive” as it is on the ground. With a bit of strategy, travelers may find themselves enjoying brand new flavors while up in the air. 

“If the alcohol content is higher and your tastebuds are dulled, it could either be that you’re only going to taste the hotness of the alcohol, or the alcohol will be subdued and maybe you can concentrate on some of the more fine tuned notes,” said Scarnato, adding, “do the full science experiment — open up the wine you plan to have… and take some notes.”

According to a study from the Fraunhofer Institute using in-flight menus from Germany’s Lufthansa AG, travelers may find the taste of salt to be 20% to 30% less intense and the taste of sugar to be 15% to 20% less intense. Because altitude tends to dampen taste buds significantly, “‘in the air, food and drink tastes as it does when we have a cold,’ aroma chemist Dr. Andrea Burdack-Freitag said, explaining the effects of reduced pressure in the aircraft cabin on our taste experience.”

When it comes to wines, it may actually be a blessing in disguise, said Scarnato. “Even if your taste buds are dulled,” he added, “you may be open to a little bit more nuance.”

Airplane noise can also have an effect, especially when it comes to tasting sweet flavors, as noted in a report from Cornell University. “Our study confirmed that in an environment of loud noise, our sense of taste is compromised. Interestingly, this was specific to sweet and umami tastes, with sweet taste inhibited and umami taste significantly enhanced,” said Robin Dando, assistant professor of food science.  

“The wine isn’t going to lie to you — what you taste on the ground and what you taste in the air are both true even though they may not say the same thing to you… Taste buds don’t lie, they don’t get tricked. It’s all still the same mechanism” Scarnato said.  

Just remember to add in a glass of water every once in a while since alcohol — like flying — can be very dehydrating.

When it comes to varietals, Scarnato recommended travelers skip light wines like dry rieslings or dry chenin blancs, which tend to lean more neutral flavor-wise and may end up tasting insipid in the air. Instead opt for an Italian valpolicella, which boasts a higher alcohol content (as high as 12%) and an intense flavor. If all else fails, open up a bottle of bubbly.

“I like drinking Champagne when I'm flying — there’s something about the lifting effect of the bubbles. It's a fun sensory thing,” he said. “I think it goes with the whole heady experience of [feeling like] a Greek god in the air. It’s a very uplifting, positive experience.”