February 2013

Niepoort @ Business Traveler NEWS

www.niepoort-vinhos.com

The annual Business Traveller Cellars in the Sky awards were presented this evening (Monday February 4) at the Dorchester hotel in London by Charles Metcalfe, co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge and food and wine matching guru.

The awards have been running since 1985, recognising the best business and first class wines served by airlines worldwide. Over 75 carriers were contacted in the summer of 2012, with a total of 33 airlines entering.

As last year, Qantas took home the greatest number of awards, winning the prizes for Best Overall Wine Cellar, Best First Class Sparkling (shared with Oman Air), Best Business Class Sparkling (shared with Singapore Airlines), and Best-Presented First Class Wine List.

Oman Air and Singapore Airlines won a further award each – the former for Best Business Class White and the latter for Best Business Class Cellar. Malaysia Airlines also picked up two prizes, for Best First Class Red and Best First Class Cellar.

Other airlines recognised for their first class wines were British Airways, which won the Best First Class White award, and All Nippon Airways, winner of the Best First Class Fortified and Sweet prize.

In the business class section, TAM Airlines took the accolade for Best Business Class Red, KLM won the Best Business Class Fortified and Sweet category, and Air New Zealand was awarded Best-Presented Business Class Wine List.

Oneworld was again named the Best Airline Alliance. For a full list of winners and placed airlines, see below.

Blind tastings took place in December 2012 at the Brigade Bar and Bistro, London, with four judges independently scoring the wines. The judges were:• Charles Metcalfe, co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge and food and wine matching guru;• Tim Atkin, Master of Wine and award-winning wine columnist;• Sam Harrop, Master of Wine and international winemaking consultant;Peter McCombie, Master of Wine and top restaurant wine consultant.The airlines that took part were: Aer Lingus, Air Astana, Air Canada, Air France, Air New Zealand, All Nippon Airways, American Airlines, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, Eva Air, Finnair, Garuda Indonesia, Iberia, Jetstar, KLM, Korean Air, LAN Airlines, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines, Oman Air, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, TAM Airlines, TAP Portugal, US Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Australia.

Cellars in the Sky Awards 2012 announced

Niepoort Colheita, 1998, isconsidered Best Business ClassFortified and Sweet Finnair

Cellars in the Sky Awards 2012 announced