Australian wine shone in Business Traveller's Cellars in the Sky Awards, revealed in a ceremony in London this week.
The panel of judges, which was headed by Charles Metcalfe and included fellow International Wine Challenge co-chairs and chairs Sarah Abbott MW, Sam Caporn MW, and Peter McCombie MW, blind-tasted 240 bottles last summer to determine the best business and first class wines served by airlines last year.
33 In The 33rd Year
Appropriately, in the thirty-third year of the awards, thirty-three airlines entered, including Aegean, Aer Lingus, Aeroflot, Aircalin, Air Canada, Air France, Air Italy, Air New Zealand, Air Tahiti Nui, American Airlines, All Nippon Airways, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Cathay Dragon, Cathay Pacific, Delta Air Lines, EVA Air, Finnair, Garuda Indonesia, Iberia, Icelandair, Japan Airlines, Jet Blue, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Oman Air, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, Sri Lankan Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, and Virgin Atlantic.
Six Australian wines won medals, while Qantas, Australia's largest domestic and international airline, was the evening’s biggest airline winner, collecting the awards for Best Overall Cellar, Best First Class Cellar and Best Presented First Class Wine List.
"High Standard"
Metcalfe, who presented the awards in the Grand Ballroom of The Langham, London, asserted, "I don’t remember such a high standard ever before."
Meanwhile, McCombie commented, "The skies can be the showcase for some of the best wines, with fine examples from airlines who very much see wine as part of what their country can offer."
Award-Winning Australian Wines
The Australian wines that won awards were:
BEST FIRST CLASS WHITE
• Gold Medal: Qantas – Penfolds Reserve Bin 15A Chardonnay 2015, Adelaide Hills
• Silver Medal: Qantas – Flametree SRS Wallcliffe Chardonnay 2016, Margaret River
BEST FIRST CLASS FORTIFIED/DESSERT WINE
• Bronze Medal: Qantas – Morris of Rutherglen Wines Old Premium Rare Liqueur Muscat, Victoria
BEST BUSINESS CLASS RED
• Gold Medal: Cathay Pacific – Elderton Shiraz 2015, Barossa Valley
BEST BUSINESS CLASS WHITE
• Silver Medal: Aer Lingus – De Bortoli La Bohème Act One Riesling, 2016, Yarra Valley
BEST BUSINESS CLASS FORTIFIED/ DESSERT WINE
• Gold Medal: Qantas – Baileys of Glenrowan Founder Series Classic Muscat, Victoria
© 2019 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
