“Come quickly, I am tasting the stars”

This quote is famously attributed to Dom Pérignon, a Monk from the Champagne region of France, who in the 17th century spent a significant part of his life perfecting the drink that we now know as Champagne or Sparkling Wine.

On a recent flight, flying 35,000 feet above earth at 600 miles an hour and sipping champagne, I really appreciated the tremendous effort that went into the pour. The quote rung true and reminded me that onboard an airplane, I was closer to the stars than anywhere else.

Airline historians trace the origins of serving champagne on aircrafts, back to the 1950s. Originating on the Los Angeles - San Francisco flight, serving champagne was a way to compete with other airlines and stand out in an environment that was getting crowded. Air travel was considered a luxury, and service in the form of curated meals and drinks was the only form of entertainment.

Fast forward about 70 seventy years and several airlines continue to serve champagne in the Business and First Class lounges. My experience remains limited to the occasional upgrade on Emirates (when Economy is overbooked) and the entire experience begins with the staff coming around with a glass of champagne and orange juice, before take off itself. I find myself reaching for both. Because, why not?

On one such recent flight, I opted for a cheese platter instead of an entire meal. The service also included red and white wines. Goes without saying, the brie, a smoked cheddar, a blue cheese along with endless pours of Moet was the perfect setting to ''taste'' the stars.

Curled up with my favorite book, if there was a prescriptive way for me to relax my nervous system, I had just discovered it!