the winners of Business traveler'The Cellars in the Sky Awards 2023 have been announced, supported by Esclans Castle.
This year I saw Qantas win gold medals in a total of nine categories, for Best Business Class White, Best Business Class Red, Best Business Class Winery, Best First Class Sparkling Wine, Best First Class White, Best First Class Red, Best First Class Fortified/Dessert Wine, Best Premium Winery and Best Overall Winery.
Meanwhile Singapore Airlines won gold medals for Best Business Class Sparkling Wine and Best Presented First Class Wine List, and a world won Gold in the Best Alliance category.
Other gold medal winners included united airlines, Oman air, Privateer, Qatar airlines, Lufthansa, TAP Air Portugal and Malaysia airlines.
Now in its 38th year, Cellars in the Sky has been operating since 1985 and celebrates the finest business and premium wines served by airlines on their flights.
Late last year, a panel of expert judges met at Haberdashers' Hall in Smithfield, London, to select the best bottles served by airlines in business and first class in 2023.
The judges were winemaker John Worontschak, Masters of Wine Sam Caporn and Peter McCombie, and head judge Charles Metcalfe, founder of the International Wine Challenge.
The contest is open to any carrier serving wine in business class or first class on medium or long-haul routes. Each airline is invited to enter two reds, two whites, one rosé, one sparkling and one fortified or dessert wine from both cabins.
They can compete in as many categories as they want, but to be eligible for the Best Overall Winery award, they must enter at least one red, one white and one sparkling wine. By 2023, 30 airlines will enter.
business traveler I would like to thank Esclans Castle for supporting the 2023 Cellars in the Sky Awards, as well as Bottega for sponsoring the reception drinks and our other sponsors. The uncommon, The pickle house and Peppers.
For the full list of winners and shortlisted wines, Click here.
