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Businesstraveller.com would like to congratulate the winners at this year's Cellars in the Sky wine awards.

For 20 years Business Traveller, the premium magazine for business travellers, has organised the annual ‘Cellars in the Sky' Awards. This year it teamed up with renowned magazine Wine International, organisers of the International Wine Challenge.

The International Wine Challenge was founded in 1984 and has developed to become the world's most comprehensive blind wine tasting. In 2003 the Challenge comprised 423 judges, including 45 Masters of Wine, tasting and re-tasting 9,438 wines from 37 different countries – figures which make it the largest blind wine tasting competition in the world.

For Cellars in the Sky, 30 airlines entered a selection of their wines, and after a two-day blind tasting organised by Wine International magazine and the International Wine Challenge, the winners of the following categories were presented with their awards at this year's World Travel Market...

The following airlines picked up awards for their business and first class wines:

Cathay Pacific and British Airways were among the airlines that recorded several wins at Business Traveller's "Cellars in the Sky" wine awards.
The annual awards, which were organised in association with Wine International magazine, are in their 20th year. They seek to recognise the best wines served by airlines in business and first class.
This year 30 airlines entered a selection of wines, which were then blind-tasted by a team of expert judges.

BA picked up winning awards for its white wine served in business class and got runner up awards for its Champagne served in business. Cathay Pacific won the best white served in first class and the best port served in business and got runner up awards for its business class white and business class red.
The airline with the best business class cellar was Cathay Pacific and the best first class cellar went to JAL. The most original business class wine list was Delta's and the most original first class wine list was won jointly by Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines.

Business

Best White

1. British Airways
Laboure-Roi Meursault 2002 Burgundy, France

2. (Joint)

Air New Zealand
Highfield Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2003 Marlborough, New Zealand

Qantas
Grosset Riesling Rockwood Vineyard 2004 Clare Valley, Australia

Cathay Pacific
Framingham Sauvignon Blanc 2003 Marlborough, New Zealand


Best Red

1. American Airlines
Château Batailley 2000 Pauillac, Bordeaux, France

2. Cathay Pacific
Antinori Tignanello 2000 Tuscany, Italy

3. (Joint)

Northwest Airlines
St Clement Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 Napa Valley, USA

Alitalia
Fattoria del Cerro Vino Nobile de Montepulciano 2000 Tuscany, Italy

Best Champagne/Sparkling

1. (Joint) Korean Air/KLM/JAL/Icelandair

Piper-Heidsieck Brut NV Champagne, France

2. (Joint) British Airways / Qantas

Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve Mis-en-Cave 2000 Champagne, France

3. (Joint)

Singapore Airlines
Piper-Heidsieck ‘Rare' Cuvée Réservé NV Champagne, France

Finnair
Champagne Pol Roger Extra Cuvée de Réserve Brut 1996
Champagne, France


Best Fortified or Sweet

1. Cathay Pacific
Dow's Late Bottled Vintage Port 1997 Douro, Portugal

2. Finnair
Château Guiraud Premier Cru 1998 Sauternes, France

3. Lufthansa
Graham's Late Bottled Vintage Port 1998 Douro, Portugal (37.5cl)


First

Best White

1. Cathay Pacific
Vincent Girardin Meursault Vieilles Vignes 2001 Burgundy, France

2. Etihad??? (who are they)
Domaine Roux Père et Fils Puligny Montrachet Les Enseignières 2002 Burgundy, France

3. Singapore Airlines
Dr Loosen Urziger Würzgarten Riesling Kabinett 2000 Mosel, Germany


Best Red

1. Korean Air
Château Giscours 1999 Bordeaux, France

2.Etihad
Possums Vineyard Shiraz 2001 McLaren Vale, Australia

3. Qantas
Saltram No 1 Barossa Shiraz 2000 Barossa Valley, Australia

Best Champagne/Sparkling

1. Malaysia Airlines
Billecart-Salmon Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs 1997 Champagne

2. (Joint)
Qantas
Dom Pérignon 1995 Champagne

JAL
Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill 1995 Champagne

3. Lan Chile
Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 1995 Champagne

Best Fortified or Sweet

1. JAL
Graham's 30 Year Old Tawny Port, Portugal

2. Varig
Warre's Quinta da Cavadinha Vintage Port 1986 Douro, Portugal

3. American Airlines
Graham's Malvedos 1995 Douro, Portugal(37.5cl)

Overall Awards

Best Business Class cellar

Winner - Cathay Pacific
Runners Up - American Airlines, British Airways, Icelandair

Best First Cellar
Winner - JAL
Runners Up - Etihad, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Lan Chile

Best Airline Alliance
1. Oneworld
2. Skyteam
3. Star Alliance

Most original first class wine list
Winner - JAL/Cathay Pacific
Shortlist - British Airways, Etihad, Qantas, Thai Airways

Most original business class wine list
Winner - Delta
Shortlist - American Airlines, Alitalia, British Airways, Finnair, Northwest Airlines, Cathay Pacific