KEY POINTS:
New Zealand wines - and Air New Zealand's business-class wine list, in particular - seem to be just what the discerning air traveller wants.
In the Cellars in the Sky Awards, announced last week, Air NZ scooped the prizes for the best business-class cellar, the most original business-class cellar, and the best business-class red, making it the most successful airline overall.
New Zealand wines also collected several awards for other airlines.
The Cellars in the Sky Awards are run by the British-based Business Traveller magazine in conjunction with Wine and Spirit magazine and the International Wine Challenge competition.
This year was the 21st time the awards have been run and they attracted a record 35 entries, including virtually all the world's top airlines.
To win the two overall awards for the best and most original wine cellars, Air NZ submitted its overall list, plus five individual wines. One of those, Escarpment Martinborough pinot noir 2004, won the award for the best red. The Cottage Block Marlborough noble riesling 2002 took third place for the best business-class wild card.
Cathay Pacific gained equal fifth place for the best white wine, with Framingham Marlborough sauvignon blanc 2005.
The award for the best first-class wine cellar went to American Airlines.
That success was partly attributable to Seleni sauvignon blanc 2005, which was judged the second of the whites on offer in first class.
The Mt Difficulty pinot noir 2004 served by Qatar Airways took second spot in the first-class wild card section.
Ed Sims, general manager of Air NZ's international airline, said the awards - and the fact that it was the second year running the airline was judged to be serving the best business-class red - "reinforces what we and our customers knew all along - that New Zealand wines really are show-stoppers".
