Emirates Upgrades Dom Perignon In First Class, Serving 2009 Rose

Emirates first class is one of the best first class products in the world. In particular, the airline invests an incredible amount of money in its first class soft product, ranging from “unlimited” caviar, to endless high quality wines.

While Emirates is known for serving Dom Perignon in first class, for the next few months the airline is upping its game even more.

Emirates serving Dom Perignon Rose 2009 in first class

Over the past two decades, Emirates has invested well over a billion dollars in its wine program, and as part of that, the airline procures the best vintages up to a decade before they’re ready to be consumed. That’s some serious effort, and Emirates invests more in wine than any other airline in the world (and it’s not even close).

In first class, Emirates typically serves Dom Perignon champagne, which is fantastic, among the best you’ll find on any airline. Emirates usually serves whichever vintage is most common at that time. For example, this year Emirates has been serving Dom Perignon Vintage 2015 on most flights.

However, over the coming months, Emirates is adding a second Dom Perignon to its lineup, on all flights departing Dubai (DXB). Specifically, the airline is also serving Dom Perignon Rose 2009. For those curious about the cost, Dom Perignon Vintage 2015 currently retails for ~$300 per bottle, while Dom Perignon Rose 2009 currently retails for ~$500 per bottle.

There’s not an exact end date for this, as presumably it depends on consumption. You can always go to this page to look up the wine offering for each flight, based on the date and route.

Emirates is uniquely positioned in that it has an exclusive partnership with Moët Hennessy, meaning Emirates is the only airline with direct access to these special vintages from the winery. Of course Emirates’ amazing wine selection goes way beyond champagne, and you’d be missing out big time if you didn’t sample some of their reds.

Dom Perignon Rose 2009 tasting notes from Emirates

This is way beyond my area of expertise, but for those who are interested, here are Emirates’ tasting notes for the Dom Perignon Rose 2009:

Dom Pérignon Rosé 2009 is the result of a particularly generous growing season, enabling the estate to produce a wine of profound ripeness, textural richness, and controlled power. It is sourced from Grand Cru vineyards such as Aÿ and Bouzy, with a significant portion of still Pinot Noir added during blending.

After 12 years of maturation in the cellar, the result speaks to depth and aromatic layering, whilst preserving the wine’s luminous tension. The 2009 reveals an expressive bouquet of rose petals, orange oil and saffron, followed by vivid notes of raspberry, cherry, cassis, and fig, and evolving toward deeper tones of licorice and gingerbread. The palate is smooth and enveloping, with ripe, fleshy fruit and a supple structure, finishing with a persistent sapidity and a memorable tactile imprint.

And here’s Emirates’ comparison of the two Dom Perignon options currently being served:

Dom Pérignon Vintage and Dom Pérignon Rosé Vintage are both made only in exceptional years, but they express very different interpretations of the same prestigious terroir. The classic Dom Pérignon Vintage is a white Champagne, blending Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in near-equal proportions. It focuses on purity and precision, offering a refined, mineral-driven profile with notes of citrus, stone fruit, and toasted brioche. Its structure is taut and harmonious, with a creamy mousse and long, elegant finish.

In contrast, Dom Pérignon Rosé Vintage is a more audacious expression. It contains a higher proportion of Pinot Noir, including a still red wine made from the same grapes lending it a delicate colour and additional structure. While both wines share the Dom Pérignon signature of balance and depth, the Vintage offers luminous finesse, while the Rosé brings intensity, sensuality, and bold character.

Bottom line

Over the coming months, Emirates is serving two types of Dom Perignon on all flights departing Dubai. Alongside the standard Dom Perignon Vintage 2015, the airline is also serving Dom Perignon Rose 2009.

Emirates’ alcohol selection is great under normal circumstances, though this certainly takes the champagne options to the next level. The challenge with flying Emirates first class is figuring out how many of the drinks you can sample while still being able to walk off the plane without stumbling over your feet…

What do you make of Emirates’ first class Dom Perignon upgrade?