American Airlines scoops wine awards

American Airlines has been named the winner of the Best First Class Wine Cellar prize in the Cellars in the Sky 2006 Awards, for the quality of its overall selection of beverages.

Organized by Wine & Spirit Magazine, UK Business Traveller magazine, and the International Wine Challenge, the annual event recognizes the finest pours aboard international airlines.

American Airlines also scooped the Wild Card Wine award for its Lustau La Plaza Vieja sherry. Air New Zealand picked up the awards for Best Business-Class Red, Best Business-Class Cellar, and the Most Original Business-Class Cellar.

Mary McKee, Managing Director of Onboard Products at the carrier, said: "American Airlines takes great pride in selecting fine wines for our passengers." To that end, the airline has just installed a new Wine Consultant, Diane Teitelbaum.

Ed Sims, General Manager of Star Alliance member Air New Zealand, expressed his delight at cleaning up at a competition contested by more carriers than ever before, since the event began in 1985.

"This international recognition is fantastic and reinforces what we and our customers knew all along - that New Zealand wines really are show-stoppers," he said.

Tasting and testing for the competition was undertaken by Peter McCombie, New Zealand Master of Wine, Derek Smedley, International Wine Challenge Co-Chairman, and Tim Atkin, UK wine writer, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in London.

© Adfero Ltd

Comments

[Jan McClintock]

The dessert port wine served on the Boeing 777 from LGW to DFW in First Class was the best I have ever had, but I can't remember the name of it. Can you help me with this? Feb, 2008. Thank you so much.