From Planeta to Monte del Frà, the best Italian wines to enjoy on board on your way to your holiday

Enjoying an excellent Italian wine while en route to your holiday destination offers a taste of the relaxation and pleasure of well-deserved rest, combined with the fine dining that awaits upon arrival.But that’s not all:for airlines today, wine increasingly represents one of the first indicators of the quality of the premium flight experience offered to travellers.Andrecognising the best Made in Italy labels featured on the wine lists of the world’s leading international airlines is “Cellars in the Sky” 2026, the 40th edition of one of the longest-running awards in the aviation industry, promoted by the UK magazine Business Travellerand dedicated to wines and beverages served at altitude, and who recognise the Rosé from the Sicilian wine estate Planeta, one of the driving forces behind the “renaissance” of Sicilian wine, served on board American Airlines, the largest U.S. carrier (Bronze in the “Inflight - First Class Rosé Wine” category), and the Chiaretto di Bardolino 2025 from Monte del Frà, one of the leading wineries of the Lake Garda area, selected by Aer Lingus, Ireland’s flag carrier (Silver in the “Inflight - Business Class Rosé Wine” category). A sector such as onboard hospitality and catering has grown globally over the past decades in parallel with the increasing prestige of the wines offered by airlines, raising the standards of the wine and food offering dedicated to travellers worldwide: from over USD 15 billion in 2025, it is expected to exceed USD 16 billion in 2026, and then reach USD 23 billion by 2031, according to a Mordor Intelligence report. Alongside this is another key market, airport duty-free travel retail, which, according to Market Growth Reports, generated USD 125 billion globally in 2025, of which 18% (over USD 22 billion) is represented by the “Wine & Spirits” category. An important channel which, however, in the current historical phase marked by several wars around the world, is being significantly penalised (as we have also analysed on WineNews). Airlines are increasingly curating their wine lists, focusing on factors such as the pleasure of drinking at altitude - which favours styles such as Australian Chardonnay - the expression of territorial origin (as in the case of red wines from Napa Valley), passenger wellbeing and the offering of premium products. The result is wine selections, both onboard and in lounges, capable of competing with those of the world’s best restaurants and hotels. And while sparkling wines, Champagne above all(with icons such as Taittinger, Veuve Clicquot and Charles Heidsieck, ranked among the best according to “Cellars in the Sky”), continue to lead the way, premium rosé wines are on the rise, led by Provence - with Les Clans Côtes de Provence Rosé 2022 from Château d’Esclans on British Airways’ wine list and awarded “gold” in the category that also recognised Planeta, followed by Clos du Temple 2023 from Gérard Bertrand served on Lufthansa and awarded “silver” - but also reflecting a broader consumer demand for lighter and fresher styles - as in the case of Côtes de Provence Rosé 2024 from Ultimate Provence on Alaska Airlines, L’Ostal Rosé 2024 from Domaines Cazes on Finnair, and Caves d’Esclans Rock Angel Côtes de Provence Rosé 2024 from Château d’Esclans on British Airways, awarded in the Monte del Frà category with “gold” and “bronze” respectively - to be paired with onboard menus. For the same reason, the offer of cocktails and No-Lo beverages is also growing. Among the special awards, the “Drinks Innovation - First Class Wine Cellar in the Sky” went to Australia’s flag carrier Qantas, while the “Drinks Innovation - Business Class Wine Cellar in the Sky” was awarded to Qatar Airways, the national carrier of the Arab country. The “Drinks Innovation - First Class Lounge Wine Cellar” went to Hong Kong’s flag carrier Cathay Pacific, and the “Drinks Innovation - Business Class Lounge Wine Cellar” to Malaysia’s flag carrier, Malaysia Airlines.