Airlines are realising the importance of a good “cellar” on long-haul journeys.

One of my most memorable flights was with Air France in its La Première first-class cabin from Paris to Washington DC. In addition to having the four-berth cabin to myself, my own member of crew, a bed made up with thick white sheets, and a fine-dining menu with more courses than I could possibly eat, I was plied with free-flowing Laurent-Perrier 2004 Alexandra, Grand Cuvée Rosé champagne, typically retailing for close to £300 a bottle. I wished the flight could have been longer.

This year, Air France won The World Of Fine Wine’s prize for the best airline wine list in the world, with wines served including a 2014 Bourgogne Nuits-Saint-Georges Chanson Père & Fils in first class and a 2012 Saint-Estèphe Château Beau Site in business. These are the kinds of wines people are used to ordering in fancy restaurants, and Air France isn’t the only airline to recognise that a well-curated “cellar” will go far when it comes to impressing flyers. In fact, many take it so seriously as to employ renowned sommeliers such as Mr Paolo Basso (in Air France’s case) to make sure they choose labels that will work well in the air, as well as reflect the airline’s sense of identity.

Just as Air France goes in for Old World clarets and white burgundies, airlines such as Australia’s Qantas and Air New Zealand (ANZ) go for New World vintages from their home territories as a way of showcasing vineyards they are proud of. Air New Zealand, as the country’s national airline, tells MR PORTER that it has an integral role to play in not only “bringing people to its country, but in taking its country to the world”. In so doing, ANZ’s Business Premier cabins feature more than 25 different labels across eight varietals from more than 20 separate wine suppliers. Every year, 17 million flyers get to try glasses of Kiwi wine on board its flights.

What kind of wine tastes best in the sky? Because the air on planes is less humid than on the ground, this affects our taste buds, so the astringency of white whites can be more pronounced, as can the tannins in red (which create a dry mouth feel). Air pressure and, apparently, even engine noise are also an impediment. In the case of ANZ, its wine consultants lean towards sauvignon blancs and pinot noirs, which have flavours of cut grass and tropical fruit in the case of the former, and juicy red berries in the latter. Chardonnays, merlots and shiraz also work well.

Last year, British Airways first-class customers alone consumed more than 160,000 bottles of champagne, 133,000 bottles of red and 150,000 of white wine. Coming to a decision about what to pour involves consulting with a team of experts who blind taste every submission for each cabin class. Singapore Airlines does the same, with its consultants, who include Mr Oz Clarke, sampling more than 1,000 wines a year. Ms Kelly Stevenson, wine and beverage manager for BA, says: “We serve wines that keep their taste and give a round flavour from beginning to end. That doesn’t mean they have to be high in alcohol, but they do need to be robust, fruit forward and well balanced, with a good level of acidity.”

What can flyers drink at the moment? BA says: “We source and buy from all over the world, and include selections that reflect the destinations, for example Californian wines on routes to the US. We also find Old World wines work well on routes to Asia where traditional wines are more popular. Currently we’re serving a Clos Pegase chardonnay in Club World [business class], which is the most stunning wine to have at altitude with lots of lees [residual yeast] and complexity from the oak. In our First cabin, we’re offering Laurent-Perrier’s Grand Siècle and Lanson Rosé champagne, plus an amazing English sparkling wine, Gusbourne.”

If you think these airlines are going the extra mile to wow passengers, consider Dubai-based Emirates, a Middle Eastern carrier, which has spent US$780m on fine wine over the past 12 years. Since 2006, the airline has been buying wines “en primeur” when they are still in the barrel, and storing them until they are ready for consumption. The most prestigious of these make up its Vintage Collection, which was released in May of 2018. These rare French wines have been stored for up to 15 years in a dedicated cellar in Burgundy and are being served to first-class passengers for a limited time.

The vintages include a 2004 Château Haut Brion and Château Cheval Blanc, a 2001 Château Mouton Rothschild and a 1998 Château Margaux, all retailing for between £350 and £400 a bottle (much more in restaurants, of course). Great consideration has also been given to the food menu and what will pair well with the wines. On flights to Geneva, for example, people drinking the Château Cheval Blanc will be encouraged to order seared venison in a thyme jus with blanched kohlrabi, baby carrots and broccolini.

Also factoring in what passengers will be eating is Virgin Atlantic, which works with British wine merchant Berry Bros & Rudd to make its selections. Mr Alex Wheatley, inflight food and beverage service manager for Virgin Atlantic, says: “We have a process that ensures that we always have a broad range of styles, weights and flavour profiles to match our varied menu on board.” As well as a Classic and Familiar choice, flyers will be exposed to a Discovery wine such as a 2016 Monte del Frà, Bianco di Custoza, Cà del Magro, from Veneto, Italy, which Virgin describes as being dry, tangy and full bodied, with notes of Golden Delicious apples, exotic fruit and wild flowers.

Why do airlines put in all this effort and expense? Every year, Business Traveller magazine invites airlines to submit samples of the wine they serve in first and business class as part of its Cellars in the Sky airline wines awards, blind tasted and judged by a panel of experts including master of wine Mr Tim Atkin and wine critic Mr Charles Metcalfe. The magazine’s editorial director Mr Tom Otley says: “Airlines are keen to differentiate themselves from the competition, and the wines served on board are a distinctive way of doing this. For long-haul travellers who find themselves sitting in the same seat for perhaps 10 hours or longer, the food and drink offered can be more important than if they simply went to a restaurant. They are a captive audience.”

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