Alcohol for Altitude - Virgin Australia launches Shiraz blended specifically for the skies

Beer can taste flat and wine can be fairly bland. Airlines know this too. Hence, there has been a long-running trend of tailoring onboard food to suit our distorted palates. And now, attention has finally turned to the onboard drinks, specifically the alcoholic varieties.

Mikkeler's beer for SAS Business Class passengers SAS has for a number of years been working together with Copenhagen-based microbrewery Mikkeller to develop a range of “airline-only” beers for the SAS’ Business Class passengers. Mikkeller and SAS conduct taste-testing sessions at 30,000ft in order to decide which brew gets the go-ahead to be served on board. Additionally, last month,

Cathay Pacific introduced ‘Betsy Beer’

for its premium classes. Through a collaboration with the Hong Kong Beer Co., the beer has been specially formulated to be consumed at altitude. It will be served throughout March and April between Hong Kong and the UK, as well as in Cathay Pacific's Hong Kong and London Heathrow lounges.

Cathay Pacific's new Betsy Beer Virgin Australia is now getting in on the act by serving a new Shiraz, thought to be the first blend specifically created for consumption above the clouds. The wine, named ‘The Duo’, will be served exclusively on board Virgin Australia flights in Business Class, as well as in Virgin Australia lounges. The Australian airline worked with Barossa Valley winery, St Hallett, to create the customised wine. It focuses on delivering “balanced acidity and texture” when consumed in the air, taking into account environmental shifts such as atmospheric pressure and drier air conditions. The wine was also developed to complement the Business Class menu designed by Virgin Australia’s resident chef Luke Mangan, the airline said in a press release.

Virgin Australia's new Shiraz, 'The Duo' St Hallett winemaker Shelley Cox said The Duo is a blend sourced from both the Barossa Valleys (home to world-renowned brands such as Penfolds Grange, Jacob’s Creek and Wolf Blass) and Eden Valleys to achieve a perfect balance at altitude. “The drier air in the cabin can make it hard to really capture a wine’s aroma,” said Cox. “This is where the Eden Valley component comes in. The higher altitude of the Eden Valley means cooler conditions and creates Shiraz with lovely overt floral aromas. You only need a small component to really lift a whole blend.” “We played around with a lot of different options to ensure the acid and texture balance was right. It was a great experience and we are confident the wine will deliver in both taste and aroma on the plane at altitude.”