Kiwa Wins Cellars in the Sky Award

There are some unusual awards to be won in the world of wine, and Larry McKenna’s Kiwa Pinot Noir 2011 was recently the recipient of one. Larry’s Kiwa Pinot, grown on Gill Cleland’s Cambridge Road property, is supplied to British Airways, who pour it into the glasses of first class travellers around the world.

The 2011 vintage won the Gold Medal for Best First Class Red in the latest Business Traveller magazine’s Cellars in the Sky Awards. These awards, which have been running for 30 years, recognise the best business and first class wines served by airlines worldwide.

More than 75 airlines were contacted last year and 35 entered. Blind tastings were held, with five judges independently scoring the wines. Larry McKenna commented that “ I’m not allowed to have favourites but Kiwa is the one”. He also mentioned that British Airways has been pouring three of his single vineyard wines in first class recently – Te Rehua, Kupe, and Kiwa.

It’s good to know that the best of Martinborough wines are flying high and proving again their international excellence.