Qantas scoops international airline wine competition awards
By John Walton, February 5 2013
Qantas is hands down the airline with the best wine, according to the prestigious 2012 Cellar in the Sky awards, with business class drops particularly lauded by the Master of Wine-laden judging panel.
It's the second year in the row that Qantas takes home the most Cellars in the Sky awards, which have run since 1985, with oneworld alliance airlines and new Qantas partner Emirates also placing highly.
The Red Roo can claim a raft of prizes, including:
- Best Overall Wine Cellar
- Best Presented First Class Wine List
- Best Business Class Sparkling (the Charles Heidsieck)
- Best First Class Sparkling (the Taittinger Comtes de Champagne)
- runner up in the Best First Class Fortified and Sweet (the Seppeltsfield Paramount Collection Rare Muscat from Rutherglen)
Qantas also shares in the award for Best Airline Alliance, which goes to oneworld.
Jetstar is the surprise runner-up in Best Business Class White, with the Main Divide Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.
Punching well above its weight is oneworld new arrival Malaysia Airlines, which took Best First Class Cellar, Best First Class Red (Schubert Marion's Vineyard Pinot Noir), and second place in the Best First Class Sparkling (Dom Pérignon).
Qantas' new partner Emirates is another airline wine fans should note, bringing home second places finishes in Best First Class Red (the Château Clinet Pomerol), Best First Class White (the August Kesseler Lorcher Schlossberg Alte Reben Riesling Spätlese), and the third place in Best Business Class White (the Metis Sauvignon Blanc from Trinity Hills/Pascal Jolivet).
The overall best business class cellar went to Singapore Airlines, with Air New Zealand the well-deserved winner of Best-Presented Business Class Wine List.
Full details: Cellars in the Sky
Check out AusBT's extensive coverage of what to drink in the air:
- What's the best wine in the air? Award-winner Malaysia Airlines' Master of Wine, Australian Ron Georgiou, has some recommendations
- Pour yourself a glass of something delicious and join us on an eight course, ten wine dégustation menu in Etihad's Diamond First Class between Sydney and Abu Dhabi
- Which oneworld London Heathrow lounges have the best wine? We focus on wine in our guides to the best Terminal 3 lounges if you're wielding a Qantas Platinum card/flying first class or Qantas Gold card/flying business class
- Check out Air New Zealand's nifty no-spill wine glasses — we've got a video to show you how they work
- When the wine isn't up to snuff, check out six hand luggage-friendly supplies to bring with you to spice up drinks o'clock in the airport lounge
- And if you're bringing wine home, here are our top tips to pack it safely to avoid a Burgundy-stained suitcase
- On which note: wine flies free on Alaska Airlines — why not in Australia?
Aviation journalist and travel columnist John took his first long-haul flight when he was eight weeks old and hasn't looked back since. Well, except when facing rearwards in business class.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 May 2011
Total posts 732
Congratulations to QF and in a broader sense OW. While I (and others on this forum) have been critical about QF on different aspects, I have to admit that their wine (and food in FIrst) is outstanding and easily rivals and often tops the likes of EK, NH and TG.
Great that their Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc des Blanc won first prize. Most carriers go for Dom Perignon or Krug Grande Cuvee (also not bad) but I particuularly like Tait. Suprised by JQ white, but I guess JQ probably shares the same supplier as QF and the procurement of wines is a joint effort.
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