Emirates has a wine cellar, the largest of all airlines, located in France, which currently houses 7 million bottles of fine wines, some of which will not be ready for tasting until 2035.
The airline currently offers 37 different varieties of French wines and champagnes on board its aircraft. Business ClassBordeaux red wines remain in Emirates’ cellar for an average of 8-10 years, while those reserved for First Class are only served an average of 12-15 years after purchase.
“Emirates’ wine strategy is to buy exceptional wines at the earliest opportunity and let them mature to allow them to express their full potential before serving them on board its aircraft.While most airlines purchase their wines through tenders, Emirates’ teams have established direct relationships in some of the world’s leading wine regions to serve our passengers rare and exclusive wines,” said Cédric Renard, Emirates’ Country Manager for France.
“These significant and continuous investments reflect our commitment to always offer customers world class and award winning products and services, while at the same time, also contributing to the economy of the country’s wine growing regions. This commitment also extends to the cuisine we serve on board, which focusses on regionally inspired menus with local flavours including French,” he added.
Emirates Vintage Collection
Last year, Emirates launched the Emirates Vintage Collection, a selection of the finest wines from its cellar in France, where some of its finest wines have been kept for up to 15 years. These exceptional wines are exclusively served in First Class on a selection of flights and for a limited period of time. Emirates’ careful wine selection and procurement strategy are also highlighted in its new wine channel on Ice – its award winning inflight entertainment system.
Wines currently offered include:
● Château Margaux 2004
Often called the “Versailles of the Medoc”, this 2004 shows pure raspberry, redcurrant and cigar box notes with a tinge of graphite. Medium bodied and well-balanced, the supple tannins are coated by red fruits with a hint of orange peel on the persistent finish.
● Château Cos d’Estournel 2005
2005 is a magnificent vintage for Saint Estèphe, this wine showing aromas of crème de cassis, black cherry, violet and exotic spice. The palate is full bodied and layered with concentrated black fruit flavours, dense, ripe tannins and an extremely long finish.
● Château Montrose 2005
This 2005 wine has concentrated red berry fruit with hints of cedar, graphite and floral tones. Medium bodied and firmwith hints of dried leaves and an herbal tinge to the fruit. The finish is long and complex.
Since 2006, Emirates has invested over 780 million USD on its wine programme, and offers annually over 250 different wines sourced from all the major wine growing regions of the world on its flights.
The airline is also the number one global partner of Dom Pérignon, and has served their champagne to First Class customers for over 28 years. Currently, Emirates is serving the Dom Pérignon 2008 Vintage, in First Class across its global network, including on flights to and from the airline’s three destinations in France. The 2008 vintage will be an airline exclusive to Emirates until the end of 2019.
In addition, Emirates spirits menu on board includes a mix of niche, hand-crafted brands, as well as popular and well-loved spirits such as Hennessy cognacs in all classes. This includes the exclusive Hennessy Paradis in First Class and for a limited period on select routes, the extremely rare Hennessy Paradis Impérial.
Emirates passengers travelling in all classes can also look forward to the highest levels of care and comfort, from the warm hospitality of Emirates’ multinational cabin crew, including French Nationals, to enjoying up to 4,500 channels of movies, music, games and TV programmes on its ice entertainment system.
Emirates currently operates 35 flights a week from France – one daily A380 flight from Nice, one daily Boeing 777 flight from Lyon, and three daily A380 flights from Paris.
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