There is an audience about to discover our hills from an entirely new perspective: 10 kilometers above sea level, aboard the Delta Air Lines flight connecting New York to Venice.

From April 22 to 25, American Master Sommelier Andrea Immer Robinson visited the Denomination with her film crew to shoot The Swirled Cup, a docu-series dedicated to the world of wine that will become part of Delta Air Lines’ in-flight entertainment lineup starting in July 2026, with potential later distribution on platforms such as Amazon Prime.

Who Is Andrea Immer Robinson?

To fully understand the significance of this initiative, it is important to introduce the host. Andrea Immer Robinson is one of only 25 women in the world to hold the title of Master Sommelier awarded by the Court of Master Sommeliers. She was also the first woman to earn the title of Best Sommelier in the United States and represented the U.S. at the Concours Mondial des Sommeliers.

A three-time James Beard Award winner and author of four best-selling books, she has hosted more than 100 episodes of food and wine television programs for Food Network and Fine Living. Since 2006, she has served as Master Sommelier for Delta Air Lines, overseeing the airline’s onboard wine selection. She lives in Napa Valley.

A Series Designed for the American Audience

“The Swirled Cup” will debut in July 2026 to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. Not surprisingly, the first episode is dedicated to the Judgment of Paris, the famous 1976 blind tasting.

At least five additional episodes are planned, structured around four themes: wine basics, sustainability, tourism, and food pairing.

The footage filmed in the Denomination will appear across several episodes, portraying Conegliano Valdobbiadene as a destination worth visiting for its history, terroir, winemaking traditions, gastronomy, and people.

The approach is far from a traditional documentary format: the host does not send questions in advance, preferring spontaneous conversations with the people she meets. The crew films naturally and edits in post-production. Each interviewee brings a bottle of their own wine, which is opened at the end of the day for celebratory toasts on camera.

Four Days Capturing the Territory

The filming schedule crossed the Denomination extensively, reflecting the richness and complexity of the area.

Among the topics featured were the Young Club and the new generation of producers, the Martinotti Method, a hike along the UNESCO Trail discovering mountain huts and traditional cured meats, the traditional spiedo meal as the setting for a conversation about natural wine, and the Conegliano School of Oenology — which this year celebrates the 150th anniversary of its foundation, a milestone the docu-series will help introduce to overseas audiences.

The production also included an all-female discussion on the role of women in wine, climate change in viticulture, and the impact of the global Prosecco boom on the DOCG appellation.

What This Means for the Denomination

The value of an initiative like this can be measured on three levels.

On a direct level, Conegliano Valdobbiadene will appear on the seatback screens of millions of Delta passengers starting in July: a channel that reaches exactly the type of consumer — American, traveling, and with time available — who is most receptive to wine tourism.

Considering that Delta operates a daily direct JFK–VCE flight, the connection between content and geographic proximity is especially strong: those watching the episode may literally be landing just an hour’s drive from our hills.

From an editorial perspective, a subsequent release on Amazon Prime would dramatically expand the audience beyond airline cabins, creating a lasting archive of images and stories that can be reused over time.

Finally, there is the matter of positioning. The Swirled Cup is not a generic travel show: it is narrated by a Master Sommelier who has curated the wine list of one of America’s leading airlines for nearly twenty years.

Her perspective is that of a professional who recognizes the UNESCO World Heritage status of our hills not simply as a label, but as a coherent and meaningful production system.

Andrea Immer Robinson explained that she had previously visited the Valdobbiadene area, “but before UNESCO recognition had been granted. I’m so happy these Hills and these places have been designated as UNESCO heritage, because they need to be protected as part of the history of this land, and more broadly as part of the history of humanity.”

So the appointment is set for July — seatbelts fastened.