Sip up: British Airways introduces award-winning English Sparkling wines in Club World

by James Wilkinson

British Airways has introduced some exciting, award-winning English Sparkling wines in its Club World (business class) cabin and customers can now enjoy the ‘best of British’ bubbles at 35,000ft.

The airline’s Master of Wine has worked carefully with several award-winning wineries to source, taste and select a range of English Sparkling wines for customers to sample in the comfort of their seat.

The introduction of four English Sparkling wines in Club World will be a first for the airline, previously only available in the airline’s First cabin with Hattingley Valley from Hampshire.

The four English Sparkling wine options will be available on a rotational basis, changing every three months. This means that customers will be able to choose from two sparkling options when travelling in Club World, including the current Champagne resident Heidsieck and Co. Monopole Silver Top Non-Vintage Champagne, and now an exclusive English Sparkling wine option.

The first English Sparkling wine will be the Digby Fine English Brut NV, which has over three years’ maturation, giving it great complexity and finesse for customers to savour. This wine pairs well with delicate dishes on the airline’s Club World menu, such as the grilled cod with sweet potato mousseline, mozzarella mezzaluna or an after-dinner selection of cheeses.

From July, the airline will serve the Balfour Rosé de Noirs, grown on the Balfour Hush Heath Estate in Kent, and made only from red grapes. This lighter rosé sparkling wine is an exclusive blend for British Airways, making it only available at 35,000ft for customers in the airline’s Club World cabin.

Later in the year, Simpsons Chalklands Cuvee Brut NV, from Kent will be available from October for three months. This epitomises English elegance and is pale gold in colour, with delicate notes of crisp green apple. Finally, Wiston Estate Brut NV from the South Downs, is refreshing in flavour, with citrus and toasty notes and available for customers to try in the airline’s Club World cabin from January 2024.

British Airways’ Director of Onboard Experience, Sajida Ismail, said: “We know English Sparkling wines have attracted international acclaim over the years and are only growing in popularity, so we’re really excited to offer our customers English Sparkling wines in our Club World cabin.

“We’re really proud to work with four of the very best wine producers across England to celebrate British provenance and bring exclusive sparkling options for customers to try for themselves on board.”

The airline continues to spotlight a destination through its premium wine selection, celebrating a different destination in its network each quarter. In April, the airline will spotlight wines from the regions surrounding the city of Porto, Portugal, in its Club World and First cabins, including Anselmo Mendes’ Muros Antigos Loureiro Vinho Verde and Casa Ferreirinha’s Callabriga Douro.

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