C E L L A RS IN THE SKY AWA RDS
true this time – when I arrive on the final day of tasting, the judges are full of enthusiasm for the quality of the white wines in first class. Chardonnay – so oſten an object of ridicule – is
the star here, resplendent in its diversity, the only uniform aspect of the bottles being their quality. “I don’t remember such a high standard ever before,” Metcalfe says. “Te rest of the world is beginning to catch up with white burgundy.” Because of how altitude affects our sense of taste,
white wines with gentler acidity and red wines with lower tannins work best. All the same, buyers also have to meet the expectations of first and business class passengers – a discerning bunch, oſten with predilection for the superstars of the wine world. So it’s a fine balance. Bordeaux reds aren’t generally the best choice;
soſter, fruitier reds usually work better in the air. Airline buyers compromise by choosing riper vintages that cater to passengers’ demands while still pleasing the palate at 35,000 feet. A producer’s second Bordeaux might actually work better in the air than its number one offering. Te first-class reds are brought into the room, and
56
the judges begin the tasting process again. Although little is said and faces remain fairly inscrutable, one can’t help but get the impression that the tasting of these wines isn’t quite as enjoyable an experience as the whites. “Red is harder to taste than white,” explains Caporn. In fact, the judges say that they preferred the red wine offering in business class. It’s when the champagnes make their entrance that
the air really electrifies; like the wines themselves, the judges become positively effervescent. It’s a tight field, and the group admits to having more difficulty spitting them out: “Tey’re all really nice,” is the plaintive cry.
HOW AIRL INES CHOO SE THEIR WINES Rossen Dimitrov, chief operating officer of first-time entrant Air Italy, says: “In general, we assign more value to wines that can be easy to appreciate and pleasant to most people, even to those who don’t know anything in particular about wine quality.” And that’s the point: the wines should be easily
drunk. On an aircraſt, it’s unlikely that a bottle will be decanted before serving to allow it to breathe, so if that’s a requirement for a wine to taste good, then it’s probably best enjoyed at ground level. What you don’t tend to get in the air are the
fine, fine wines. Te most expensive wines served rarely top the £200 mark, and those are generally the champagnes. Which is not a surprise – as passengers don’t pay for the bottle directly, it would be somewhat foolish to offer eye-wateringly expensive bottles for which no mark-up can be charged. McCombie says: “Some airlines can be
ambassadors for their country, and as such will offer MAR CH 20 19
some local wines. Te skies can be the showcase for some of the best wines, with fine examples from airlines such as Qantas, who very much see wine as part of what their country can offer.” Dimitrov confirms this: “Key criteria
A producer’s second Bordeaux might work better at 35,000 feet than its number one offering
are to select the types of wines that our customers expect, wines that come from a good or famous wine area, and wines that have specific quality accolades – for example, AOC, DOCG, DOC, IGT. As an airline that is proudly Italian, with a high proportion of Italian passengers, it is important that we feature Italian wines where possible.” Mariya Stoyanova, head of product
development for Jetblue, agrees. “Jetblue’s wine expert, Jon Bonné, selects wines throughout the world yet makes Californian offerings a focus owing to their enormous diversity – they are wines with nuance and complexity.” Turn the page to discover our worthy winners…
AWAR DS CEREMONY Head judge Charles Metcalfe presented
the awards at a well-attended reception on February 18 at the Langham London (pictured) – our thanks to the hotel for providing the perfect venue. We also held tastings of the Gold Medal winning labels at the Business Travel Show at Kensington’s Olympia on February 20-21.
R E ADER EV ENING For your chance to taste some of the
winning wines at our Cellars in the Sky readers’ event in London on April 8, please email
events@businesstraveller.com stating your name and company.
bus ine s s tr a v el ler .c om
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