Kiwi Flyer

Qantas
First Class menu
London Heathrow to Bangkok
December 2010

Supper

Canapes

Cheddar Biscuits with Artichoke Puree and Marinated Black Olives

Entrees

Parsnip Soup with Mustard and Gruyere

Szechuan Chicken Salad with Celery and Black Fungus

Light Meals

Lamb, Mint and Pea Pot Pie

Big bowl of Minestrone Soup with Garlic Toasts

Our signature Steak Sandwich with Tomato and Chilli Relish

Main Courses

Seared Stone Bass with Lemon and Thyme Butter, Roast Salsify and Steamed Spinach

Slow Cooked Duck with Prunes, Chantenary Carrots and Creamed Celeriac

Side Salad

Salad of Rocket, Radicchio, Mizuna and Baby Gem with your choice of dressing

Aged Balsamic and Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Fresh Lemon Juice and Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Palm Sugar Vinaigrette

Cheese

Hand selected blue, soft and hard cheese served with accompaniments

Dessert

St Clements Tart with Double Cream

Classic Rum Baba with Martinique Rum Syrup and Chantilly Cream

Whole or Sliced Fresh Seasonal Fruit

Laverstoke Park Organic Ice Cream Tubs

Petits Fours

A selection of Amedei dark chocolates

Chocolate and Sour Cherry Cookies

Hazelnut and Raspberry Friands


Breakfast

Create your favourite Breakfast from our extensive Rockpool designed menu. Your Flight Attendant will be pleased to assist you with your selection.

Orange Juice
Apple Juice
Tomato Juice
Sunraysia Pear Liquid Fruit
Sunraysia Mango Liquid Fruit
Vanilla and Honey Energiser Drink

Fresh Fruit Salad
Bircher Muesli
Brookfarm Toasted Muesli
Cereal Selection
Yoghurt and Honey

Toast
Croissant
Feta and Sun Dried Tomato Muffin
Strawberry Jam, Orange Marmalade, Honey, Vegemite

Free Range Scrambled Eggs
Laverstoke Park Farm Organic Sausages
Organic Dry Cured Bacon
H Forman Smoked Salmon
Sweet Onion Relish
Slow Roasted Tomatoes
Potato Cakes
Braised Beans

Hotcakes with Maple Syrup Apples and Clotted Cream


Beverages

Hot Beverages

Giancarlo Coffee
Cafe Latte
Cappuccino
Grinders Decaffeinated
Espresso
Flat White
Long Black
Mocha
Liqueur Coffee

T2 Tea
English Breakfast - A blend of the finest Sri Lankan full-bodied teas producing a rich and well-rounded flavour.
Peppermint - A well-rouned peppermint flavour captures the sweet essence of all things 'minty' with a sweet, cool, lingering aroma.
Chamomile - Relax and unwind with this fragrant infusion of sweet, golden chamomile flowers.
Sencha - A classic green tea grown in Japan. These beautiful, emerald green leaves produce a sweet, smooth, grassy flavour.
Lemongrass and Ginger - Zesty and bright lemongrass contrasts the spicy flavour of ginger to create a refreshing and wild taste sensation.
Other teas are available upon request.

Hot Chocolate

Aperitifs

Bloody Mary
Campari
Noilly Prat French Dry Vermouth

Spirits

Bacardi White Rum
Bundaberg Dark Rum
Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin
Chivas Regal 18yo Scotch Whisky
The Glenlivet 18yo Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Wild Turkey Rare Breed 108 Bourbon
Wyborowa Single Estate Polish Vodka

Beers

Hahn Premium Light
Crown Lager
Heineken
James Squire Golden Ale
Little Creatures Pale Ale

Liqueurs

Baileys Irish Cream
Cointreau

Fortifieds

Penfolds Grandfather Fine Old Liqueur Tawny
Morris of Rutherglen Old Premium Liqueur Tokay
Morris of Rutherglen Old Premium Liqueur Muscat

Cognac

Martell Cordon Bleau

Non Alcoholic

Apple Juice
Orange Juice
Five Star Sunraysia Mango Juice
Five Star Sunraysia Pear Juice
Spicy Tomato Juice
Tomato Juice
Sparkling Mineral Water
Still Mineral Water
Soda Water
Tonic Water
Bundaber Ginger Beer
Coca-Cola
Coke Zero
Diet Coke
Ginger Ale
Lemonade
Solo - Lemon Squash


Wine List

White Wine

Tappanappa Tiers Vineyard Chardonnay 2008
Piccadilly Valley, South Australia
From South Australia's most famous and iconic Chardonnay vineyard, this wine shows what the Tiers vineyard is truly capable of producing. It is regularly judged amongst the best (think Leeuwin, Mount Mary, Pierro) in the country. It has exceptional fruit purity and drive on the palate with spicy oak complexity and a profile that builds in the glass. The previous three vintages were awarded 95 or 96 points by James Halliday and Jeremy Oliver. The '08 continues in the style of the earlier wines, although it's tighter and more restrained as a young wine and will consequently age for longer.

Peter Lehmann Wigan Riesling 2004
Eden Valley, South Australia
The 2004 vintage is held in high regard in the Barossa, giving white wines of excellent regional and varietal character. Named the Wigan, after Chief Winemaker Andrew Wigan, the Wigan Riesling is a testament to his international success. This multiple gold medal winner has the classical Eden Valley lime bouquet and is showing the first hints of toastiness, the result of time in the bottle. The palate is remarkably youthful with fresh racy acidity and a honeyed deepening on the middle palate. Eden Valley Riesling at its finest.

Dalrymple Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Tasmania
An exquisite little vineyard and some very skilled winemaking indeed, this wine is rich, complex and very drinkable. "Nestled in a cocoon of mixed vegetation and rolling hills, Dalrymple enjoys a unique and seductive aspect shared by only a few boutique vineyards littlering Tasmania's Pipers River region. Discovered by Dr Bertel Sunstrup in 1987 after a long search for the perfect site, this small mature vineyard is now owned by the Hill Smith family and produces some of Australia's most distinctive cool climate, regional wines. "A pure wine of radiant fruit, free of any distracting elements, lustrous with lychee and penetrating with passionfruit!" - Wine Mag.com.au

Red Wine

John Duval "Entity" Shiraz 2005
Barossa Valley, South Australia
The aim of Entity is to produce a wine true to the Barossa Valley. The John Duval Shiraz is sourced from old vineyards that bare ruddy fruit in the north and eastern districts of the Barossa Valley. The more subtle French oak was chosen to complement the ripe blackberry, blueberry fruit.

Yabby Lake Vineyard Pinot Noir 2008
Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
Inspired by the classic wines of Burgundy, Yabby Lake Vineyard wines are a tribute to the unique Mornington Peninsula terrior, and the skills and experience of winemaker Tom Carson. This wine exhibits a great depth of colour. The bouquet is of ripe black cherry, dark forest berries and Asian spice with perfumed oak aromas. The palate displays a complex array of ripe small berry characters and spicy oak.

Leeuwin Estate "Art Series" Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
Margaret River, Western Australia
Established in 1974 by Denis and Tricia Horgan with initial help from the Californian winemaker Robert Mondavi. Leeuwin Estate Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon is a classic Margaret River wine with pronounced blackcurrant/cassis, earthy, leafy characters. It has a highly concentrated palate with fine, but pronounced tannins, underlying new oak and indelible acidity. The 2004 was an exceptional vintage year in the Margaret River.

Dessert Wine

Brown Brothers "Patricia" Noble Riesling 2006
King Valley, Victoria
One of Australia's most consistent dessert wines. Bright gold, it has an intensity of flavour that explains its plethora of gold medals and trophies; its low alcohol and citrusy acidity are the keys to this wonderful wine.

Champagne

Taittinger Comtes de Champagne
Blanc de Blancs
Universally regarded as one of the world's finest Champagnes, Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs is an exceptional vintage champagne boasting remarkable finesse and elegance, recognised as the jewel in the crown of Champagne Taittinger's cuvee. This outstanding wine is only produced when the harvest is of exceptional quality and worthy of vintage champagne. It is made from the first pressing, exclusively from Chardonnay grapes grown in 100% Grands Crus vineyards. This pedigree produces a delicate and finely balanced champagne that has gained world-wide recognition amongst connoisseurs.

Kiwi Flyer

Qantas
First Class menu
Inflight Guide to Wine
Seventh Edition (late 2009)

2008 Belnaves The Talley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra, South Australia
2009 Bannockburn Sauvignon Blanc, Geelong, Victoria
2005 Bannockburn Serre Pinot Noir, Geelong, Victoria
2006 Brokenwood Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz, Hunter Valley, New South Wales
2003 Brokenwood ILR Reserve Semillon, Hunter Valley, New South Wales
2004 Charles Melton Nine Popes, Barossa Valley, South Australia
2005, 2006 & 2009 Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier, Canberra District, New South Wales
2006 Crawford River Riesling, Henty, Victoria
2009 Cullen Cullen Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, Margaret River, Western Australia
2006 & 2007 Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, Margaret River, Western Australia
2009 Cullen Mangan Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, Margaret River, Western Australia
2009 Dalrymple Sauvignon Blanc, Pipers River, Tasmania
2008 Eldridge Estate Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
2009 Frankland Estate Isolation Ridge Vineyard Riesling, Frankland River, Western Australia
2008 Giaconda Estate Vineyard Chardonnay, Beechworth, Victoria
2005 Grant Burge Meshach, Barossa Valley, South Australia
2008, 2009 & 2010 Grosset Polish Hill Riesling, Clare Valley, South Australia
2009 & 2010 Grosset Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, Clare Valley and Adelaide Hills, South Australia
2005 & 2008 Hardys Eileen Hardy Chardonnay, South Eastern Australia
2004 Hardys Thomas Hardy Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, Western Australia
2009 Henschke Littlehampton Innes Vineyard Pinot Gris, Adelaide Hills, South Australia
2004 Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, Western Australia
2005 John Duval Wines Entity Shiraz, Barossa Valley, South Australia
2005 John Duval Wines Plexus Shiraz Grenache Mourvedre, Barossa Valley, South Australia
2006 Kooyong Ferrous Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
2004 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, Western Australia
2006 & 2007 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay, Margaret River, Western Australia
2008 Marchand & Burch Mount Barrow Pinot Noir, Great Southern, Western Australia
2005 Meerea Park Terracotta Semillon, Hunter Valley, New South Wales
2008 Mount Mary Vineyard Chardonnay, Yarra Valley, Victoria
2006 Mount Mary Vineyard Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley, Victoria
2006 Mount Mary Vineyard Quintet, Yarra Valley, Victoria
2007 Paringa Estate Estate Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
2005 & 2006 Penfolds Reserve Bin A Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, South Australia
2004, 2007 & 2008 Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon, South Australia
2004 & 2005 Penfolds RWT Shiraz, Barossa Valley, South Australia
2004 Penfolds St Henri Shiraz, Barossa Valley, South Australia
2007 Penfolds Yattarna Chardonnay, South East Australia
2006 Petaluma Coonawarra, Coonawarra, South Australia
2004 Peter Lehmann Wigan Eden Valley Riesling, Eden Valley, South Australia
2009 Pewsey Vale Pinot Gris, Eden Valley, South Australia
2003 Pewsey Vale The Contours Riesling, Eden Valley, South Australia
2008 Phi Lusatia Park Vineyard Chardonnay, Yarra Valley, Victoria
2009 Region 13 Pinot Noir, Gippsland, Victoria
2004 Saltram Winemaker Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa Valley, South Australia
2008 Serrat Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley, Victoria
2008 Shaw & Smith M3 Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, South Australia
2004 Spinifex Indigene, Barossa Valley, South Australia
2008 Stonier KBS Vineyard Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
2008 Tapanappa Tiers Vineyard Chardonnay, Piccadilly Valley, South Australia
2006 Tarra Warra Estate MDB Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley, Victoria
2009 Ten Minutes by Tractor 10X Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
2008 Ten Minutes by Tractor McCutcheon Vineyard Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
2008 Ten Minutes by Tractor Wallis Vineyard Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
2005 Torbreck The Struie Shiraz, Barossa Valley, South Australia
2004 Tyrrell's Wines HVD Hunter Semillon, Hunter Valley, New South Wales
2009 William Downie Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
2004 Wolf Blass Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz Malbec, Langhorne Creek, South Australia
2009 Woodlands Chloe, Margaret River, Western Australia
2007 Woodlands Nicholas Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, Western Australia
2005 Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra, South Australia
2008 Yabby Lake Single Block Release Block 6 Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
2007 & 2008 Yabby Lake Vineyard Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
2008 Yabby Lake Vineyard Single Block Release Block 2 Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
2008 Yabby Lake Vineyard Single Block Release Block 5 Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
2002 Yalumba The Octavius Shiraz, Barossa Valley, South Australia
2007 & 2008 Yalumba The Virgilius Eden Valley Viognier, Eden Valley, South Australia
2005 & 2006 Yering Station Reserve Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley, Victoria
2005 Yering Station Reserve Shiraz Viognier, Yarra Valley, Victoria

Sweet and Fortified

Baileys of Glenrowan Founder Series Liqueur Muscat, Rutherglen, Victoria
2006 Brown Brothers Patricia Noble Riesling, King Valley, Victoria
2007 & 2008 Cookoothama Botrytis Semillon, Riverina, New South Wales
2007 De Bortoli Deen De Bortoli Vat 5 Botrytis Semillon, Riverina, New South Wales
2007 & 2008 De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon, Riverina, New South Wales
2002 Lillypilly Family Reserve Noble Blend, Riverina, New South Wales
Morris of Rutherglen Old Premium Liqueur Muscat, Rutherglen, Victoria
Morris of Rutherglen Old Premium Liqueur Tokay, Rutherglen, Victoria
Penfolds Grandfather Tawny, Barossa Valley, South Australia
Seppeltsfielf Para Grand Tawny, Barossa Valley, South Australia

New Zealand Wines

2008 Astrolabe Voyager Pinot Noir, Marlborough
2009 Blind River Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough
2008 Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir, Marlborough
2010 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough
2008 Giesen The Brothers Pinot Noir, Marlborough
2008 Huia Pinot Gris, Marlborough
2008 Martinborough Vineyard Pinot Gris, Martinborough
2008 Nanny Goat Vineyard Pinot Noir, Central Otago
2009 St Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough
2009 Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough

Kiwi Flyer

Thanks.

Kiwi Flyer

I forgot to mention that dinner took longer than it needed to because they forgot to serve my mains. The crew came by with desert when I pointed out I still hadn't had my mains yet

Moomba

Interesting that your LHR-BKK menu is the same as my LHR-SIN but the wine list was different. Was your wine list on proper printed card? My list was a photocopied sheet that was folded and inserted into the menu. Which was a change from previous F flights I have had on QF.

I am looking forward to your remaining entries in this report.

anat0l

That's not good. I hope a grovelling apology was offered.

GodAtum

Thanks for your trip reports

Did you suffer any ill effects when descending due to your head cold?

Kiwi Flyer

The wine list in the menu post was on an insert to the printed menu, but it was properly printed (as opposed to a photocopy). The longer wine list is an excerpt of the current version of the wine guide booklet (first class bits minus the tasting notes and other info).

Not yet, although perhaps it is taking longer than usual to get rid of due to the constant travel.

This internet connection is lousy. I'll see if it works better in the other lounge so I can write up some more while I wait for my next flight.

Kiwi Flyer

The other lounge was no better. But now I do have some time waiting for yet another flight and internet seems to be great here. So, a chance to catch up some more on the report which is currently slipping further and further behind reality.

Kiwi Flyer

BANGKOK

As an experienced kangaroo route flyer I know the importance of getting to the lounge very quickly if you want to get a shower during the transit, with lots of elite and premium passengers on both the similarly timed Qantas and British Airways flights. So I raced to security and was first from our flight there. I got manually beeped at the WTMD and made to remove a handkerchief (yeah right, that bit of cotton set it off) and go through again.

As a result I was second to the Qantas/BA first class lounge. The other guy was also headed for the shower and we nabbed the last 2 vacant ones. Ahh that shower feels good.

Lounge bubbles were Laurent Perrier. I tried to catch up on some messages at a computer but the connection was abysmalling slow and kept timing out. I blame the kids on the other computers playing (very noisy) games. So I opted to head out to the gate a little early.

Kiwi Flyer

BANGKOK to SYDNEY (BKK-SYD) on Qantas 747-400 in first class

The British Airways flight managed a faster transit, having already pushed back from the gate alongside before we even boarded. At the gate I was suprised there was no premium line at the desk where boarding pass and passport are checked. By the time I'd navigated this queue, boarding was underway with a scrum in the airbridge (remember I left the lounge early so mostly economy passengers in the airbridge at this time).

This flight followed much the same pattern as the flight from London, except my mains weren't forgotten. The cabin was again full, and man toe made another appearance.

Some more Taittinger 1999. Some more food. Another fitful sleep. I forego breakfast in favour of a bite in the lounge and hopefully a bit more sleep onboard. I didn't get any extra sleep.

There was low cloud in Sydney and surrounding area, so with the early morning low angle of the sun, we had a neat shadow that changed shape as we passed "peaks and troughs" in the top of the cloud layer. There was also a nice complete circle rainbow surrounding the aircraft shadow. I was mesmerised, and by quirk of fate, the top of the cloud layer matched our descent for quite some time.

When we pulled into our gate there was a delay in disembarking while a sick passenger was inspected by health quarantine and escorted off the aircraft.

Kiwi Flyer

Qantas
First Class menu
Bangkok to Sydney
December 2010

Dinner

Canapes

Mozzarella Arancini with Pesto

Chicken Satay and Accompaniments

Salads and other things

Thai Style Roast Duck Soup with Black Mushrooms

Salad of San Daniele Ham with Roasted Italian Onions

Stilton, Celery and Walnut Salad with Lemon Dressing

Light, Vegetarian and Sandwich

Seared Sea Bass with Lemon and Olive Oil Dressing

Greek Style Braised Vegetables with Pilaf and Tzatziki

Our signature Steak Sandwich with Tomato and Chilli Relish

Seared Sea Bass

Green Thai Curry with Fragrant Rice and Kangkong

Salsa Verde, Fondant Potatoes and Steamed Greens

Chicken with Sage and Onion

Fondant Potatoes and Green Beans

Capsicum Ragout and Pan Fried Polenta

Salsa Verde, Pilaf and Steamed Greens

Roast Beef Fillet

Pan Fried Polenta and Sicilian Style Warmed Capsicum Salad

Thai Style with Green Curry and Accompaniments

Salsa Verde, Fondant Potatoes and Beans

Side Salad

Salad of Baby Leaves with your choice of dressing

Aged Balsamic and Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Fresh Lemon Juice and Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Palm Sugar Vinaigrette

Cheese

Hand selected blue, soft and hard cheese served with accompaniments

Dessert

Spiced Date Cake with Poached Pears and Creme Anglaise

Assiette of Desserts

Sliced Fresh Seasonal Fruit

Petits Fours

A selection of Amedei dark chocolates



Continental Breakfast

Create your favourite Breakfast from our extensive Rockpool designed menu. Your Flight Attendant will be pleased to assist you with your selection.

Tangerine Juice
Apple Juice
Tomato Juice
Sunraysia Mango Liquid Fruit
Sunraysia Pear Liquid Fruit
Berry Energiser Drink

Citrus Fruit Salad
Bircher Muesli
Toasted Muesli
Cereal Selection
Yoghurt and Honey

Toast
Croissant
Pineapple and Coconut Muffin
Strawberry Jam, Orange Marmalade, Honey, Vegemite


Beverages

Hot Beverages

Giancarlo Coffee
Cafe Latte
Cappuccino
Grinders Decaffeinated
Espresso
Flat White
Long Black
Mocha
Liqueur Coffee

T2 Tea
English Breakfast - A blend of the finest Sri Lankan full-bodied teas producing a rich and well-rounded flavour.
Peppermint - A well-rouned peppermint flavour captures the sweet essence of all things 'minty' with a sweet, cool, lingering aroma.
Chamomile - Relax and unwind with this fragrant infusion of sweet, golden chamomile flowers.
Sencha - A classic green tea grown in Japan. These beautiful, emerald green leaves produce a sweet, smooth, grassy flavour.
Lemongrass and Ginger - Zesty and bright lemongrass contrasts the spicy flavour of ginger to create a refreshing and wild taste sensation.
Other teas are available upon request.

Hot Chocolate

Aperitifs

Bloody Mary
Campari
Noilly Prat French Dry Vermouth

Spirits

Bacardi White Rum
Bundaberg Dark Rum
Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin
Chivas Regal 18yo Scotch Whisky
The Glenlivet 18yo Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Wild Turkey Rare Breed 108 Bourbon
Wyborowa Single Estate Polish Vodka

Beers

Hahn Premium Light
Crown Lager
Heineken
James Squire Golden Ale
Little Creatures Pale Ale

Liqueurs

Baileys Irish Cream
Cointreau

Fortifieds

Penfolds Grandfather Fine Old Liqueur Tawny
Morris of Rutherglen Old Premium Liqueur Tokay
Morris of Rutherglen Old Premium Liqueur Muscat

Cognac

Martell Cordon Bleau

Non Alcoholic

Apple Juice
Orange Juice
Five Star Sunraysia Mango Juice
Five Star Sunraysia Pear Juice
Spicy Tomato Juice
Tomato Juice
Sparkling Mineral Water
Still Mineral Water
Soda Water
Tonic Water
Bundaber Ginger Beer
Coca-Cola
Coke Zero
Diet Coke
Ginger Ale
Lemonade
Solo - Lemon Squash


Wine List

White Wine

Tappanappa Tiers Vineyard Chardonnay 2008
Piccadilly Valley, South Australia
From South Australia's most famous and iconic Chardonnay vineyard, this wine shows what the Tiers vineyard is truly capable of producing. It is regularly judged amongst the best (think Leeuwin, Mount Mary, Pierro) in the country. It has exceptional fruit purity and drive on the palate with spicy oak complexity and a profile that builds in the glass. The previous three vintages were awarded 95 or 96 points by James Halliday and Jeremy Oliver. The '08 continues in the style of the earlier wines, although it's tighter and more restrained as a young wine and will consequently age for longer.

Peter Lehmann Wigan Riesling 2004
Eden Valley, South Australia
The 2004 vintage is held in high regard in the Barossa, giving white wines of excellent regional and varietal character. Named the Wigan, after Chief Winemaker Andrew Wigan, the Wigan Riesling is a testament to his international success. This multiple gold medal winner has the classical Eden Valley lime bouquet and is showing the first hints of toastiness, the result of time in the bottle. The palate is remarkably youthful with fresh racy acidity and a honeyed deepening on the middle palate. Eden Valley Riesling at its finest.

Dalrymple Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Tasmania
An exquisite little vineyard and some very skilled winemaking indeed, this wine is rich, complex and very drinkable. "Nestled in a cocoon of mixed vegetation and rolling hills, Dalrymple enjoys a unique and seductive aspect shared by only a few boutique vineyards littlering Tasmania's Pipers River region. Discovered by Dr Bertel Sunstrup in 1987 after a long search for the perfect site, this small mature vineyard is now owned by the Hill Smith family and produces some of Australia's most distinctive cool climate, regional wines. "A pure wine of radiant fruit, free of any distracting elements, lustrous with lychee and penetrating with passionfruit!" - Wine Mag.com.au

Red Wine

John Duval "Entity" Shiraz 2005
Barossa Valley, South Australia
The aim of Entity is to produce a wine true to the Barossa Valley. The John Duval Shiraz is sourced from old vineyards that bare ruddy fruit in the north and eastern districts of the Barossa Valley. The more subtle French oak was chosen to complement the ripe blackberry, blueberry fruit.

Yabby Lake Vineyard Pinot Noir 2008
Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
Inspired by the classic wines of Burgundy, Yabby Lake Vineyard wines are a tribute to the unique Mornington Peninsula terrior, and the skills and experience of winemaker Tom Carson. This wine exhibits a great depth of colour. The bouquet is of ripe black cherry, dark forest berries and Asian spice with perfumed oak aromas. The palate displays a complex array of ripe small berry characters and spicy oak.

Leeuwin Estate "Art Series" Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
Margaret River, Western Australia
Established in 1974 by Denis and Tricia Horgan with initial help from the Californian winemaker Robert Mondavi. Leeuwin Estate Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon is a classic Margaret River wine with pronounced blackcurrant/cassis, earthy, leafy characters. It has a highly concentrated palate with fine, but pronounced tannins, underlying new oak and indelible acidity. The 2004 was an exceptional vintage year in the Margaret River.

Dessert Wine

Brown Brothers "Patricia" Noble Riesling 2006
King Valley, Victoria
One of Australia's most consistent dessert wines. Bright gold, it has an intensity of flavour that explains its plethora of gold medals and trophies; its low alcohol and citrusy acidity are the keys to this wonderful wine.

Champagne

Taittinger Comtes de Champagne
Blanc de Blancs
Universally regarded as one of the world's finest Champagnes, Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs is an exceptional vintage champagne boasting remarkable finesse and elegance, recognised as the jewel in the crown of Champagne Taittinger's cuvee. This outstanding wine is only produced when the harvest is of exceptional quality and worthy of vintage champagne. It is made from the first pressing, exclusively from Chardonnay grapes grown in 100% Grands Crus vineyards. This pedigree produces a delicate and finely balanced champagne that has gained world-wide recognition amongst connoisseurs.

Kiwi Flyer

SYDNEY

Another day, another visit to Sydney first class lounge. But first I negotiated slow queue at security with a brief holdup when one guy was lectured about putting his arm inside the xray machine (because he wanted to put his belt inside his bag which had already disappeared into the machine instead of getting a new tray).

I was welcomed back to the lounge and my long transit was commented on. Yeah, well I tried getting an earlier flight (originally booked for the evening flight) and mid afternoon departure was the best they could do for me.

I did a bit of work, then a shower and brunch (breakfast menu). I noticed a Thai aircraft parked up at the gate in front of the lounge, ie on the oneworld pier. I bet that annoyed some folk transitting and using the lounge - the gate is a good 10 minutes walk from the star alliance lounges and transit security.

The other thing I noticed was less pleasant. The lounge was dirty with a disregard for keeping it clean. It was bad enough that I laid a complaint with Qantas. Dishes should not be sitting around waiting to be cleared away for several hours, and nor should toilets remain blocked for several hours.

About 20 minutes to departure there was still no boarding call made in the lounge. Past experience tells me in this situation we'll either get a call and then be paged before making 10 steps out of the lounge or not get a call in the lounge (to be fair this normally happens on LAN flights rather than Qantas ones). So I left the lounge and made my way to the gate.

Kiwi Flyer

SYDNEY to AUCKLAND (SYD-AKL) on Qantas 737-800 in business class

Boarding was almost completed when I arrived at the gate, confirming my suspicions they'd forgotten to announce the flight in the lounge. On boarding I recognised the CSD (and she me) from the days when Qantas still flew domestically in NZ. I knew this would be a good flight, despite my head cold which was in full swing.

As is normal for flights to New Zealand, we had a long taxi to the end of the far runway. Once airborne there was another drink offer, and some nuts in a packet. The meal was served shortly thereafter. A number of business class passengers (including me) only got 1 fork in the napkin instead of 2.

I dozed, chatted with the crew and watched a couple of shows. On Qantas it is a waste of time trying to watch a movie if seated in business - PTV must be folded away for take off and landing, which leaves too short a time to watch any reasonable length movie.

The seat beside me was empty so I used this to store some papers I was reading. Unfortunately I was a clutz and spilled a full glass of water over that seat, and my papers.

Kiwi Flyer

Qantas
Business Class menu
Australia to New Zealand
December 2010

Menu

From the Bar

Roasted Nuts

Entree

Salad of Proscuitto, Bocconcini and Asparagus with Balsamic Dressing

Main Courses

Basque Style Chicken with Garlic Mashed Potato and Roasted Fennel

Salmon Fillet with Miso Glaze, Steamed Rice and Shiitake Mushrooms

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Warm Bakery

Selection of Cheeses

Maggie Beer Ice Cream and Almond Bread

Chocolates


Beverages

Champagne

Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve

Australian and New Zealand Wine

For your enjoyment we have a selection of light and full bodied, premium white and red wines onboard today. Your Flight Attendant will advise you on the selection.

Aperitifs

Campari

Bloody Mary

Spirits

Bacardi White Rum

Bundaberg Dark Rum

Chivas Regal 12yo Scotch Whisky

Plymouth The Smooth English Gin

The Glenlivet 12yo Malt Scotch Whisky

Wild Turkey 86.8ş Bourbon

Wyborowa Classic Vodka

Beers

Hahn Premium Light

Heineken

James Squire Golden Ale

Victoria Bitter

Non Alcoholic

Apple Juice

Orange Juice

Spicy Tomato Juice

Tomato Juice

Sparkling Mineral Water

Still Mineral Water

Soda Water

Tonic Water

Bundaberg Ginger Beer

Coca-Cola

Coke Zero

Diet Coke

Ginger Ale

Lemonade

Solo – Lemon Squash

Hot Beverages

Grinders Coffee
Bodum
Decaffeinated

Dilmah Tea
Chamomile
English Breakfast
Jasmine Green
Peppermint

Hot Chocolate

Liqueurs

Bailey’s Irish Cream

Cointreau

Fortifieds

Australian fortified and dessert wine is available for your enjoyment

Cognac

Martell VSOP