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Singapore Airways becomes only air carrier to offer Cristal 2015

03 December 2024 By Sarah Neish

From this month Singapore Airways will be the only airline in the world to pour the “supreme” 2015 vintage of Cristal Champagne.

December will see Cristal 2015 poured for First Class travellers on key Singapore Airlines routes for the first time, marking the Champagne’s exclusive entry to the skies.

Travelers flying between Singapore and London, Los Angeles, Paris, Sydney, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Delhi, and Shanghai will be among the first to enjoy the vintage at 36,000 feet.

Why is this such a big deal? According to Louis Roederer’s cellar master Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon the 2015 “resonates with a different tone to that of previous vintages”.

Unique blend

A blend of 40% Chardonnay and 60% Pinot Noir, Cristal 2015 is produced from grapes hailing from the 45 plots within the producer’s Grand Cru vineyards in which the vines are more than 20 years old.

Around 25% of the wine is aged in oak, and malolactic fermentation is blocked in order to retain the “bright, fresh and exceptionally pure character of the fruit,” says Lécaillon.

Six to seven years ageing sur lattes follows, before six to twelve months of further ageing after disgorgement.

The 2015 vintage: chalk shines through

The Champagne producer has described 2015 as “a hot and sunny year marked by episodes of heat and drought, relieved by some very welcome rain at the end of the summer which enabled the grapes to preserve all their freshness. These weather conditions gave rise to juicy, ripe and concentrated grapes with a perfect balance.”

Cristal 2015 has taken “full advantage” of these contrasting weather conditions, showing a “strong chalky temperament and capturing the vibrations of its soils as never before.”

The vintageʼs calling card is its chalky character which “bursts forth in a bracing, vertical effervescence, with an insistent, precise and finely honed freshness, underpinned by subtle oaky, sappy and saline notes, which creates the ultimate sensation of delicacy and concentration,” claims Louis Roederer.

It is said to be a wine of “supreme balance and measure, resonating from the chalky nature of its soils rather than the sunny character of its vintage, with enormous
ageing potential.”

Welcome to Singapore

Cristal 2015 will be available on select Singapore Airways flights from 1 December 2024.

“Exclusively offering a premium Champagne like Cristal 2015 will delight our Suites and First Class customers, ensuring they continue to enjoy an unparalleled, luxurious journey with us,” said Yeoh Phee Teik, senior vice president of customer experience, Singapore Airways.

According to Amy Johnson, account manager for Berry Bros. & Rudd, which currently sells Cristal 2015 for £259 per 75cl bottle, the vintage offers “an array of delicious notes from baked apples and pears to crème anglaise and lemon posset. On the palate, the delicate creaminess carries through but it is lifted by an incredible freshness and a crunchy hit of red fruits. On the finish, white chocolate melts into toasted nuts and a saline air breezes through.”

BBR suggests on its website that the 2015, which has 12.5% ABV, will keep until 2038.

Global airlines are fiercely fighting to offer the most impressive fine wine offering at altitude.

Earlier this month, db reported that Qatar Airways had appointed Anne Krebiehl MW to curate its wine offering and sourcing strategy, which includes working with wineries to find unique blends for the airline.

Air France, meanwhile, hired Xavier Thuizat of Parisian establishment Hôtel de Crillon earlier this year as its new head sommelier.

Carriers are also choosing to roll out their high-end wines to Economy passengers in a bid to improve travellers’ inflight experience. In October United Airlines revealed it was extending its premium canned wines, previously served exclusively to Business Class travellers, to those seated in Economy. However, while the cans of California-made rosé, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and sparkling brut are free to Business Class guests, those flying Economy will be charged US$12 per 250ml can.

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