The results of Business Traveller’s Cellars in the Sky 2006 Awards were announced this week at the Business Travel Show at Earls Court. The awards celebrate the best wines served by airlines in business and first class, with a record 35 airlines taking part.
The awards were one of the most hotly contested in the competition’s history, and 14 airlines and organisations were awarded a coveted Cellars in the Sky trophy, presented by renowned wine expert and co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge Charles Metcalfe.
Among the winners, Air New Zealand won three awards – Best Business Class Red Wine, Best Business Class Cellar, and Most Original Business Class Wine List. Qantas won in two categories, Best Business Class Sparkling Wine and Most Original First Class Wine List, while British Airways came out on top in the Best First Class Fortified or Sweet and Best First Class Wild Card (joint with American Airlines) categories. BA also won the judges’ award for Consistency of Wines Across Business and First Class, having been placed in a total of eight of the categories.
The judges also decided to award two new gongs this year – the Best Newcomer award, which went to Indian carrier Jet Airways, and the Special Award 2006, which was presented to Taittinger for its outstanding performance as a supplier. The producer saw its champagnes take the top three spots in the Best First Class Sparkling Wines category. Meanwhile Oneworld walked away with the award for Best Airline Alliance, with Star Alliance in second place and Sky Team in third.
The Cellars in the Sky Awards are run in association with Wine & Spirit magazine and the International Wine Challenge, with the blind tastings taking place over two days at the Hyatt Regency Churchill by four leading wine experts. For more information on the awards see the March 2006 issue of Business Traveller.
Full Results
Business Traveller Cellars in the Sky: Results 2006
Business Class
Best Business Class White
1. Korean Air
Pierre Sparr Gewurztraminer Mambourg 2002, France
2. Qantas
Eileen Hardy Chardonnay 2004, Australia
3. (Joint) Thai Airways
Saint Aubin Premier Cru Les Charmias Michel Picard 2003, France
Japan Airlines
Wurzburg Abtsleite Riesling 2005 Kabinett, Germany
4. Icelandair
Clay Station Viognier 2005, California
5. (Joint) British Airways
Finca Las Moras Reserva Chardonnay 2004, Argentina
Cathay Pacific
Framingham Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2005, New Zealand
Best Business Class Red
1. Air New Zealand
Escarpment Martinborough Pinot Noir 2004, New Zealand
2. Gulf Air
Domaine Tournon Mount Benson Shiraz 2003, M Chapoutier, Australia
3. Iberia
Baron de Ley Gran Reserva 1996, Spain
4. Lan
Santa Helena 2003, Chile
5. Singapore Airlines
Chateau Marquis de Terme 1998, France
Best Business Class Sparkling
1. Qantas
Charles Heidseck Mis En Cave 2001, France
2. Air France
Bollinger NV France
3. (Joint) KLM/Korean Air/Japan Airlines
Piper Heidsieck NV, France
4. Emirates
Perrier Jouet Grand Brut NV, France
5. (Joint) Lan
Henriot NV, France
Jet Airways
Dom Perignon 1998, France
Best Business Class Fortified or Sweet
1. Lufthansa
Graham’s Late Bottled Vintage 2000, Portugal
2. (Joint) Qantas
Cookoothama Botrytis Semillon 2005, Australian
Singapore Airlines
Dow Late Bottled Port 2001, Portugal
3. (Joint) Finnair
Chateau Guiraud 1er Cru 2000, France
Korean Air
Tio Pepe Sherry NV, Spain
Emirates
Warres Port LBV 2000, Portugal
4. (Joint) Gulf Air
De Bortoli Noble One 2003, Australia
American Airlines
Graham’s Malvedos Vintage Port 1998, Portugal
5. British Airways
Warres LBV Port 1995, Portugal
Best Business Class Wild Card
1. Finnair
Niepoort 20 years Tawny, Portugal
2. United Airlines
Selbach Oster Riesling 2004, Germany
3. Air New Zealand
Cottage Block Marlborough Noble Riesling 2002, New Zealand
4. British Airways
Domaine du Pere Pape Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2004, France
5. Icelandair
D’Arenberg Shiraz McClaren Vale 2003, Australia
First Class
Best First Class White
1. Singapore Airlines
Urziger Wurzgaten Riesling Spatlese 2004, Germany
2. American Airlines
Sileni Sauvignon Blanc 2005, New Zealand
3. El Al
Blanc du Castel Jerusalem Haute Judée
4. United Airlines
Schlumberger Pinot Gris 2002, France
5. Lufthansa
Kiedrich Gräfenberg 2004, Germany
Best First Class Red
1. (Joint) Japan Airlines/Qatar
Château Pichon Longueville Baron 1998, France
2. Korean Air
Chateau Lascombes 1999, France
3. Qantas
Clonakilla Canberra Shiraz-Viognier 2005, Australia
4. South African Airways
Anura Syrah-Mourvedre Reserve 2003, South Africa
5. Emirates
Chateau Palmer 1997, France
Best First Class Sparkling
1. Asiana Airlines
Taittinger Comte de Champagne 1996, France
2. Lufthansa
Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 1997, France
3. (Joint) Japan Airlines/Lan
Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 1995, France
4. (Joint) British Airways
Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millenaires1995, France
United Airlines
Pommery Grand Cru 1995, France
5. American Airlines
Piper-Heidsieck NV, France
Best First Class Fortified or Sweet
1. British Airways
Warre’s 1988 Colheita, Portugal
2. American Airlines
Graham’s Malvedos Vintage Port 1998, Portugal
3. Lufthansa
Riesling Beerenauslese Schweicher Annaberg 2005, Germany
4. (Joint) Gulf Air
De Bortoli Noble One 2003, Australia
Asiana Airlines
Blandy’s 10 Year Old Malmsey Madeira, Portugal
5. (Joint) Singapore Airlines
Graham 20 Year Old Tawny Port, Portugal
Lan
Graham’s Port 2000, Portugal
Best First Class Wild Card
1. (Joint) British Airways
St Hallett Old Block Shiraz 2002, Australia
American Airlines
Lustau La Plaza Vieja Amontillado, Spain
2. Qatar Airways
Mt Difficulty Pinot Noir 2004, New Zealand
3. (Joint) Japan Airlines
Vina Errazuriz Don Maximiano Founder’s Reserve, Chile
Qantas
Katnook Estate Odyssey Cabernet Sauvignon 2000, Australia
4. United Airlines
Selbach Oster Riesling 2004, Germany
5. Cathay Pacific
Chateau Lynch Bages 2001, France
Overall Awards
Best Business Class Cellar
Winner
Air New Zealand
Runners Up
Qantas
Thai airways
Jet Airways / Air France
Korean Air
Best First Class Cellar
Winner
American Airlines
Runners Up
British Airways
Singapore Airlines
United Airlines
Lufthansa
Best Airline Alliance
OneWorld
Star Alliance
Sky Team
Most Original Business Class Wine List
Winner
Air New Zealand
Runners Up
SN Brussels
Finnair
Most Original First Class Wine List
Winner
Qantas
Runners Up
Qatar Airways
Asiana Airlines
Consistency Of Wines Across Business and First Class
Winner
British Airways
Runners Up
Qantas
Thai Airways
Singapore Airlines
Korean Air
Special Award 2006
Winner
Taittinger
Best Newcomer
Winner
Jet Airways
