Bottled genius
The marks have been totted up and tallied, and glasses raised to the victorious airlines. After tasting 245 bottles from 33 carriers, our expert panel of judges has crowned the winners of the 2016 Business Traveler Cellars in the Sky Awards, handing out trophies to the airlines that served the best in-flight wines last year.
Head judge Charles Metcalfe, co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge, gave out the awards at a reception on February 21 at Trinity House in London’s Tower Hill – our thanks to Trinity House for providing the perfect venue. We also held tastings of the winning labels at the Business Travel Show at Kensington’s Olympia on February 22-23. Joining Metcalfe on the panel were Masters of Wine Sarah Abbott, Tim Atkin and Peter McCombie.
CHOOSING THE WINNERS
Airlines could take part providing they served wine in business or first class on mid- or long-haul routes. Each could enter two reds, two whites, a sparkling and a fortified or dessert wine from both their business and first class cellars. They could compete in as many categories as they liked, but to be eligible for the Best Cellar awards had to enter at least one red, white and sparkling wine.
Every bottle was blind-tasted over two days at Crowne Plaza London Kensington – our thanks to the staff and the critics for all their hard work. Wines were scored out of 100, with award-winning ones rated between 93 and 97, and anything under 75 deemed undrinkable. The judges did not know which wines were submitted by which airlines.
To calculate the Best First and Business Class Cellar awards, we took the average mark of an airline’s red, white and sparkling wines. For the Best Overall Cellar, we took all scores into account.
WHAT THE JUDGES SAID
The judges agreed that champagne was one of the strongest categories this year. “Fizz is always easy to be impressed by, and we’ve had some world-class bottles,” Metcalfe said. Atkin added: “They’re all big brands rather than grower’s champagnes, though, because there’s that reassurance in the strength of the brand. If you start with a good glass of Grand Cru or Grand Siècle, it’s easy to make a good impression early on.”
Abbott said: “In first class, there are examples of specialist wines that are quite rare. Business class is trickier because the budget is lower, but the quality of the wine is generally very good.”
Comparing wine lists is one way of distinguishing quality and the effort behind each selection. “The value of going through a list is that you get closer to the customer experience,” Abbott said. “I really liked lists that made a connection between the airline – as the ambassador for its country – and its wine and food. Although it’s tougher for those airlines to compete across an international benchmark, I think it’s a really laudable effort.”
Overall, the judges thought that the white offering was stronger than red this year. “It’s easier to get it right with whites because there are two potential pitfalls in the air for reds – one is tannin and the other is alcohol,” Metcalfe explained. “With white, you’ve only got acidity to think about.”
McCombie felt airlines could make bolder choices – less traditional wines with flavors which are enhanced at altitude. “The wines that did best were the pinot noir and syrah in various forms, which will be delicious to drink in the air,” he said. “Airlines don’t have the opportunity to give passengers ten wines on a flight, so if they choose well, and non-traditionally, they could really impress.”
HOW AIRLINES PICK WINE
Most carriers taste hundreds of wines when selecting their list but methods differ slightly. Icelandair, for example, launches an informal tender whereby suppliers pitch their ideas for menus. Working with a consultant, the airline chooses two to three suppliers to follow on to the tasting phase.
Iris Groeneweg, purchasing manager of onboard retail and service at Icelandair, says: “We usually have a mix of people participating in the tasting – wine specialists, frequent flyers, wine enthusiasts, sommeliers and airline staff.”
Lorna Green, customer experience communications manager at Qatar Airways, says the airline tries to provide a balance of wines on its list. “Age is not as important to us as the overall quality, taking into account that some wines do get better with age,” she said.
“For us, it’s more important that a wine is served at its best. We buy some wines in advance and lay them down so we can use them at a later date, when they have matured.”
FIRST CLASS
BEST FIRST CLASS RED
Gold Medal:
Japan Airlines
Kusuda Syrah 2013, Martinborough, New Zealand
Judges said:
“Rich with bloody, meaty and spicy aromas. The palate is opulent, ripe and firm with delicate tannins”
Score: 96
Silver Medal:
British Airways
Escarpment Kupe Pinot Noir 2012, Martinborough, New Zealand
Score: 95
Bronze Medal:
Malaysia Airlines
Schubert Wairarapa Syrah 2013, Martinborough, New Zealand
Score: 94.5
BEST FIRST CLASS WHITE
Gold Medal (joint):
American Airlines
Domaine René Lequin-Colin, Clos Devant Chassagne-Montrachet 2014, Burgundy, France
Judges said:
“Opulently sweeping and very impressive. So sumptuous. The palate is ripe with a lovely acidity”
Malaysia Airlines
Château La Louvière Blanc 2013, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France
Judges said:
“Gracefully aromatic. It is lively and complex and, while oaked, is very interesting”
Score: 94.5
Silver Medal:
Air France
E. Guigal Condrieu 2014, Northern Rhône, France
Score: 94
Bronze Medal:
Qantas
Flametree SRS Wallcliffe Chardonnay 2015, Margaret River, Australia
Score: 93.5
BEST FIRST CLASS SPARKLING
Gold Medal (joint):
Cathay Pacific
Qatar Airways
Krug Grande Cuvée, NV, Cotes des Blancs, Champagne, France
Judges said:
“Very fine, toasty and savory with some evolution. A lovely complex palate with lean, tangy length”
Score: 97
Silver Medal (joint):
Air France
Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 2005, France
American Airlines
Champagne Philipponnat Clos des Goisses 2007, France
Score: 96
Bronze Medal (joint):
Malaysia Airlines
Champagne Joseph Perrier Cuvée Josephine 2004, France
ANA
Champagne Louis Roederer Rosé 2010, France
Score: 95
BEST FIRST CLASS FORTIFIED/DESSERT
Gold Medal:
Singapore AirlinesGraham’s 20 Year Old Port, Douro, Portugal
Judges said:
“Wonderfully intense and complex. Deliciously wood-aged, nutty and mature”
Score: 96
Silver Medal:
Qantas
Seppeltsfield Paramount Rare Tokay, Rutherglen, Australia
Score: 95
Bronze Medal:
British Airways
Mullineaux Olerasay
Number One, NV,
Swartland, South Africa
Score: 94.5
BEST-PRESENTED FIRST CLASS WINE LIST
Cathay Pacific
BEST FIRST CLASS CELLAR
Gold Medal:
Malaysia Airlines
Silver Medal:
American Airlines
Bronze Medal (joint):
Qantas
Qatar Airways
BUSINESS CLASS
BEST BUSINESS CLASS RED
Gold Medal:
Brussels Airlines
Château d’Eyran 2012, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France
Judges said:
“Still has young, green aromatics while managing to be evolved and opulent. A good, rich oak palate”
Score: 95
Silver Medal:
Air France
Château la Sauvageonne Grand Vin 2012, AOP Terrasses du Larzac, Languedoc Roussillon, France
Score: 94
Bronze Medal (joint):
Aer Lingus
Saint Joseph “Les Challeys” 2014, Rhône Valley, France
Austrian Airlines
Neusiedlersee DAC Reserve, Zweigelt Luckenwald 2013, Burgenland, Austria
Score: 93
BEST BUSINESS CLASS WHITE
Gold Medal:
Finnair
Schloss Reinhartshausen Hattenheim Wisselbrunnen Riesling Kabinett 2014, Hattenheim, Rheingau, Germany
Judges said:
“Yummy. Honeyed and very delicious. Fruity and mature. Absolutely lovely”
Score: 95
Silver Medal:
Qantas
Voyager Estate Chardonnay 2013, Margaret River, Western Australia
Score: 94
Bronze Medal:
Qantas
Seppelt Jaluka Chardonnay 2015, Henty, Victoria, Australia
Score: 93.5
Highly commended:
Austrian Airlines
Gruber Röschitz Weinviertel DAC Hundspoint 2015,
Niedersterreich, Austria
Icelandair
St Clair Family Estate Vicar’s Choice Sauvignon Blanc 2015, Marlborough, New Zealand
Malaysia Airlines
Wairau River Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2015, Wairau Valley, Marlborough,
New Zealand
Score: 92
BEST BUSINESS CLASS SPARKLING
Gold Medal:
EVA Air
Champagne de Castelnau Blanc de Blancs Millésime 2007, France
Judges said:
“Showing more age and complexity, it is rich, round, delicious, fresh and mature”
Score: 96
Silver Medal:
British Airways
Champagne de Castelnau Brut Reserve, NV, France
Score: 95
Bronze Medal (joint):
Air Canada
Drappier Carte D’or, NV, Champagne, France
LATAM
Louis Roederer Champagne Brut Premier, NV, Reims, France
Score: 93
BEST BUSINESS CLASS FORTIFIED/SWEET
Gold Medal:
Qatar Airways
Cruz Gran Cruz Colheita Port 1992, Douro, Portugal
Judges said:
“Quite punchy and bold. It has a good length with a direct palate that has some cream and nuttiness to it”
Score: 95
Silver Medal:
Delta Air Lines
Calem 10 Year Old Tawny Port, Porto, Portugal
Score: 94
Bronze Medal:
Austrian Airlines
Kracher Beerenauslese Cuvée 2013, Neusiedlersee, Burgenland, Austria
Score: 93.5
Highly commended:
Air France
Graham’s 10 Year Old Tawny, Douro, Portugal
Score: 93
BEST BUSINESS CLASS
CELLAR
Gold Medal: EVA Air
Silver Medal: British Airways
Bronze Medal: Cathay Pacific
BEST-PRESENTED BUSINESS CLASS WINE LIST
Qatar Airways
BEST airline alliance
Oneworld
BEST OVERALL CELLAR
Gold Medal: British Airways
Silver Medal: Qantas
Bronze Medal: Qatar Airways
By Marisa Cannon
