The best wines onboard your flight. 2012 Cellars in the Sky awardees.

Once again it is that time of the year to combine two passions, flying and wine.

The annual Business Traveller 'Cellars in the Sky' awards were presented for the year 2012. The awards have been running since 1985, recognising the best business and first class wines served by airlines worldwide. Over 75 carriers were contacted in the summer of 2012, with a total of 33 airlines entering.



In repeat of last year, Australian carrier Qantas, took home the greatest number of awards, winning the prizes for Best Overall Wine Cellar, Best First Class Sparkling (shared with Oman Air), Best Business Class Sparkling (shared with Singapore Airlines), and Best-Presented First Class Wine List. A surprise winner this year is the resurgent Malaysia Airlines which also picked up two prizes, for Best First Class Red and Best First Class Cellar.

Blind tastings took place in December 2012 at the Brigade Bar and Bistro, London, with four judges independently scoring the wines. The judges were:

• Charles Metcalfe, co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge and food and wine matching guru;
• Tim Atkin, Master of Wine and award-winning wine columnist;
• Sam Harrop, Master of Wine and international winemaking consultant;
• Peter McCombie, Master of Wine and top restaurant wine consultant.

The airlines that took part were: Aer Lingus, Air Astana, Air Canada, Air France, Air New Zealand, All Nippon Airways, American Airlines, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, Eva Air, Finnair, Garuda Indonesia, Iberia, Jetstar, KLM, Korean Air, LAN Airlines, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines, Oman Air, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, TAM Airlines, TAP Portugal, US Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Australia.

The list of awardees:

FIRST CLASS

Best First Class Red

Malaysia Airlines – Schubert Marion's Vineyard Pinot Noir, 2010, Wairarapa, Martinborough, New Zealand
Emirates – Château Clinet, 2001, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France
Lufthansa – Château Canon La Gaffelière, 2007, Saint-Emilion Premier Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France

Best First Class White

British Airways – Vincent Girardin Puligny Montrachet Premier Cru le Champ Gain, 2007, Burgundy, France
Emirates – August Kesseler Lorcher Schlossberg Alte Reben Riesling Spätlese, 2010, Rheingau, Germany
American Airlines – Henri Darnat Meursault Clos de Domaine, 2010, Burgundy, France

Best First Class Sparkling

(JOINT) Oman Air AND Qantas – Champagne Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, 2000, France
(JOINT) Emirates AND Malaysia Airlines – Champagne Dom Pérignon, 2003, France
Cathay Pacific – Champagne Amour de Deutz Brut, 2002, France

Best First Class Fortified and Sweet

All Nippon Airways – W and J Graham's 30 Year Old Tawny Port, Douro, Portugal
(JOINT) Oman Air – Dr Loosen Riesling Beerenauslese, 2006, Mosel, Germany
AND Qantas – Seppeltsfield Paramount Collection Rare Muscat, NV, Rutherglen, Australia
Air France – Château Guiraud, 2006, Sauternes, Bordeaux, France

Best First Class Cellar

Malaysia Airlines
Qantas
Lufthansa

Best-Presented First Class Wine List

Qantas
Cathay Pacific
Qatar Airways

BUSINESS CLASS

Best Business Class Red

TAM Airlines – Château Bel-Air-Ouÿ, 2007, Jean-Luc Thunevin, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France
Singapore Airlines – Bodegas Roda Rioja Reserva DOCa, 2007, Spain
Cathay Pacific – Villa Maria Single Vineyard Southern Clays Pinot Noir, 2010, Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand

Best Business Class White

Oman Air – Sancerre "La Porte du Caillou", 2010, Henri Bourgeois, Loire, France
Jetstar – Main Divide Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, 2011, New Zealand
(JOINT) Aer Lingus – Lawson's Dry Hills Riesling, 2008, Marlborough, New Zealand
AND Emirates – Metis Sauvignon Blanc, 2009, Trinity Hills/Pascal Jolivet, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

Best Business Class Sparkling

(JOINT) Qantas AND Singapore Airlines – Champagne Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve, NV, France
Qatar Airways – Champagne Bollinger Special Cuvée NV, France
(JOINT) Air France AND Cathay Pacific – Champagne Deutz Brut Classic, NV, France

Best Business Class Fortified and Sweet

KLM – The Stump Jump Sticky Chardonnay Riesling Semillon Pinot Gris, 2010, Adelaide Hills/McLaren Vale, Australia

Finnair – Niepoort Colheita, 1998, Douro, Portugal

Air New Zealand – Winter Solstice Glacier Wine, 2010, Reliance Wines, Marlborough, New Zealand

Best Business Class Cellar

Singapore Airlines
Qantas
Aer Lingus

Best-Presented Business Class Wine List

Air New Zealand
Finnair
LAN Airlines

OVERALL

Best Overall Wine Cellar

Qantas
Singapore Airlines
Qatar Airways

Best Airline Alliance

Oneworld

Read more »

Qantas has the best wine cellars in the sky

Photo by Flickr user Star5112.

Australian carrier Qantas is the big winner at Business Traveller’s 2011 Cellars in the Sky airline wine awards, winning in six categories. Other winners include Delta, Jetstar, LAN Chile, Qatar Airways, TAM, Emirates, Air France and Cathay Pacific.

The awards recognise the best business and first class wines served by airlines worldwide, with around 250 wines entered by a total of 32 carriers.

Wines were selected via blind tastings with five judges independently scoring them. The five judges were:

• Charles Metcalfe, TV wine presenter and co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge
• Tim Atkin, Master of Wine
• Sam Harrop, Master of Wine and winemaking consultant
• Peter McCombie, Master of Wine and accredited tutor for the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET)
• John Worontschak, leading winemaker and wine business development consultant

The detailed winners list is:

FIRST CLASS

First Class White
1. Emirates – Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay, 2006, Margaret River, Western Australia
2. Qantas – Tyrrell’s Winemaker’s Selection Vat 1 Semillon, 2005, Hunter Valley, Australia
3. Malaysia Airlines – Frédéric Magnien Meursault Coeur de Roches, 2009, Burgundy, France

First Class Red
1. TAM – Clos Canon, 2008, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France
2. British Airways – St Hallett Blackwell Shiraz, 2006, Barossa Valley, South Australia
3. (JOINT) All Nippon Airways – Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, 2007, Labouré-Roi, Burgundy, France
AND British Airways – Château Smith Haut Lafitte, 2004, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France
AND Singapore Airlines – Louis Jadot Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru, 2007, Burgundy, France

First Class Sparkling
1. (JOINT) Air France – Champagne Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs, 2000, France
AND Qantas – Champagne Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs, 1999, France
2. Cathay Pacific – Champagne Deutz Amour de Deutz Brut, 2002, France
3. (JOINT) All Nippon Airways/Qatar Airways – Champagne Krug Grand Cuvée, NV, France
AND Emirates/Malaysia Airlines – Champagne Dom Pérignon, 2002, France

First Class Fortified and Sweet
1. Cathay Pacific – Ramos Pinto Quinta da Ervamoira Ten Year Old Tawny Port, Portugal
2. Qantas – Morris Old Premium Rare Liqueur Rutherglen Muscat, NV, Victoria, Australia
3. (JOINT) British Airways – Jackson Triggs Proprietors’ Reserve Vidal Icewine, 2007, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada
AND Emirates – Quinta do Noval Vintage Port, 2000, Portugal
AND Qatar Airways – Domaine Weinbach Clos des Capucins Furstentum Grand Cru Vendanges Tardives, 2008, Alsace, France

First Class Cellar
1. Qantas
2. Qatar Airways
3. Air France

Most Improved First Class Cellar
TAM

BUSINESS CLASS

Business Class White
1. (JOINT) Delta Air Lines – Wente Riva Ranch Chardonnay, 2010, Monterey, California
AND Jetstar – Waipara Hills Sauvignon Blanc, 2010, Marlborough, New Zealand
2. (JOINT) All Nippon Airways – Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc, 2010, Marlborough, New Zealand
AND Qantas – Leo Buring Leopold Riesling, 2008, Tamar Valley, Tasmania, Australia
AND Qatar Airways – Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Spätlese, 2007, Mosel, Germany
3. (JOINT) Eva Airways – Maximin Grünhäuser Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett, 2008, Dr Carl Von Schubert, Ruwer, Germany
AND Malaysia Airlines – Stonier Chardonnay, 2009, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia

Business Class Red
1. Qantas – Mount Langi Ghiran Cliff Edge Shiraz, 2008, Victoria, Australia
2. (JOINT) All Nippon Airways – The Lucky Country Shiraz, 2010, McLaren Vale, South Australia
AND Emirates – Domaine des Sénéchaux Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 2008, Rhône, France
3. (JOINT) Eva Airways – Valduero Reserva, 2006, Ribera del Duero, Spain
AND Virgin Atlantic – Ottoventi Nero D’avola .20, 2009, Sicily, Italy

Business Class Sparkling
1. LAN Airlines – Champagne Louis Roederer Brut Premier, NV, France
2. Qantas – Champagne Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve, NV, France
3. Qatar Airways – Champagne Veuve Clicquot, La Grande Dame, 1998, France

Business Class Fortified and Sweet
1. Qatar Airways – Kopke Colheita Port, 1974, Portugal
2. Qantas – Seppeltsfield Para Grand Tawny, NV, South Australia
3. (JOINT) Emirates – Dow’s Ten Year Old Tawny, NV, Portugal
AND Korean Air – Inniskillin Icewine Vidal, 2007, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

Business Class Cellar
1. Qantas
2. Jetstar
3. Qatar Airways

Most Improved Business Class Cellar
Cathay Pacific

Photo courtesy Flickr user Star5112.

Read more »

Best wines onboard - Cellars in the sky awards presented

It is that time of the year where I get to combine two of my favourite passions. Aviation and Wine.

The annual Cellars in the Sky Awards have been announced, recognising the best business and first class wines served by airlines worldwide.

The big winner this year was Qantas, which walked away with four awards -- best first class red wine, best first class fortified / sweet wine, best first class cellar, and best presented wine list.

Cathay Pacific won two awards -- best business class red wine and best business class cellar. Lufthansa also bagged two awards -- best business class fortified / sweet wine, and best first class sparkling wine.

Singapore Airlines which used to consistently win awards seems to have been knocked right out of the competition. India's Jet Airways has won fourth place for the best sparkling wine in business class.

Given the economic slowdown and resultant impact on airlines has forced the industry to greater creativity and choosing lesser-known but much more interesting wines.

Judging wines from 34 airlines were five judges:

• Charles Metcalfe, TV wine presenter and co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge
• Joanna Simon, author, wine and food editor for House and Garden magazine and co-founder of the Wine Gang
• Sam Harrop, Master of Wine and winemaking consultant
• Derek Smedley, Master of Wine for more than 40 years, consultant and co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge
• Tim Atkin, Master of Wine, wine columnist for The Observer, co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge and co-founder of the Wine Gang.

The results

Business Class

Sparkling wine

1. Delta
Piper-Heidsieck Brut, Champagne, France
Score: 18.25 out of 20

2. JOINT: Qantas, Singapore Airlines
Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve, Champagne, France
Score: 18

3. Mexicana
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut, Champagne, France
Score: 17.75

4. JOINT: Jet Airways, LAN
Louis Roederer Brut Premier, Champagne, France
Score: 17.5

5. JOINT: Cathay, KLM
Billecart-Salmon Brut, Champagne, France
Score: 17

Red

1. Cathay Pacific
Spy Valley Pinot Noir Marlborough 2007, Marlborough, New Zealand
Score: 18.75

2. Korean Air
Tyrrell’s Rufus Stone Heathcote Shiraz 2005, Hunter Valley, Australia
Score: 18.5

3. KLM
Tempus Two Barossa Shiraz 2005, Barossa, Australia
Score: 18.25

4. LAN
Altair 2004, Alto Cachapoal Valley, Chile
Score: 18

5. Alitalia
Barone Ricasoli Castello di Brolio, Casalferro, 2005, Gaiole in Chianti, Tuscany, Italy
Score: 17.75

White

1. SAS
Tim Adams Semillon 2007, Clare Valley, Australia
Score: 18.5

2. Cathay Pacific
Moët Hennessy, Green Point Reserve Chardonnay 2005, Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia
Score: 18

3. ANA
Weinguter Wegeler, Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Kabinett 2007, Mosel, Germany
Score: 17.75

4. Qantas
Peter Lehman Wines Eden Valley Riesling 2005, Barossa, Australia
Score: 17.5

5. Air New Zealand
West Brook Marlborough Riesling 2008, Marlborough, New Zealand
Score: 17.25

Fortified / sweet

1. Lufthansa
Vinhos Niepoort Late Bottled Vintage 2004, Douro, Portugal
Score: 18.5

2. Singapore Airlines
Graham’s Late Bottled Vintage Port 2003, Douro, Portugal
Score: 18

3. Air New Zealand
Dr John Forrest, Forrest Noble Marlborough Riesling 2008, Marlborough, New Zealand
Score: 17.75

4. Delta
Chambers Rosewood Vineyards, Muscat a Petit Grains, Rutherglen, Australia
Score: 17.5

5. Qantas
Baileys of Glenrowan Founder Series Liqueur Muscat, Glenrowan, Australia
Score: 17

Best business class cellar

1. Cathay Pacific
2. LAN
3. Qatar Airways
4. American Airlines
5. British Airways

First class

Sparkling

1. Lufthansa
Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Rare, Champagne, France
Score: 19

2. Qantas
Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 1999, Champagne, France
Score: 18.5

3. Qatar Airways
Laurent Perrier Grand Siècle 1996, Champagne, France
Score: 18

4. Emirates
Dom Pérignon 2000, Champagne, France
Score: 17.75

5. JOINT: ANA, Singapore Airlines
Krug Grande Cuvée Brut, Champagne, France
Score: 17.5

Red

1. Qantas
Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier 2005, Canberra, Australia
Score: 18.75

2. JOINT:

Emirates
Felton Road Pinot Noir 2008, Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand

Korean Air
Château Léoville Poyferré 2004, Saint-Julien, France
Score: 18.5
[Editor's note: Singapore Airlines used to serve this wine and it is indeed a great wine]

4. JOINT:

American Airlines
Chapoutier Coteaux Tricastin 2006, Rhône Valley, France

American Airlines
Château Lynch-Moussas 2006, Pauillac, France

British Airways
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 4 Pinot Noir 2007, Marlborough, New Zealand
Score: 18

White

1. TAM
Michel Picard Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chalumeaux 2006, Burgundy, France
Score: 18.5

2. British Airways
Albert Bichot Meursault 2007, Burgundy, France
Score: 18.25

3. British Airways
Salomon Lindberg Reserve Gruner Veltliner 2007, Kamptal, Austria
Score: 18

4. Cathay Pacific
Wente Riva Ranch Reserve Chardonnay 2006, Livermore Valley, San Francisco, US
Score: 17.75

5. Qatar Airways
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 18 Snap Block Sauvignon Blanc 2008, Marlborough, New Zealand
Score: 17.5

Fortified / sweet

1. Qantas
Morris of Rutherglen Old Premium Liqueur Tokay, Rutherglen, Australia
Score: 18.5

2. Emirates
Château Rieussec 2003, Domaines Lafite, France
Score: 17.75

3. ANA
Taylor’s 20-Year-Old Tawny Port, Douro, Portugal
Score: 17.5

Best first class cellar

1. Qantas
2. American Airlines
3. Qatar Airways
4. British Airways
5. Cathay Pacific

OVERALL

BEST-PRESENTED WINE LIST

1. Qantas
2. Air New Zealand
3. JOINT: ANA, Qatar Airways

CONSISTENCY OF WINES ACROSS BUSINESS AND FIRST CLASS

1. Qatar Airways
2. JOINT: American Airlines, Cathay Pacific
3. Qantas
4. British Airways
5. ANA

Read more »

The best wine cellars in the sky

Very rarely do I get an opportunity to combine my two passions of aviation and wine and write about it.

A very special thanks to the In-flight Supervisor on a recent Singapore Airlines flight who went in to the first class cellar and served me a superlative Chateau Leoville Poyferre, St. Julien, Bordeaux. Even at 35,000ft, it was one the best airborne wine experiences I had.

Recently Business Traveller magazine, judged and presented its "Cellars in the Sky" awards to various airlines.

A special congratulations to the folks at Jet Airways at making the grade.

What did surprise me is that while many wines from producing powerhouses like France, Italy, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Portugal, and Chile, made the grade, the airlines from these respective countries did not. Also missing were producers and airlines from the United States.

Cellars in the Sky: Results for 2008

Business class

Business class sparkling

1. Charles Heidsieck (Mis en Bouteille 2008), Champagne, France. Joint winners: KLM, Singapore Airlines
2. Henriot Souverain NV, Champagne, France. Joint winners: Emirates, LAN
3. Charles Heidsieck (Mis en Bouteille 2007), Champagne, France. Joint winners: Asiana, British Airways, Qantas
4. Piper-Hiedsieck NV, Champagne, France. Korean Air
5. Dom Pérignon 2000, Champagne, France. Jet Airways

Business class white

1. Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling Kabinett 2005, Mosel, Germany. Qatar Airways
2. Coldstream Hills Chardonnay 2006, Yarra Valley, Australia. Qantas
3. Highfield Sauvignon Blanc 2007, Marlborough, New Zealand. Air New Zealand
4. Bernhard Ott Fass 4 Gruner Veltliner 2007, Wagram, Austria. Austrian Airlines
5. Anakena Ona 2007, Alto Cachapoal, Chile. LAN

Business class red

1. Palliser Estate Martinborough Pinot Noir 2005, Wellington, New Zealand. Cathay Pacific
2. Cline Cellars Cool Climate Syrah 2005, Sonoma Coast, California. British Airways
3. Luis Canas Reserva 2002, Rioja, Spain. Iberia
4. Corbières Gerard Bertrand 2006, Languedoc, France. Lufthansa
5. Casa Silva Los Lingues Gran Reserva Carmenère 2005, Colchagua, Chile. KLM

Business class fortified / dessert

1. Forrest Estate Botrytised Riesling 2007, Marlborough, New Zealand. Air New Zealand
2. Niepoort Late Bottled Vintage Port 2004, Douro, Portugal. Lufthansa
3. Baileys of Glenrowan Founder Series Liqueur Muscat NV, Glenrowan, Australia. Qantas
4. Taylor’s 20-year-old Tawny Port NV, Douro, Portugal. Qatar Airways
5. Jurancon Prestige Cave de Gran Jurancon NV, Jurancon, France. Delta

Best business class cellar

1. KLM
2. Qantas
3. Air New Zealand
4. LAN
5. Qatar Airways

First class

First class sparkling

1. Piper Heidsieck Cuvée Rare NV, Champagne, France. Lufthansa
2. Krug Grande Cuvée, Champagne, France. Joint winners: ANA, Jet Airways
3. Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 1998, Champagne, France. Joint winners: LAN, Asiana
4. Charles Heidsieck 1995, Champagne, France. Qantas
5. Salon Blanc de Blancs 1997, Champagne, France. JAL

First class white

1. Wente Riva Ranch Chardonnay 2005, Monterey, California. Lufthansa
2. Coldstream Hills Reserve Chardonnay 2006, Yarra Valley, Australia. Qantas
3. Spy Valley Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2006, Marlborough, New Zealand. American Airlines
4. Joint winners: Selbach-Oster Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett 2004, Mosel, Germany. TAM; Wegeler Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling Spatlese 2005, Mosel, Germany. American Airlines
5. Manz Riesling Auslese Trocken 2005, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany. Korean Air

First class red

1. Morton Estate Pinot Noir 2005, Marlborough, New Zealand. Qatar Airways
2. Shotfire Shiraz 2005, Barossa, Australia. Lufthansa
3. Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2005, Rhône. France, Air France
4. Mungo Park Shiraz 2008, Barossa, Australia. Emirates
5. Pyrenees Ridge Reserve Shiraz 2005, Victoria, Australia. ANA

First class fortified / dessert

1. Morris of Rutherglen Old Premium Liqueur Tokay Muscat, NV, Rutherglen, Australia. Qantas
2. Graham’s Late Bottled Vintage Port 2003, Douro, Portugal. Singapore Airlines
3. Weingut Neef-Emmich Bacchus Beerenauslese 2007, Rheinhessen, Germany. Lufthansa
4. Tio Pepe Fino Sherry, NV, Andalusia, Spain. Korean Air
5. Ramos Pinto Quinta da Ervamoira Porto Ten Anos NV, Porto, Portugal. Cathay Pacific

Best first class cellar

1. Lufthansa
2. Qantas
3. TAM
4. Emirates
5. Qatar

To locate these wines, I recommend wine-searcher.com.

I have written a book entitled Wines Demystified. Please download your free copy in Adobe Acrobat format here.

Read more about the programme including judging procedures here.

Image : Wikipedia

Read more »