GRAPE EXPECTATIONS

Discover the best wines available in the sky - and why you should avoid bold tannins inflight

- TAMSIN COCKS

Since 1985, the Cellars in the Sky awards have been celebrating the best inflight wines in first and business class.

The competition is open to all airlines who think their bins can tantalise the tastebuds of the judging panel, which this year comprised Charles Metcalfe (Head Judge), Masters of Wine Peter McCombie and Sam Caporn, and winemaker John Worontschak.

There are 16 categories, ranging from Best Business Class Sparkling wine to the coveted Best Overall Cellar.

This year, 30 airlines entered the awards, in up to seven categories each, and the awards were sponsored by Château d'Esclans, Bottega, Pimentae, The Pickle House and The Uncommon.

A total of 280 bottles of wine were blind-tasted by the four-person judging panel over two days. To ensure anonymity and impartiality, all bottles were concealed under black bags and hidden until the judging process had been completed.

WHAT IS BLIND TASTING?

"Tasting blind is a really fun exercise for us because you're not being swayed by the label," says Sam Caporn. "You can't even be swayed by what it is or where it's from. Sometimes you taste a wine and you go: 'Oh, I know this is an Australian Shiraz, but a couple of times we've had no idea. It takes away all those preconceptions, and you're basically saying: Does it taste nice? Is it balanced? What's its inherent quality? Is it a delicious glass of wine?"