Stellar Wine Cellar: Emirates to serve exceptional Champagnes and fine wines onboard in 2026

Dubai, UAE, 2 Sep 2026: Emirates is introducing a new collection of exceptional Champagnes and fine wines across its global network over the coming months, offering customers in every cabin a taste of one of the world’s most extensive airline wine cellars.

From Dom Pérignon Vintage 2017 and Château Mouton Rothschild 2003 in First Class, to Emirates’ first English sparkling wine, Wiston Estate Brut NV, in Premium Economy, the latest selection spans some of the most celebrated vineyards of France, Australia, Chile, South Africa and the UK.

Since 2006, Emirates has invested more than USD 1 billion in its wine programme, building a cellar that today holds around five million bottles in dedicated facilities in France. Many wines are acquired years in advance and carefully matured until they reach their optimum drinking window, before being introduced onboard for guests to enjoy at their peak.

As many wines are sourced in small parcels and limited allocations, Emirates customers are uniquely positioned to experience rare and sought-after vintages that are not widely available elsewhere.

First Class: icons of the wine world

Rounding off the year in style, Emirates is expected to introduce Dom Pérignon Vintage 2017 in First Class across its global network, the latest expression of the maison’s iconic prestige cuvée. Born from a year of striking contrasts in Champagne, Dom Pérignon Vintage 2017 brings together richness and freshness. Aromas of wet stone, jasmine and candied citrus lead to a vibrant palate, where richness is balanced by freshness, precision and a refined mineral character.

Currently served in First Class on African routes, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru 2015 from Bouchard Père & Fils comes from one of Burgundy’s legendary Chardonnay terroirs in Puligny-Montrachet, renowned for its power, precision and exceptional mineral tension.

With the appellation exceptionally small and Grand Cru Burgundy produced in limited quantities, allocations are highly restricted.

The generous 2015 vintage reveals ripe citrus, white peach, subtle spice and delicate toasted notes, with both remarkable freshness and length.

Currently onboard First Class on European routes, Le Petit Cheval Blanc 2023 from Château Cheval Blanc is a rare white wine from one of Bordeaux’s most prestigious estates.

Made primarily from Sauvignon Blanc supported by Sémillon, the 2023 vintage combines aromatic precision and freshness, with bright citrus, white flowers, grapefruit and subtle mineral tension. While Château Cheval Blanc is renowned worldwide for its legendary red wine, its limited-production white cuvée remains a distinctive and highly sought-after expression of the estate.

First Class customers travelling to East Asia can currently discover Seña 2016, one of Chile’s most iconic wines and a benchmark for premium Cabernet Sauvignon-led blends from the Aconcagua Valley. Seña demonstrates Chile’s ability to produce wines of world-class elegance, depth and ageing potential. The 2016 vintage offers black fruit, violet, tobacco and cedar, with fine tannins and a long, layered finish.

From late September, First Class customers travelling to Australasia will be served Penfolds RWT Shiraz 2015, one of Australia’s benchmark expressions of Barossa Valley Shiraz. Rich aromas of dark fruit, liquorice, mocha and spice are complemented by subtle savoury notes. On the palate, polished tannins give the wine structure, leading to a long, layered finish. With around a decade of maturity, it is already showing remarkable depth and complexity.

From October, Emirates will serve Château Mouton Rothschild 2003 in First Class on UK routes, offering customers a rare opportunity to experience a mature First Growth Bordeaux with more than 20 years of development. One of the great names of Pauillac and recognised as a First Growth in the historic 1855 Classification, the wine combines intense flavours of blackcurrant, blackberry and plum with notes of cedar, tobacco and warm spice. Ripe tannins and a long, structured finish add to its depth and complexity.

From December on select First Class routes, Vilafonté Series C 2016 will showcase one of South Africa’s highly regarded fine wines. The Cabernet Sauvignon-led Bordeaux-style blend combines black fruit, cedar and spice with polished tannins and a long, refined finish.

Business Class: Bordeaux prestige and a rare white Rhône

Currently onboard Business Class on US routes, La Dame de Montrose 2014 from Château Montrose is the second wine of one of Saint-Estèphe’s great estates and a Second Growth in Bordeaux’s 1855 Classification. The classic 2014 vintage offers blackcurrant, dark cherry, cedar and tobacco, with polished tannins and a long, savoury finish.

From late September on East Asia routes, Business Class customers can experience Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc 2024 from Domaine des Sénéchaux, a distinctive white from the Southern Rhône, where only around one in every 16 bottles produced in the appellation is white. The vintage offers white flowers, citrus, pear and subtle spice, with a rounded texture and fresh mineral finish.

Premium Economy: from Bordeaux and Burgundy to a British first

From October, Emirates Premium Economy will feature La Parde de Haut-Bailly 2014, from Château Haut-Bailly, one of the historic estates of Pessac-Léognan in Bordeaux. The wine offers blackcurrant, red plum, cherry, tobacco and cedar, with silky tannins, fresh acidity and a long, elegant finish after around a decade of maturity.

From September, Premium Economy customers will also be served Chablis Premier Cru Jean-Marc Brocard 2024, from one of Burgundy’s most distinctive white wine regions, where Chardonnay is renowned for purity, freshness and mineral precision. Lemon, green apple and white flowers lead to a fresh, refined palate with bright acidity, saline tension and a precise finish.

October will also mark a first for Emirates, as Wiston Estate Brut NV becomes the airline’s first English sparkling wine, served exclusively in Premium Economy on UK routes. Wiston Estate is a historic family-owned property in West Sussex, with vineyards on the chalk soils of the South Downs. Produced from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier using the traditional method, its Brut NV incorporates reserve wines and extended lees ageing for depth and complexity while retaining freshness and distinctive minerality. The wine has earned significant international recognition and Wiston Estate has been named WineGB Winery of the Year six times. Opening with green apple, freshly cut lemon and sourdough, the wine develops with a fine mousse and notes of candied citrus, butter and toast. The introduction of Wiston Estate exclusively on UK routes celebrates British provenance and craftsmanship while giving Emirates customers the opportunity to discover one of England’s benchmark sparkling wines.

Now onboard Premium Economy as a global Emirates exclusive, Chandon 2021 continues a celebrated partnership that has formed part of the cabin’s wine offering since Premium Economy launched. Produced in the Yarra Valley in Victoria using the méthode traditionnelle and aged for four years, the wine balances vibrant fruit with brioche and almond meal, freshness and length, while minimal dosage preserves clarity and regional expression.

Economy Class: characterful wines from France and South Africa

Across its global Economy Class network, Emirates is now serving a new collection of approachable and characterful wines.

Domaine de la Baume Tautavel 2023, a Grenache-Syrah from the Roussillon in southern France, offers ripe blackberry, blackcurrant and red plum complemented by liquorice, pepper and Mediterranean herbs, with smooth tannins and a fruit-driven finish. From October onwards, Emirates will introduce Château Pech-Latt Corbières 2024 – made from traditional Corbières varieties including Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Mourvèdre, offering ripe blackberry, blackcurrant and red fruits complemented by spice and Mediterranean herbs, with a round, supple palate.

For white wine fans, Cuvée Sabourin Picpoul de Pinet 2024 brings the freshness of France’s Mediterranean coast onboard, with bright lemon, green apple and white flowers alongside subtle mineral and saline notes. Crisp acidity and a clean citrus-driven finish make it particularly well suited to seafood and lighter dishes. Completing the new Economy selection is Journey’s End Weather Station Sauvignon Blanc 2025, produced by the family-owned Journey’s End estate near Stellenbosch, South Africa. The vintage displays green apple, citrus, grapefruit and kiwifruit complemented by subtle saline minerality, with lively acidity and a clean, refreshing finish.

Emirates’ prestigious criteria for wine selection

Emirates applies stringent criteria to select wines that perform both on the ground and at altitude, considering fruit character, acidity, tannin levels, oak influence and, crucially, maturity. Many are acquired years before they are ready to serve and aged in professional facilities in France. Bordeaux wines destined for Business Class typically undergo a minimum of eight to 10 years of ageing, while those selected for First Class can mature for at least 12 to 15 years. This long-term approach enables Emirates to secure limited parcels of sought-after vintages and serve customers wines at their peak, as part of the airline’s Fly Better promise.

About Emirates

The Emirates story started in 1985 when we launched operations with just two aircraft. Today, we fly the world’s biggest fleets of Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s, offering our customers the comforts of the latest and most efficient wide-body aircraft in the skies.

We inspire travellers around the world with our growing network of worldwide destinations, industry leading inflight entertainment, regionally inspired cuisine, and world-class service.

For more information see www.emirates.com/zm and www.emirates.com/zw