Cellars in the Sky 2014 Awards

The winners of Business Traveller's Cellars in the Sky Awards 2014 have been announced, with British Airways scooping four Gold Medals. The annual awards, which recognise the best business and first class wines served by airlines worldwide, were presented this evening at the Hilton London Paddington by Charles Metcalfe, co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge. British Airways was the biggest winner, taking the coveted Gold Medal for Best Overall Wine Cellar. It was also placed first in the Best Business Class Cellar, Best First Class Red and Best Business Class White categories. Two airlines took home two Gold Medals apiece — Singapore Airlines for Best First Class Cellar and Best First Class Fortified/Dessert, and Qantas for Best First Class Sparkling and Best Business Class Fortified/Dessert. Garuda Indonesia took the top spot for Best First Class White. Cathay Pacific won the Gold Medal for Best Business Class Sparkling, and Finnair for Best Business Class Red. El Al was placed first in the Best-Presented Wine List category. Oneworld was once again named the Best Airline Alliance. A full list of winners is below. Business Traveller contacted more than 75 airlines in summer 2014, and 35 entered. Blind tastings took place in London in December, with five judges independently scoring the wines. Along with head judge Metcalfe, the others were: Tim Atkin, Oz Clarke and Peter McCombie, co-chairmen of the International Wine Challenge, and panel chairman Richard Bampfield. The airlines that took part were: Aer Lingus, Air Berlin, Air Canada, Air France, Air Mauritius, American Airlines, ANA, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Delta Air Lines, El Al, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Eva Air, Finnair, Garuda Indonesia, Gulf Air, Hawaiian Airlines, Jetstar, Kenya Airways, KLM, Korean Air, LAN, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, SATA International, SAS, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, TAM Airlines, TAP Portugal, United and Virgin Atlantic. Business Traveller's Cellars in the Sky Awards have been running since 1985. For more information and images for publications, please contact Kirsty Clark at [email protected] or tel +44 (0)20 7821 2719.

FULL LIST OF WINNERS AND SHORTLISTED AIRLINES

BEST FIRST CLASS RED

• Gold Medal: British Airways – Kiwa by Escarpment Pinot Noir 2011, Martinborough, New Zealand
• Silver Medal: British Airways – Château Lagrange 2004, Saint-Julien, Bordeaux, France
• Bronze Medal (JOINT): Air France – Clos de l'Oratoire des Papes 2010, Châteauneuf du Pape, France; Etihad Airways – Château du Tertre 2006, Margaux, Bordeaux, France

BEST FIRST CLASS WHITE

• Gold Medal: Garuda Indonesia – Domaine Marc Morey & Fils, Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru En Virondot 2009, Burgundy, France
• Silver Medal: Qantas – Delatite Riesling 2006, Mansfield, Central Victoria, Australia
• Bronze Medal (JOINT): Singapore Airlines – Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc 2013, Marlborough, New Zealand; TAM Airlines – Dr Bürklin-Wolf Gaisböhl Riesling 2009, Ruppertsberg, Pfalz, Germany

BEST FIRST CLASS SPARKLING

• Gold Medal: Qantas – Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, 2000, France
• Silver Medal: Emirates, Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines – Champagne Dom Pérignon 2004, Moët & Chandon, France
• Bronze Medal: Etihad Airways – Champagne Gosset Grand Millésime 2004 Brut, France

BEST FIRST CLASS FORTIFIED/DESSERT

• Gold Medal: Singapore Airlines – Château Filhot 2009, Sauternes, Bordeaux, France
• Silver Medal (JOINT): British Airways – Mullineux Straw Wine 2013, Mullineux Family Wines, South Africa; Korean Air – Château Rieussec 2006, Sauternes, Bordeaux, France
• Bronze Medal: American Airlines – PX Alvear Solera 1927, Montilla, Spain

BEST FIRST CLASS CELLAR

• Gold Medal: Singapore Airlines
• Silver Medal: British Airways
• Bronze Medal: Qantas
• Commended: American Airlines, ANA

BEST BUSINESS CLASS RED

• Gold Medal: Finnair – Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir 2012, Marlborough, New Zealand
• Silver Medal: Finnair – Nicolas Perrin Crozes-Hermitage 2012, France
• Bronze Medal: EL AL – Ela, 2012, Galil Mountain, Galilee, Israel

BEST BUSINESS CLASS WHITE

• Gold Medal: British Airways – Rémi Niero Condrieu Les Ravines 2012, France
• Silver Medal: Jetstar – De Bortoli Yarra Valley Estate Grown Chardonnay 2012, Victoria, Australia
• Bronze Medal: Jetstar – The Ned Sauvignon Blanc 2013, Waihopai River, Marlborough, New Zealand

BEST BUSINESS CLASS SPARKLING

• Gold Medal: Cathay Pacific – Champagne Cuvée William Deutz Brut Millésimé 2000, France
• Silver Medal: Eva Air – Champagne de Castelnau Blanc de Blancs Millésimé 2002, France
• Bronze Medal: Korean Air – Champagne Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut, France

BEST BUSINESS CLASS FORTIFIED/DESSERT

• Gold Medal: Qantas – Baileys of Glenrowan, Founder Series Classic Muscat, Victoria, Australia
• Silver Medal (JOINT): Etihad Airways – Gramp’s Botrytis Semillon 2011, Riverina, New South Wales, Australia; LAN and TAM Airlines – Croft Late Bottled Vintage Port 2007, Portugal
• Bronze Medal (JOINT): Emirates – Dalva 1985 Colheita Port, Portugal; Garuda Indonesia – De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon 2011, Riverina, Australia

BEST BUSINESS CLASS CELLAR

• Gold Medal: British Airways
• Silver Medal: Jetstar
• Bronze Medal: Korean Air
• Commended: Eva Air, Cathay Pacific

BEST-PRESENTED WINE LIST

• Gold Medal: El Al
• Silver Medal: Brussels Airlines
• Bronze Medal (JOINT): Finnair, Qantas

BEST OVERALL WINE CELLAR

• Gold Medal: British Airways
• Silver Medal: Qantas
• Bronze Medal: Singapore Airlines
• Commended: Cathay Pacific

BEST AIRLINE ALLIANCE

• Oneworld