Brussels Airlines wins prestigious wine awards

First place for “Top Red Wine International Business Class” and third place for overall Top International Business Class Wines on the Wing

Brussels Airlines has won two prestigious awards for its wine offering in Business Class. At a blind tasting in New York, Global Traveler awarded Brussels Airlines first place for Top Red Wine in International Business Class and third place for "Top International Business Class Wines" in the Wines on the Wing competition. Brussels Airlines focuses on unique wines from smaller producers to offer an exclusive experience.

In long-haul Business Class, Brussels Airlines serves up to 900 bottles of wine per reference per month. That might sound like a lot, but compared to other larger carriers these are still relatively small quantities, allowing Brussels Airlines to work with unique, smaller wineries.

 Philip Mortier, Inflight Product Manager, Brussels Airlines said: “Our overall strategy on long-haul flights is to offer an experience like a boutique hotel, but in the air. Our wine list is no exception. We often work with small independent wineries, and we try to make a very varied wine lists that always includes some more classic, French wines and some more unique or exceptional wines. This way passengers can choose for something they know they will like, or explore new tastes. And as the Belgian flag carrier, it is only natural that we also offer Belgian wines.”

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To design the on-board menu, a panel of wine experts organizes once a year a two-day tasting, where over 200 wines are tasted and selected in no less than 15 different categories. The wines on offer rotate regularly and are paired with the Belgian Staf Chef menus. In total, Brussels Airlines selects 24 different wine references to serve on long-haul Business Class flights throughout the year.

Wines on the Wing Awards

This strategy for a top-notch wine list didn’t stay unnoticed. In the Wines on the Wing airline wine survey 2024, Brussels Airlines was awarded in two categories: Top Red Wine International Business Class, with Chateau Clement- Pichon Cru Bourgeois Superieur Haut Medoc 2018. The second category is Top International Business Class Wines on the Wing, there Brussels Airlines was able to score the third place.