2013-05-02 — /travelprnews.com/ — Cathay Pacific Airways today announced the latest promotion to enhance its award-winning inflight wine selection – the introduction of six world-class wines from Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France to the First Class wine list.
Following the success of the 1855 Bordeaux Classification wine promotion, launched last May, the airline has continued to search for premium Bordeaux wines to delight the discerning palates of its premium passengers. Passengers in First Class now have the chance to appreciate half-a-dozen carefully selected top-quality wines from Saint-Émilion in addition to the regular First Class wine selection.
The latest round of wine selection features six premium wines from Saint-Émilion, each being selected to show a different aspect of the important terroir of the area. The collection includes prestige wines from up-and-coming Grand Cru producers to the renowned Premier Grand Cru Classé. Representing different ranks of the appellation, these excellent wines are all well-suited to enjoy inflight.
The following six premium wines from Saint-Émilion will be served to various destinations across the airline’s network and rotated regularly for a year:
- Château Figeac, Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé 2007
- Château Canon-la-Gaffelière, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé 2007
- Château Dassault, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé 2004
- Château Fonplégade, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé 2008
- Château La Couspaude, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé 2009
- Château Haut Brisson La Réserve, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2009
Cathay Pacific General Manager Inflight Services James Ginns said: “At Cathay Pacific we strive to offer our passengers the best possible selection of food and beverages as part of our overall inflight experience. In addition to our regular award-winning selection, our catering team from time to time selects promotional wines for our premium passengers, offering them the chance to taste wines of special styles or from wine-producing areas they might not have tried before.”
Cathay Pacific currently carries around 100 different wines to go with its wide variety of inflight cuisine and suit the differing tastes of passengers from around the world. The current selection includes wines from France, Italy, South Africa, Australia, the United States and New Zealand. In 2012 the airline served around 1.5 million bottles of wine and champagne on its flights.
Tasting notes for the First Class Saint-Émilion wines:
Château Figeac, Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé 2007
Château Figeac, a Premier Grand Cru Classé, is unique. It has the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon among all Châteaux in Saint-Émilion and has always been considered a Château with the potential to produce the best wine in the region. The 2007 vintage is a dark crimson colour, rich with attractive fruit flavours and an elegant structure. It is one of the best right-bank wines in this challenging vintage.
Château Canon-la-Gaffelière, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé 2007
An outstanding wine from a difficult vintage that favoured Cabernet Franc, it is very aromatic with hints of oak and chard. The colour shows ruby with hints of crimson. The finely balanced palate sustains fruit and mild tannins.
Château Dassault, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé 2004
Because of the gentle flavours of this vintage, many people have overlooked the quality it produced. The ability to pick from the best blocks has been proven in this wine. The colour is medium dense and still vibrant. There are toasty aromas mingled with dark ripe berry fruit aromas. Satin smooth tannins glide you to a long finish.
Château Fonplégade, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé 2008
The Merlot gives this wine great colour in this vintage and the higher site of the vineyard and air movement produced close to perfect grapes. The colour is deep with concentration that points to a wine of great flavour. It has the aroma of dark berries and a silky tannin finish.
Château La Couspaude, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé 2009
The 2009 is a modern Saint-Émilion executed with panache. Soft and round, this beautiful wine offers copious ripe fruit aromas and flavours of blackberry and currant, with liquorice, smoke, and coffee notes layered with vanilla oak. It is full-bodied with sweet tannins, accompanied by a long, silky finish.
Château Haut Brisson La Réserve, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2009
The 2009 vintage is produced from ripe and healthy grapes that come from vines over 50 years old and planted on some of the best plots of land. This attractive wine is very perfumed, full bodied, complex and well structured with a long finish. It is a brilliant Saint-Émilion which is comparable to wines from the great terroirs on the Saint-Émilion plateau.
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