Singapore Airlines will soon become the only airline in the world to consistently serve three different champagne options in first class.
In this post:
Singapore Airlines’ first class champagne selection
As of June 1, 2023, Singapore Airlines will begin pouring three different champagne options to passengers in first class and Suites, on all routes. Per Singapore Airlines’ inflight menu, here are the champagne choices customers can expect:
- 2008 or 2012 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne
- Krug Grand Cuvee
- 2018 Vilmart Grand Cellier d’Or
Singapore Airlines has made quite some changes to its champagne selection over the years. Historically the airline served both Dom Perignon and Krug. However, Singapore Airlines dropped Dom Perignon as of November 2022. Or more accurately, Dom Perignon dropped Singapore Airlines, as Emirates and Dom Perignon entered into an exclusive agreement, whereby no other airline can serve Dom Perignon anymore.
That’s why we saw Taittinger Comtes de Champagne added to the menu, as it was intended to replace Dom Perignon.
Going back to late 2019, we already saw Singapore Airlines add a third champagne to its first class rotation. However, there were always only two champagnes actually available on a particular flight. With the latest change, we’ll see three champagne options on each flight.
Singapore Airlines’ new first class champagne
The 2018 Vilmart Grand Cellier d’Or that Singapore Airlines is now serving is 80% chardonnay and 20% pinot noir. Vilmart & Cie only produces 8,500 cases of champagne per year, so it’s quite a boutique producer.
Not that price is necessarily indicative of quality, but it’s worth noting that this latest champagne will be by far the cheapest of the three offered in first class, as it’s available for under $100 per bottle. That’s significantly less than half the price of the other options.
I am kind of curious about the motivation for adding a third champagne to the lineup. When Singapore Airlines served both Dom Perignon and Krug, there was a certain pride flight attendants seemed to take in asking which a passenger wanted. I mean, after all, it’s a pretty nice choice to have!
With that in mind:
- Is three types of champagne almost an overkill, in terms of having to explain options to customers, etc.?
- How exactly will inventory be managed here? Will we see a reduction in how much of the other champagne options is loaded, or will each cabin just be catered with a lot of champagne?
- I’ve never had the latest champagne added to the lineup, though personally I have a hard time imagining that most people would select it over one of the better known brands
- I have to imagine that Singapore Airlines is being given this new champagne for next to nothing in order to promote it to an affluent crowd, and that this is the primary motivation here
I don’t think this is going to be the case, but I hope Singapore Airlines doesn’t go the direction of Japan Airlines, and have absolutely amazing champagne, but only load a single bottle of it for the entire cabin.
Bottom line
As of June 2023, Singapore Airlines is adding a third champagne to its rotation in first class. The airline is adding 2018 Vilmart Grand Cellier d’Or to the menu, complementing Taittinger Comtes de Champagne and Krug Grand Cuvee.
Singapore Airlines will be the only airline in the world to serve three champagne options in first class. I do have to wonder how many people will order this new champagne, compared to the two existing options, which are popular.
What do you make of Singapore Airlines’ champagne changes?
BA has had three champagnes in first for many years.
(includes Sussex wines, but they are now comparable in quality, an unfortunately approaching comparable in terms of price)
Isn't Jesper just amazing?
Increasingly, airlines are offering better experience in premium cabin and cutting experience in economy. Comparing to the price they charge for first class, these champagnes are trivial, but carrying a lot of weight to premium passengers like you and worth writing an article for it. So if you can afford it, enjoy.
I'd prefer them to add a really good Blanc de Blancs, like Jacques Selosse 'Substance', but a lot of the truly excellent ones probably aren't made in sufficient quantity.
Recall that it's not just the price of a wine that makes it "exclusive". There are, for instance, small Pinot Noir & Chardonnay vintners in the south of Tasmania who produce stupendously good wines in tiny quantities; a few thousand bottles or less every vintage; that...
I'd prefer them to add a really good Blanc de Blancs, like Jacques Selosse 'Substance', but a lot of the truly excellent ones probably aren't made in sufficient quantity.
Recall that it's not just the price of a wine that makes it "exclusive". There are, for instance, small Pinot Noir & Chardonnay vintners in the south of Tasmania who produce stupendously good wines in tiny quantities; a few thousand bottles or less every vintage; that often sell out before they're even released. The price isn't high, but they're "exclusive" because almost nobody knows they exist.
That Taittinger *is* a Blanc de Blancs, which is why I prefer the Krug.
Although if you mean that you want them to replace it with a better one, I don't disagree!
It's amazing, make every one to enjoy travelling with sa. This changes is amazing
Vilmart is a richer style and should work just as well in the air. Though if I'm flying F, I want to drink my money's worth too, even if it's points.
Also, there is a simple reason why JAL has so little Salon - there is so little in the wild. They only have 50000 or so bottles a vintage for the whole world to share, with many years between some vintages, and I don't...
Vilmart is a richer style and should work just as well in the air. Though if I'm flying F, I want to drink my money's worth too, even if it's points.
Also, there is a simple reason why JAL has so little Salon - there is so little in the wild. They only have 50000 or so bottles a vintage for the whole world to share, with many years between some vintages, and I don't think they're ballsy enough to use the magnums so that rules out the 2008 (8000 bottles, which itself should really be kept another 10 or 20 years and consumed on the ground).
I hear what you’re saying about JAL. From the menu, to the pajamas, to the Champagne they have really done a lot of cost cutting in first class. Given the option to use other Asian airlines with first class JAL is way down compared on my list. It’s a shame, they really had a good product in the past.
Doesnt worry me as i carnt afford to fly first class , but why dont they the extra into economy travel, no must look after rich first.
For anybody interested in Champagne, you should reach out to R H C Selections in Bend, Oregon.
With a budget for six Champagne bottles, at his chosing, he included a Vilmart.
There are many, very good Champange operations that are not owned by the primary luxury goods company, LVMH.
Unlike so many others, I am not blinded by the branding campaigns or by drinking the most expensive champagne,
I'd immediately be curious to try the 3rd option here, it is not that easy to come by outside of the champagne district, and fairly well regarded as a champagne house. Krug or Comtes de Champagne I can get anywhere.
Vilmart readily available in Australia
Maybe you’re blinded by your own self perceived virtue if connoisseur
Not that hard to come by
winesearcher.com reports over 150 outlets with prices starting at 56 dollars from stores well beyond the area of Rilly La Montagne. Whereas Krug harder to come by for a decent price here in NY
To each his own
I can walk in to any of my local wine shops and always get a bottle of Krug. It really the easiest thing to buy. Not that I always want to pay for a Krug, there are Krug times and there are other times.
With a limited production of the Vilmart, there is probably also a more careful selection of markets it does come to.
What does it mean that a vineyard has an exclusive agreement with an airline? Can't an airline just buy the stuff through a distributor? They're buying a product, not licensing it.
Most distribution agreement for retailers forbid them to resell manufacturer's inventory
I guess it is the airline insisting that the manufacturer does not sell to another airline during the defined period?
The airline doesn't want to advertise that they are providing something wonderful, and then find that another one is too.
And the manufacturer gains in publicity so is willing to commit to exclusivity.
I'm certain we will find in the future less and less Krug and Taittinger CDC and much more of the Vilmart. Which in my book, and by many many wine enthusiasts along with critiques is a inferior Champagne and will be quite a letdown in terms of quality. As to your remark regarding how many bottles they will load....if it's anything like my experience in 2018 it will be exactly ZERO bottles of Krug on...
I'm certain we will find in the future less and less Krug and Taittinger CDC and much more of the Vilmart. Which in my book, and by many many wine enthusiasts along with critiques is a inferior Champagne and will be quite a letdown in terms of quality. As to your remark regarding how many bottles they will load....if it's anything like my experience in 2018 it will be exactly ZERO bottles of Krug on two separate 1st class flights. That was a letdown and one I'm not soon to forget. Ahh well, wonder if they are still serving Don in the First class lounge?
Real wine experts and enthusiasts will prefer a good and interesting grower to a brand name.
ok, I guess.
I suppose that, if I want champagne, I'll go and get what I'd like and not depend upon a airline to stock a specific brand.
The price is not always indicative of the quality especially for champagne. With Dom Pérignon , Taittinger, Krug etc, you pay a lot for the name. Of course it's really good stuff, but you pay for their crazy marketing campaigns and because people like to show off with brands that are known.
Vilmart is a grower champagne, fairly well known in the champagne world, and makes an absolutely delightful product. And like most grower...
The price is not always indicative of the quality especially for champagne. With Dom Pérignon , Taittinger, Krug etc, you pay a lot for the name. Of course it's really good stuff, but you pay for their crazy marketing campaigns and because people like to show off with brands that are known.
Vilmart is a grower champagne, fairly well known in the champagne world, and makes an absolutely delightful product. And like most grower champagne, the prices are far lower and you can get remarkable value but you're unlikely to see them sponsoring some gaudy event at the club. It will cater to the connoisseurs.
Seriously. Paying for LVMH’s margins is expensive for drinkers.
The socialist alcohol Moutai (though it is Baijiu) is great for this very reason
Fairly well know that in Champagne fair and tasting in Europe with a lot of producer, I never saw this brand...
Well first I agree with you on JAL and hope next months JFK HND HAS lots of Crystal. Loved the Salon
Update as I review this post pre RTW Trip leaving tomorrow with SYD - SIN - LHR in SQ Suites. June JAL First had only 1 bottle of Salon, but I was the only one drinking it! Score!
I'd unquestionably take Vilmart over any Dom that I've had other than the 08'(the bottle of 02' I had was a surprising let down). Krug is good. Never had CdC but honestly in terms of quality these champagnes are probably pretty similar. The big difference in price isn't surprising as two of these houses likely pay millions of dollars on advertising a year. Gotta keep the margins up somehow.
Probably they got a very good deal on it but there wasn't enough to buy to stock business class.