Top wine selections picked by Business Traveller
Business Traveller magazine recently held its annual airline wine awards and picked a line-up of winners through socially distanced judging process.
“This year the overall standard of wines submitted was very good. It looks like airlines are trying especially hard to get passengers back on board with well chosen, delicious wines,” said Head Judge and Master of Wine Peter McCombie in the announcement of the winners.
The winning inflight wines have been revealed on the magazine's website and will be included in the April 2022 issue. The awards celebrate the best Business and First Class wines served by airlines last year.
The judges for the 2021 awards were: Masters of Wine Peter McCombie (Head Judge), Sarah Abbott and Sam Caporn and winemaker John Worontschak.
This year, Singapore Airlines claimed six gold awards, including wines for Best Overall Cellar, Best Business Class Cellar and Best First Class Cellar. Along with Singapore Airlines, winners in First Class were Qatar Airways and Korean Air. In Business Class, winners were Eva Air, LATAM, JetBlue, Singapore Airlines and TAP Air Portugal.
Business Traveller contacted airlines in late summer 2021. Blind tastings took place in line with the government’s social distancing regulations, with the four judges tasting each wine and independently scoring the wines.
This year there was no awards evening this year due to the ongoing circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic.
OVERALL CELLAR
Gold: Singapore Airlines
Silver: Qatar Airways
Bronze: British Airways
First Class winners group
FIRST CLASS
Best First Class Sparkling
Gold Medal: Korean Air – Champagne Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque 2012, France
Silver Medal Joint: Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines – Champagne Krug, Vintage 2004, France
Bronze Medal: British Airways – Champagne Laurent Perrier Grand Siecle NV, France
Best First Class White
Gold Medal: Singapore Airlines – Domaine de Montille Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru “Les Chalumeaux” 2017, France
Silver Medal: Qatar Airways – Grosset Piccadilly Chardonnay 2020, Adelaide Hills, Australia
Bronze Medal: Qatar Airways – Domaine Louis Latour Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru 2015, Burgundy, France
Highly Commended: Singapore Airlines - Benjamine Leroux Meursault 1er Cru "Genevrieres” 2017, Burgundy, France
Best First Class Red
Gold Medal: Singapore Airlines – Clonakilla O’Riada Shiraz 2015, Canberra District, Australia
Silver Medal: Oman Air – Wolf Blass Gold label Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Australia
Bronze Medal: British Airways – Château Cap de Mourlin Grand Cru Classe Saint Emilion 2012, Bordeaux, France
Best First Class Fortified
Gold Medal: Korean Air – Château Rieussec Sauternes 2013, Bordeaux, France
Silver Medal: Singapore Airlines – Graham’s 20 year old Tawney Port NV, Douro, Portugal
Bronze Medal: Qatar Airways –Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2015, South Africa
Best First Class Rosé
Gold Medal: Qatar Airways – Domaines Ott Château Romassan Bandol 2020. Provence. Côtes De Provence, France
FIRST CLASS CELLAR
Gold: Singapore Airlines
Silver: Qatar Airways
Bronze: Korean Air
Business Class winners group
BUSINESS CLASS
Best Business Class Sparkling
Gold Medal: Eva Air – Champagne Castelnau Millésime Brut 2006, France
Silver Medal: Oman Air and Cathay Pacific – Champagne Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Brut NV, France
Bronze Medal: Singapore Airlines – Champagne Piper-Heidsieck Brut 2012, France
Highly Commended: Virgin Atlantic - Hambledon NV, England
Best Business Class White
Gold Medal: Singapore Airlines – Giant Steps Chardonnay 2018, Australia
Silver Medal: Cathay Pacific – Eroica Riesling 2017, Columbia Valley, USA
Bronze Medal: Air Astana - L’Odalet Marsanne-Roussane pays d’oc 2020, Languedoc, France
Bronze Medal: JetBlue - Presqu’ile Santa Barbara County Chardonnay 2019, USA
Best Business Class Red
Gold Medal: LATAM Airlines Group – Pangea 2014, Apalta, Colchagua Valley, Chile
Silver Medal: Singapore Airlines – Lionheart of the Barossa 2017, Australia
Bronze Medal: Oman Air – Penfolds Max Shiraz Cabernet 2019, Australia
Best Business Class Rosé
Gold Medal: JetBlue – Triennes Rosé 2020, France
Best Business Class Fortified
Gold Medal: TAP Air Portugal - Graham’s 10 years old Tawney Port, Douro, Portugal
Silver Medal: Cathay Pacific - Graham’s LBV Port 2014, Douro, Portugal
Silver Medal: Singapore Airlines - Morris Classic Liqueur Muscat NV, Australia
BUSINESS CLASS CELLAR
Gold: Singapore Airlines
Silver: Oman Air
Bronze: Cathay Pacific
