Air N.Z. wins wine award again

Press, 11 January 1986, Page 4

Air N.Z. wins wine award again

By

ROBIN CHARTERIS,

London correspondent. Air New Zealand has brought a vintage 1985 year to a close with yet another international award, this time for serving the best wines on its business class passenger services. It is the second year in a row Air New Zealand has topped the purvey, conducted by Britain’s Business Traveller Magazine, of wines served on 20 major international airlines. Its 1984 Montana Cabernet Sauvignon and Montana Chardonay were voted second best red and fourth best white wine respectively, to put Air New Zealand on top of the survey ahead of South African Airways and Qantas. At the bottom of the table, with both its French red and white wines, was British Airways. A panel of eight blindfolded judges tasted wines served by 20 airlines. The best red wine in the survey was Pam Am’s Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 1981. The best white wine

was Qantas’ Polleys Reisling. Last year Air New Zealand was first overall in a similar survey by the magazine. Its 1983 Montana wines came first in the white and third in the red category. Air New Zealand’s London sales manager, Mr Garry Court, said success in the second poll showed the win last year was no fluke. “We are very chuffed,” he said. The survey also highlighted the quality of southern hemisphere wines. The three leading airlines all served indigenous wines from southern hemisphere countries. Air New Zealand’s reputation for providing high quality service was further enhanced in 1985 when it was voted best international carrier operating from the United States for the fifth year in a row, by readers of U.S. Travel and Holiday Magazine. It was also voted best carrier to the South Pacific for the third year in succession, by readers of U.K. Executive Travel Magazine.