The Airlines With the Best Wine Lists!

Oenophiles, rejoice: these days, some of the best wine you might ever drink could be at 35,000 feet.

From Taittinger champagne to 40-year-old tawny ports, the wines offered onboard the world’s top airlines are reaching completely new heights. But which carriers are doing wine programs best? We asked a panel of sommeliers and wine experts from across the country to pick out the top five wine lists in the air this fall for premium class passengers.

1. Emirates
Though their business class wine list varies by route and regularly changes to complement the chef’s latest menu, passengers can expect a beautifully curated selection of old and new world wines from both large and small producers across the globe. This fall, on outbound flights to New York from Doha, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi, passengers will enjoy complex white blends like the Gerard Bertrand Cigalus 2013; crisp, floral sauvignon blancs like the Saint Michael-Eppan Sauvignon Lahn 2014; and powerful reds like the Couvent des Jacobins Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2006.

“Emirates’ wine list is very focused, well-balanced, and really goes after quality in the bottle versus the marketing factor,” says Alex Berlingeri, the beverage director at New York’s Sant Ambroeus, Casa Lever, Felice, and Regency Bar & Grill. “The 2011 Coup de Foudre Cabernet Sauvignon is a great wine that’s perfect with red meat dishes, and the 2000 Warre Colheita Tawny Port is a good dessert wine with many layers—complex with a touch of mineral finish—and should drink perfectly now.”

2. Singapore Airlines

Considering that Singapore Airlines’ wine list is curated by not one but three wine consultants—including Master of Wine Jeannie Cho Lee—who collectively test over 1,600 bottles a year, it’s no surprise that the carrier makes the list. Business class passengers can expect to enjoy everything from Taittinger Prelude Grands Crus Champagne, to vibrant reds like the ripe and plummy 2012 Mr. Riggs “The Gaffer” Shiraz from South Australia. First and "Suites" classes are famous for their champagne selection, which includes Dom Perignon and Krug Grand Cuvée in tandem.

“Singapore Airlines offers the best variety and really covers all of the bases,” says VINEBOX wine club founder and CEO Matt Dukes, who studied traditional winemaking in Bordeaux. “I like the Balthasar Ress Riesling and 2012 Cambria Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay. And I love the tawny port: post dinner, after a bit of work or a movie, it’s exactly what I want before my in-flight nap.”

3. American Airlines

American Airlines’ award-winning wine program was recently revamped with the help of wine consultant Ken Chase, who tasted his way through nearly 5,000 different varietals to develop the carrier’s impressive new wine list. (To keep up with its newly redesigned in-flight menu, no doubt). Louis Roederer Brut Vintage champagne kicks off a thoughtfully curated wine program that highlights both local and international producers. Standouts include the Aaldering Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot from Stellenbosch, South Africa, and the Chateau St. Jean Robert Young Vineyard Chardonnay from Alexander Valley, California.

“I’m excited about American Airlines’ wine list because it highlights smaller producers. GD Vajra is a producer I work with, and so I love to see them on a large commercial airline—the 2012 Barbera they offer onboard is lovely,” says Kathryn Weil Coker, sommelier and wine director at the newly-opened Esters Wine Shop & Bar in Santa Monica, California. “I also love the fact that American offers multiple sherries—the Lustau Amontillado La Plaza Viejo and Pedro Ximenez—which is unconventional and very current.”

4. Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways takes its wine seriously: last year, the Doha-based carrier hired Master of Wine James Cluer to climb atop 19,331-foot Mount Kilimanjaro armed with nine bottles of wine, in order to learn how altitude affects their taste. In his arsenal: Taittinger rosé champagne, a 2007 Château Monbousquet Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, and a 1974 Kopke tawny port from Portugal’s Douro Valley. (Not surprisingly, all three made the cut and can be enjoyed on flights this fall).
“The St Hallett Faith Barossa Valley Shiraz 2011 and Bouchard Père et Fils Beaune du Château 2010 are both good wines,” adds Berlingeri of Qatar’s selection. “But the Taittinger rosé is my favorite.”"Qatar's list is stunning—you can't go wrong," concurs Dukes. "But for me, the standout is the Château Monbousquet Saint-Emilion Grand Cru. Then again, I lived about 30 minutes away from the lovely Saint-Emilion, so there may be a bit of bias there."

5. Etihad Airways

Etihad’s wine program, curated by a team of independently-qualified sommeliers, varies per route and is widely lauded for favoring lesser-known boutique estates from around the world. Should you need help deciding between the Brancott Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand or the Grauer Burgunder Trocken from Rheinhessen, Germany, there are in-flight beverage managers on hand to assist.

“I like Etihad’s wine list because it's well-rounded but not obvious, with lots of familiar varieties, but not from the expected big-name commercial producers, which is awesome,” says Coker. “I'm particularly excited about the Chenin Blanc from Cederberg Private Cellar—it’s a crisp, high-acid white that will turn Sauvignon Blanc lovers onto this variety.”

Honorable Mention: KLM

“KLM is quite heavy on new vintages—but sometimes a young wine is exactly what you want on a flight,” says Dukes of the Dutch carrier’s wine list, which is selected by a blind tasting panel. “They do a great job of offering wines from around the world. I’ll have the 2014 Matetic Corralillo Chardonnay at take-off, and the full-bodied and balanced 2011 Dehasa La Granja with my meal.”

Source: www.cntraveler.com/