Jun 23, 2014, 3:05 am
2013 BA Champagne & Wine thread
Feb 19, 2013, 7:11 pm
#61
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: LH M&M, BA EC, DL SM
Posts: 5,731
Was on a CE flight from central Europe to LHR and -- after a short layover -- a CW flight from LHR to MIA yesterday; hope I can help with filling a few of the gaps in the champagne and wine list at the beginning of this thread.
CE flight: Champagne on the CE flight was Pommery Brut Royal in small 200ml bottles; did not have any additional wine, as it was a morning flight. Asked for "some champagne" to accompany the decent salmon and bagel snack and received two small bottles, with a smile and the instruction "one for later". As I knew I had to go through security upon arrival at T5, I had to finish both bottles on the short flight. Tough challenges an FT-beverage-researcher has to face
T5 Lounges: Did not ask for champagne at the lounges, find it embarrasing that you have to beg for it. Visited T5 GC South briefly, which had the standard offering and additionally a half-decent Chateauneuf du Pape out. Went on to the GC in T5-B and found a very limited selection and none of the Chateauneuf du Pape there.
CW flight: There is nothing wrong with the Taittinger Brut Réserve NV served in CW right now. The trouble started with the wine, went for the European options for both white and red. Had the Chablis (2011, Domaine Sainte Claire, Burgundy, France) with the starter and found it to be very disappointing, lacking the crispness and freshness I usually appreciate in the chardonnays from the terroir of the Chablis area. What was even worse was the Barbera d'Asti Superiore (2009, DOCG, "La Luna e i Falò", Piedmont Italy), which borders on undrinkable. I tend to like barberas once in a while, but this one is blunt and lacks density of flavor. The combination with a completely overcooked steak made for an underwhelming main course experience. -- Would not buy either of the two wines and certainly not serve them to guest.
Hope this helps.
CE flight: Champagne on the CE flight was Pommery Brut Royal in small 200ml bottles; did not have any additional wine, as it was a morning flight. Asked for "some champagne" to accompany the decent salmon and bagel snack and received two small bottles, with a smile and the instruction "one for later". As I knew I had to go through security upon arrival at T5, I had to finish both bottles on the short flight. Tough challenges an FT-beverage-researcher has to face
T5 Lounges: Did not ask for champagne at the lounges, find it embarrasing that you have to beg for it. Visited T5 GC South briefly, which had the standard offering and additionally a half-decent Chateauneuf du Pape out. Went on to the GC in T5-B and found a very limited selection and none of the Chateauneuf du Pape there.
CW flight: There is nothing wrong with the Taittinger Brut Réserve NV served in CW right now. The trouble started with the wine, went for the European options for both white and red. Had the Chablis (2011, Domaine Sainte Claire, Burgundy, France) with the starter and found it to be very disappointing, lacking the crispness and freshness I usually appreciate in the chardonnays from the terroir of the Chablis area. What was even worse was the Barbera d'Asti Superiore (2009, DOCG, "La Luna e i Falò", Piedmont Italy), which borders on undrinkable. I tend to like barberas once in a while, but this one is blunt and lacks density of flavor. The combination with a completely overcooked steak made for an underwhelming main course experience. -- Would not buy either of the two wines and certainly not serve them to guest.
Hope this helps.
Mar 9, 2013, 5:35 am
#62
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOD
Programs: BA Silver, AF Gold
Posts: 609
An absurd selection of wines in LGW Terraces today. All the white wines are New World Sauvignons (Oz, NZ and SA); all the reds except one (a solitary Bordeaux) are Shiraz/Syrah (France, SA, Chile).
Mar 9, 2013, 12:36 pm
#64
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: London
Programs: BA - Gold for Life, CCR & GGL; IC Spire Elite Ambassador; Diamond Hilton Honors; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 6,720
In GF at T5 - the champagne offering is Taittinger 2005, Bollinger Rose and Bruno Paillard.
I have not explored the red wines yet.
For anyone else as ignorant as I was regarding Bruno, please see the following:
http://vintuswines.com/estates/bruno_paillard
Edited to add:
only New World red wines in GF this evening. Not really good enough.
I have not explored the red wines yet.
For anyone else as ignorant as I was regarding Bruno, please see the following:
http://vintuswines.com/estates/bruno_paillard
Edited to add:
only New World red wines in GF this evening. Not really good enough.
Last edited by TravellerFrequently; Mar 9, 2013 at 1:33 pm
Mar 13, 2013, 3:43 am
#65
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: LH M&M, BA EC, DL SM
Posts: 5,731
Wines in CW
A few posts above, I reported about the disappointing OLD World wines, both white and red, in CW from LHR to the US. On my way back I tried the two New World options and contrary to my expectations found them much better than the Old World wines sampled on the outbound flight.
The white was a crisp Lockwood Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2011 and the red a pleasant Sebastiani Vineyards Pinot Noir 2010 (both California). Give it a try!
Champagne is still Taittinger Brut Réserve, in my case a 2004.
The white was a crisp Lockwood Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2011 and the red a pleasant Sebastiani Vineyards Pinot Noir 2010 (both California). Give it a try!
Champagne is still Taittinger Brut Réserve, in my case a 2004.
Mar 16, 2013, 2:14 am
#66
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 3,926
Notice by the champagne bar today (Saturday 16th) inviting you to a wine tasting in the T5 F lounge between 18.00 - 20.00.
It does not have a date on the invite so it is possible this is running each day; I'll try to find out.
I think it is part of the guest champagne promotion (still Bruno Paillard).
It does not have a date on the invite so it is possible this is running each day; I'll try to find out.
I think it is part of the guest champagne promotion (still Bruno Paillard).
Mar 16, 2013, 2:59 am
#67
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 3,926
Oh dear! When I went to ask whether it was just this evening I was told it was only on Friday night. yesterday, and that they had forgotten to take the invite notice down.
The shame, the humiliation, the frustration knows no bounds; how many Avios is this worth? I will never fly BA again unless I get 100,000 of them!
Only the Bruno Paillard available as a normal champagne. Bollinger as the girly pink one.
The shame, the humiliation, the frustration knows no bounds; how many Avios is this worth? I will never fly BA again unless I get 100,000 of them!
Only the Bruno Paillard available as a normal champagne. Bollinger as the girly pink one.
Mar 29, 2013, 7:20 am
#69
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,720
Yesterday's GF T5 champagne selection the same as normal, and a particularly uninspiring lot of mainly new world Whites and Reds (with one 2006 Bordeaux I wasn't familiar with).
Time for a change - I could do with a better white champagne to fortify me in advance of a long trip.
Time for a change - I could do with a better white champagne to fortify me in advance of a long trip.
Mar 31, 2013, 5:16 pm
#70
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: London
Programs: UA, BA
Posts: 32
Champagne was Boizel Grand Vintage 2004 in CW on the BA36 MAA-LHR. Never heard so many people specifically asking for 'the grand vintage champagne'. Pax on the India flights always seem unreasonably demanding. Very nice champagne, my preference would be the Taittinger however. Castelnau Rose on the 197 last week, could not get past the image of piles of the stuff on offer in my local Co-op
Apr 1, 2013, 3:21 am
#71
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
A Champagne in T5 GF now that I've not seen before. The 1999 Castelnau blanc de blancs. I like a well aged Champagne so I was a bit excited to try it out. However I thought it didn't taste better than any decent NV. 
On the plus side, there is an excellent Premier Cru Chassagne-Montrachet 2010 that is double the commercial value of the Champagne, and many times better the taste. My only complaint is that this wine will taste far better after it has been cellared for another 5 years. It hasn't quite opened up just yet.
On the plus side, there is an excellent Premier Cru Chassagne-Montrachet 2010 that is double the commercial value of the Champagne, and many times better the taste. My only complaint is that this wine will taste far better after it has been cellared for another 5 years. It hasn't quite opened up just yet.
Apr 3, 2013, 9:30 pm
#72
Join Date: May 2006
Location: 5 miles from EMA
Programs: BD, BAEC Pleb, VS Pleb, Accor Pleb, HHonors Gold, Big White Season Pass
Posts: 5,904
Champagne was Boizel Grand Vintage 2004 in CW on the BA36 MAA-LHR. Never heard so many people specifically asking for 'the grand vintage champagne'. Pax on the India flights always seem unreasonably demanding. Very nice champagne, my preference would be the Taittinger however. Castelnau Rose on the 197 last week, could not get past the image of piles of the stuff on offer in my local Co-op
Last edited by Tiger_lily; Apr 3, 2013 at 9:36 pm
Apr 7, 2013, 6:26 pm
#73
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: BER
Programs: BA Exec Club Silver, Miles and More Frequent Traveler, IHG Platinum
Posts: 100
I was also in the flounge last week and found the tattinger to be excellent along with the bollinger rose and in plentiful supply but found myself lamenting the lack of any grande siècle. On the plus side, the selection was a marked improvement to what I am used to in the gc and terraces, does anyone know which bubbles they serve in the gc?
Apr 7, 2013, 6:32 pm
#74
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Atlanta, GA / San Francisco, CA
Programs: BA Gold, TK Elite Plus
Posts: 1,150
I was also in the flounge last week and found the tattinger to be excellent along with the bollinger rose and in plentiful supply but found myself lamenting the lack of any grande siècle. On the plus side, the selection was a marked improvement to what I am used to in the gc and terraces, does anyone know which bubbles they serve in the gc?
LPGS in GF is an exception, I've only seen it there during that brief period last year, when it was on offer.
Hope you also tried JW Blue? Glad you enjoyed the offerings!