I find myself in the airport lounge with some time to spare, so I thought I’d write notes on the lounge wines. I’m a geek! Destination this time is Japan to investigate the Nagano wine region in more depth. I don’t expect much from lounge wines, because airlines’ wine budgets are very limited, even for business class, these days. But there were some nice surprises here.
Paul Cluver Riesling 2017 Elgin, South Africa
This is lovely. There’s a bit of sweetness perfectly balancing the keen acidity, and pure citrus fruit with a really nice brightness and focus. Good concentration and purity, and should develop well over several years in bottle. 90/100
Crazy Creatures Grüner Veltliner 2017 Kremstal, Austria
Fresh and linear with clean, appealing citrus and melon fruit. There’s even a hint of mint here, with clean, fresh fruit and good acidity. Pleasant, with a touch of grip, but not overly complex. 86/100
Xenna Chenin Blanc 2018 Swartland, South Africa
Vivid, clean and modern with bright, primary pear, tangerine and nectarine fruit, backed up by fresh acidity. A very well made, fruity commercial white wine, but not complex or serious. 84/100
Pez de Rio Macabeo Sauvignon Blanc 2017 Spain
This is light, fresh and fruity with some citrus and pear fruit. A bit dilute, with no real flavour. But perfectly drinkable and clean. 80/100
Jean-Luc Colombo Les Fées Brunes Crozes-Hermitage Syrah 2016 Northern Rhône, France
This is pretty good: a polished, modern expression of Crozes-Hermitage with black cherries, a bit of pepper spice and a sleek blackcurrant note, too. Fruity and easy but with a hint of seriousness. 89/100
Alain Jaume Les Valats Rasteau 2015 Southern Rhône, France
A nice surprise. This is supple, ripe and smooth with nice grainy structure supporting cherry and berry fruits. Quite rich, but harmonious with a chalky edge to the lush, supple black fruit palate. Very stylish: ripe but in balance. 90/100
Cartlidge & Browne Pinot Noir 2015 California
Seductive and sweetly fruited, with a luxurious, slightly jammy cherry and berry fruits core and some slightly charred, toasty oak in the background, with some cedar and clove edges. It’s very ripe and sweet, and quite easy to drink: clearly aiming at sweeter-toothed Pinot lovers, and quite well done in its style. 85/100
Wolf Blass Gold Label Shiraz 2015 Barossa, Australia
This is concentrated, rich and powerful with lush, sweet blackberry and black cherry fruit, underpinned by notes of tar, spice and pepper. It’s sleek and polished with plenty of ripe, slightly jammy fruit, but it all pulls together quite well, with some harmony and balance. 91/100
2 Comments on Reviewing eight British Airways lounge wines
Wow, 80 points, when was the last time you published a wine score that low? Now that you mention it, I can’t think of another Macabeu Sauvignon Blanc blend off-hand.
Greetings
I’m a big fan of British Airways pour -Castelnau Champagne- Long lees aging obviously divine mousse, great freshness and structure, gentle salinity on the finish- hope they’re still listing it. Andy