British Airways lounge raid: better than expected
One of the features of airline travel over the last few years has been the decrease in quality of the business class and lounge wines. It was getting to the point that costs had been cut so much, that the wines were bad enough that cheap beer was a better option. I fly mostly economy class, but status means I get to use lounges, and today I was pleasantly surprised by the wine selection. So I tried them all (apart from the Prosecco in white and pink that represented the fizz option).
Here are my notes, typed into my phone, and with a modest degree of confidence in the verdicts (this is with reference to my recent article here).
Teusner Riebke 2019 Barossa, Australia
Lush sweet and ripe. Smooth and textured with some olive, cherry and blackberry. Slightly salty. 91/100
Izardi Crianza 2018 Rioja, Spain
Savoury woody edge and a hint of mint as well as sweet black fruits. Fruit forward and supple with nice balance. 91/100
Swartland Winery Limited Release Syrah 2021 South Africa
Bold with a fresh green edge to the spicy, peppery berry fruits. Has a juicy quality with nice balance. Grippy finish. Digestible. 90/100
Gabriel Meffre Rasteau Saint Didier 2021 Rhône, France
This is plummy, ripe and peppery. Subtle green hints as well as lush fruit and a chalky, stony undercurrent. Very expressive. 91/100
Swartland Winery Graniite Rock Blend 2017 South Africa
Grenache, Mourvèdre, Carignan.lively with some lush, bold fruit supported by good acidity and some tar and spice. Has bite. Evolved in a nice way. Personality here. 90/100
Sacha Lichine The Pale Rosé 2021 VdP du Var, France
Beautiful packaging and really nice flavour – light in colour with a grainy citrus, pear and cherry character. Has bright pink grapefruit on the finish. 89/100
D’Arenberg The Olive Grove Chardonnay 2017 McLaren Vale, Australia
Ripe and generous but still fresh. Spicy edge to the pear and peach fruit. Bold and delicious in this rich style. Juicy finish. I used to love this style of Chardonnay. 90/100
Ventisquero Quelet Sauvignon Blanc Gran Reserva 2021 Leyda, Chile
Lively and rich with a green pepper note, some chalk, and bold, sweet pear and citrus fruit. Fresh and full with real volume. Impressive. 91/100
Lapilli Greco di Tufo 2021 Italy
Crisp and stony with vivid citrus fruit and some ripe pear. Good acidity here with nice focused fruit. Very stylish with a wet stone finish. 91/100
Radford Dale Renaissance Chenin Blanc 2021 Stellenbosch, South Africa
Ripe and textural with apple, pear and some honey as well as stony citrus. Very expressive with a subtly salty edge to the fruit. Really lovely Chenin. 93/100
Martinborough Vineyard Te Tera Pinot Noir 2020 Martinborough, New Zealand
Ripe and rounded with sleek cherry and plum fruit. Has a salty twist with tar and herbs in the background. Lovely supple rounded fruit here. Impressive. 92/100
Buena Vista North Coast Pinot Noir 2018 California
This has ripeness and volume. It’s quite chunky and broad with bold cherry and plum fruit with some spicy depth. Rich style but there’s some balance. 88/100
De Morgenzon DMZ Chardonnay 2022 Stellenbosch, South Africa
Lively, zesty, primary and bright with nice pear and citrus. Pure and zesty. 88/100
