Cellars in the Sky Awards 2006

To decide the winners five judges, including a team from Wine and Spirit magazine, conducted the blind tasting sessions at the Hyatt Regency Churchill on Portman Square, and over two days they whittled the entries down to the winning selection. The winners and runners up were announced at the Business Travel Show, Earls Court on February 13, with the awards presented by wine expert Charles Metcalfe. Visitors to the Business Traveller stand at the show had the chance to take part in tasting sessions of the winning wines.

HOW AIRLINES BUY WINES

Every airline buys its wine in a different way, but there are common factors. Airlines (or the passengers they fly) get through a lot of wine. Air New Zealand calculates that it serves the equivalent of 10 Boeing 747s full of wine a year, which adds up to 4.92 million glasses of wine or 820,000 bottles; British Airways serves half a million cases of wine and 65,000 cases of champagne across all its cabins every year, while Lufthansa gets through 1.79 million bottles of red, 1.09 million bottles of white and 517,000 bottles of champagne, and Korean Air serves 60,000 cases (720,000 bottles). Qantas purchases some 1.5 million bottles of wine for its first and business class services, and serves 300-400 types of wine per year. Also constant is the need to ensure a consistent offering and supply. On long-haul routes, an airline obviously has to make sure it has supplies at both ends of the route to allow restocking for the return journey, and airlines take into account the routes too – for example, JAL changes its choices depending on the destination. But airlines also have different timelines for wine. BA changes its wine every couple of months and Korean Air every six to 12 months, whereas young airline Jet (which won Best Newcomer) has kept its wine selection the same, and will change it as it expands onto new routes. Jet Airways UK general manager Emmanuel Menu says: "When we started two years ago Indian wines weren't internationally acclaimed or well known, but we are considering them as our expansion continues internationally with new hubs in Asia, Canada and America."

THE SELECTION PROCESS

Each airline has a different method, but most tastings are done blind. British Airways won a special award for consistency of wine across all cellars. Peter Nixson, BA's wine and beverage manager, says: "Each time we purchase we will look to cover a 12-month period. We usually start with around 70-100 wines and then have a short list of about six. "It is only when we get down to that point that we start looking at the labels and the price and whether we think a particular label gives more cachet than the other. It is quality-driven." Lufthansa also selects its wine by blind tastings, with the team trying up to 50 wines each time. Uwe Hauke, head of in-flight service, says: "We don't choose by its colour or its name. It is important to have a fair competition so we serve wines no one else knows." Qantas selects its wine quarterly, with a blind tasting of around 100 wines. Peter Nixon, wine and beverage programme manager for Qantas (not to be confused with Peter Nixson of BA), also has the job of introducing "cutting-edge wines" which he feels will add to the variety and quality of the selection. At the same time, a winning wine may stay on the books. Singapore Airlines selects its wines twice a year but food and beverage manager Hermann Freidanck says: "We won Best First Class White so we will try and get more of the same for next year if the same vintage comes in." Air New Zealand won Best Business Class Wine Cellar and Most Original Business Class Wine list. Jim Harre, one of Air New Zealand's three wine consultants and retired in-flight service director, says: "We are a small country and as such we write to every winery asking them to submit wine twice a year for a tasting." The airline only serves New Zealand wines (with the exception of business class, where French champagne, Spanish sherry and Portuguese port are served). The tasting is done blind and the tasters are looking for how a wine might behave in an airline environment. But airlines also act on instinct – for example, JAL announced last month that it will be introducing Aruga Branca Clareza 2005, from the Japanese Koshu grape, during 2007 in business class and two others from local varieties in first. This was decided after positive feedback from a trial period last year.

THE IMPORTANCE OF WINE

Jet Airways Emmanuel Menu explains the importance of serving quality wine on board. "We can't offer the best product in the seat and IFE, and the best service and staff, and then serve bad wine," he says. "It is part of the whole flying experience." Peter Nixson of BA agrees: "When you buy your ticket, food and drink is maybe the sixth thing you consider, but once you are standing at the aircraft door it is probably the second thing on your mind. Particularly when you have frequent flyers – if all the elements are the same as the other airlines it is about ensuring that the ambience of the flight is correct."

A CELLAR IN THE SKY

But what makes a high-quality airline wine? One of the aspects the airline tasters think about when choosing their wine is what it will taste like at 36,000ft. Different conditions alter a wine's flavour and the pressurised cabin, acceleration and low air humidity on an aircraft can accelerate this process. But as Tim Atkin, one of the judges, points out: "It is you that is affected as much as the wine." Uwe Hauke of Lufthansa explains how the in-flight conditions can affect the wine. "The plane's acceleration means that the body has to work harder and taste is affected, so sugar and carbohydrates taste less strong and tannins and acids are intensified. Cabin pressure and low air humidity [9 per cent as opposed to 65-85 per cent on the ground] also weaken the sense of smell. So these two points lead to our wine selection: the wine must have an intensive aroma, mature acidity, rounded tannins and above all a full body." So if you have a wine with a very high tannin content, the stringency of the tannin is more pronounced, whereas higher acidity will make your mouth feel juicy and will seem quite refreshing. Jim Harre of Air New Zealand says: "A classic example is 'volatile acidity', particularly in Pinot Noir and dessert wines. In small amounts this can be attractive, but as soon as you get over a threshold then it actually comes to the detriment of the wine." ANZ won Best Business Class Red with Escarpment Martinborough Pinot Noir 2004. Tim Atkin described it as "a lovely, fragrant New Zealand Pinot Noir with lots of soft, fragrant, supple and juicy fruit. Just the sort of thing I'd like to drink in the air". While flying may affect wine over time, Peter Nixson doesn't believe the effect is immediate. "I am a firm believer that the best wine at ground level is going to be the best at 36,000 feet," he says. "It is true that dehydration and depressurisation of the cabin affect you but it doesn't happen straight away. It only starts to affect you after about three or four hours and you do most eating and drinking in the first couple of hours." Whatever the rights and wrongs of the arguments, most business travellers will agree that the commitment of airlines to the quality of their wines is one of the bonuses of frequent flying. And at Business Traveller we are pleased to be able to recognise that dedication through the latest round of our annual awards.

THE ENTRANTS

Air Canada, Air France, Air New Zealand, American Airlines, Asiana Airlines, Bmi, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, CSA Czech Airlines, Delta, El Al, Emirates, Finnair, Gulf Air, Iberia, Icelandair, Japan Airlines, Jet Airways, KLM, Korean Air, Lan, Lufthansa, Malev, Maxjet, Qantas, Qatar Airways, SAS, Singapore Airlines, SN Brussels, South African Airways, Swiss International Airlines, Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic.

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