Cellars in the Sky 2021

The winners of Business Traveller’s Cellars in the Sky Awards 2021 have been announced, with Singapore Airlines winning six gold awards including Best Overall Cellar.

Now in its 36th year, Cellars in the Sky has been running since 1985, and celebrates the best business and first class wines served by airlines on their flights.

Singapore Airlines scooped gold medals for Best First Class White, Best First Class Red, Best First Class Cellar, Best Business White, Best Business Class Cellar and Best Overall Cellar.

Meanwhile Korean Air won gold medals in the Best First Class Sparkling and Best First Class Fortified categories, Qatar Airways walked away with Best First Class Rosé, Eva Air scooped a gold medal for Best Business Class Sparkling, LATAM triumphed in the Best Business Class Red category, Jetblue won gold for Best Business Class Rosé, and TAP Air Portugal scooped Best Business Class Fortified.

The judges for the 2021 awards were: Masters of Wine Peter McCombie (Head Judge), Sarah Abbott and Sam Caporn, and winemaker John Worontschak.

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.

Commenting on this year’s awards Head Judge and Master of Wine Peter McCombie said:

“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.”

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 Bass 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 Tawny 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 Airways

BUSINESS CLASS

Best Business Class Sparkling

• Gold Medal: Eva Air – Champagne Castelnau Millésimé 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 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 S.A. – 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 Tawny 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

OVERALL CELLAR

• Gold: Singapore Airlines
• Silver: Qatar Airways
• Bronze: British Airways