Custom wine blend for high flyers

The Duo, a wine specifically blended for consumption at high altitude, is to be served exclusively on board Virgin Australia flights in Business Class. The St Hallett wine can also be sampled in Virgin Australia lounges.

Virgin Australia and St Hallett winemaker Shelley Cox collaborated to create the customised wine that focuses on delivering balanced acidity and texture when consumed in the air. The wine was also developed to complement the Business Class menu designed by Virgin Australia’s resident chef Luke Mangan.

At high altitudes, like 38,000 feet straight up, drier conditions and atmospheric pressure affect how foods and beverages taste.

The Duo is a blend sourced from both the Barossa and Eden Valleys to achieve a perfect balance at altitude. While some airlines select wines based on their characteristics at altitude, it is believed this is the first blend specifically created to suit the conditions at altitude.

“The drier air in the cabin can make it hard to really capture a wine’s aroma. 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,” Cox said.

“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.”