Dec 11
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Yardley, PA (PRWEB) August 2, 2010
Global Traveler, the only ABC-audited magazine for business and luxury travelers, is releasing the results of its sixth annual Wines on the Wing International Business Class Airline Wine Competition.
The contest was held May 24 at Delmonicos Restaurant in New York City. Thirty expert judges participated in the blind tasting of airlines white, red and sparkling wines. The judges hailed from a wide range of specialties, including sommeliers, wine shop owners and winemakers. In total, 26 airlines participated and over 115 samples were tasted.
Airlines are required to submit five different wines two red wines, two white wines and one sparkling wine/Champagne to be eligible for the Best Overall Wines on the Wing award. This year, 49 reds, 46 whites and 23 sparkling wines were submitted and the overall winner was Austrian Airlines. This is the first time Austrian Airlines has been named a winner in our survey.
The runner-up in the overall category, Qatar Airways, took home top honors in the Best White Wine category, with their Selbach Oster Riesling Kabinett 2007. Qatar also won this award in the 2009 survey.
The best airline Champagne/sparkling wine was Jet Airways Lanson Noble Cuve Brut Millsime 1999. Jet Airways also placed in the overall category, taking the No. 7 position.
When it came to red wine, Iberia Airlines reigned supreme. The airlines Condado de Haza Crianza 2006, Ribera del Duero was the favored choice. This is Iberias first survey win since taking the overall category in 2008.
For the second consecutive year, Global Traveler awarded the Best North American Wines on the Wing. North American airlines submitted first-class wine samples. (In instances where first class was not applicable, samples from domestic business class were accepted.)
American Airlines dominated the category, taking top honors in Best North American Wines on the Wing, Best North American Sparkling Wine (Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut) and Best North American Red Wine (Murphy-Goode Cabernet Sauvignon).
When it came to white wines, Virgin America was the cream of the crop. The airlines Mirassou Sauvignon Blanc was the finest domestic white on offer.
For the first year, Global Traveler has awarded the Best Alliance Wines on the Wing. The participating airlines were divided by their airline alliance. The overall points for each airline were tallied and averaged to determine the alliance with the highest total. Congratulations to the oneworld alliance and its participating airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Iberia Airlines, LAN and Mexicana Airlines.
Competition director Eunice Fried spends months preparing for the blind tasting. Fried, an accomplished wine journalist and respected wine expert, resides in New York City.
Global Traveler is the only U.S.-based publication to conduct such a survey in the United States.
We are incredibly proud of our wine survey, said Francis X. Gallagher, publisher and CEO, Global Traveler. We strive to bring our readers the most comprehensive information on travel and lifestyle. The details matter, and that is the reason we spend months working on our wine survey. A big congratulations to all the winners.
The top 10 airlines in each category are:
BEST WINES ON THE WING
1.Austrian Airlines
2.Qatar Airways
3.TAM Brazilian Airlines
4.South African Airways
5.Emirates
6.Mexicana Airlines
7.LAN
8.Jet Airways
9.Lufthansa
10.American Airlines
BEST SPARKLING WINE
1.Jet Airways
2.Qatar Airways
3.Alitalia
4.British Airways
5.Oman Air
6.American Airlines
7.Lufthansa
8.Austrian Airlines
9.Mexicana Airlines
10.LAN
BEST WHITE WINE
1.Qatar Airways
2.Emirates
3.American Airlines
4.LAN
5.United Airlines
6.Austrian Airlines
7.Austrian Airlines
8.Alitalia
9.TAM
10.British Airways
BEST RED WINE
1.Iberia Airlines
2.South African Airways
3.Austrian Airlines/Iberia Airlines (TIE)
4.South African Airways
5.LAN
6.American Airlines
7.Lufthansa
8.Mexicana Airlines
9.Alitalia
10.Qatar Airways
PARTICIPATING AIRLINES
1.Air Canada
2.Alitalia
3.American Airlines (both categories)
4.All Nippon Airways
5.Austrian Airlines
6.British Airways
7.Delta Air Lines (both categories)
8.Emirates
9.Iberia Airlines
10.Jet Airways
11.LAN
12.LOT Polish Airways
13.Lufthansa
14.Mexicana Airlines (both categories)
15.Oman Air
16.Qatar Airways
17.South African Airways
18.TAM Brazilian Airlines
19.United Airlines (both categories)
20.US Airways (both categories)
21.Virgin America
For more information on the competition, check out the August 2010 issue of Global Traveler or visit http://www.globaltravelerusa.com.
About Global Traveler
Global Traveler is a business travel and lifestyle publication and the publication of choice among seasoned business travelers. Global Traveler is the only ABC-audited U.S.-based magazine for the international business traveler, with an ABC paid circulation of 107,140+. No other monthly magazine in its category boasts a higher audited circulation or page count. Ninety percent of its readership has average household income in excess of $100,000; 96 percent attended or graduated from college; and 98 percent of its readers are either top management or professionals.
About FXExpress Publications
FXExpress Publications, Inc., based in Yardley, Pa., is a privately held company publishing Global Traveler magazine; eFlyer, a weekly electronic travel newsletter sent to subscribers and accessible online at http://www.globaltravelerusa.com/eflyer; and eFlyer Asia, http://www.globaltravellerasia.com/eflyer. The company also operates http://www.globaltravelerusa.com, http://www.globaltravellerasia.com and blog.globaltravelerusa.com. The company produces several annuals, including the Class Act Book, Global City Guidebook, Luxury Book, Globility book series and custom publishing for various entities.
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