Korean Air Unveils Selection of New Inflight Wines

(14/10/22)  Korean Air has unveiled its selection of new inflight wines, which will be served onboard from March 2023.

The airline presented 50 newly-selected inflight wines - 19 for First Class, 21 for Prestige Class and 10 to be served in Economy Class - at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul on Thursday.

To select the wines, Korean Air collaborated with Sang Jun Lee, a sommelier at KAL Hotel Network, and Marc Almert, named “World's Best Sommelier 2019” by the International Sommelier Association, to help the carrier whittle down the chosen wines from a list of 900.

Marc Almert said, “It was a huge task selecting the wines from so many fine options on the long list. The cabin pressure and a drier environment can distort the taste of some wines and we took this into consideration and chose fruity and aromatic wines that can perfectly compliment the inflight cuisine.”

Korean Air's selection of new inflight wines will be served onboard from March 2023

One of the new wines selected for First Class is an Australian Henschke Mount Edelstone Shiraz, a concentrated wine produced from 100% Shiraz grapes with the aroma of rich pepper, mint and eucalyptus. The strong flavor, unique to Shiraz, makes for a luxurious balance, harmonizing well with the first-class inflight meal options, such as steak and Korean cuisine.

A new Champagne for First Class has been selected, Henri Giraud Ay Grand Cru Brut MV (multi-vintage), featuring silky softness and rich bubbles.

Among the wines selected for Prestige Class is the La Perriere Megalithe Sancerre, a white wine from the Loire Valley. The wine is made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes, harvested by hand, with half of them aged in oak barrels for more than six months. The wine features the unique fresh acidity of Sauvignon Blanc, soft and subtle with the aftertaste of oak-aged wine.

Additionally, completely new to inflight service is Nik Weis Urban Riesling, produced in Moselle, Germany, which will be served in Korean Air’s Economy Class. It was evaluated that the Riesling's refreshing scent and mild flavor would harmonize well with inflight meals.

Korean Air will gradually introduce the new onboard wines from March 2023, after the selection follow-up procedures are completed, such as finalizing supply contracts with the wineries.

“As the inflight wine selection strongly impacts the customers’ first impression of the airline’s service levels, we gave careful deliberation to each stage of the selection process,” said  Kenneth Chang, Korean Air Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer.

In addition to new inflight wines, the airline is also planning significant changes to its inflight cuisine. Some changes recently commenced with the airline serving new Korean cuisine options including braised mackerel and spicy pork lettuce wraps in March this year, and bulgogi rice with acorn jelly in cold broth and spicy noodles in July. The increase in Korean dishes available onboard reflects the growing global awareness of Korean culture and demand for Korean food.

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