British Airways Becomes The First Airline To Serve Prestige Cuvée English Sparkling Wine On Board

Toast to Luxury: BA's Wine Innovation

British Airways will be the only airline to serve award-winning English sparkling wine on flights, allowing passengers to enjoy distinctive sparkling selections from cutting-edge English vineyards every quarter. Beginning on 30 March, First Class customers can exclusively indulge in 1086 by Nyetimber Rosé 2014, which embodies the spirit of summer, followed by 1086 by Nyetimber 2014 – the first-ever English prestige cuvée available from October. 

Gusbourne’s luxurious prestige cuvée, Fifty-One Degrees North 2016, made from outstanding fruit sourced from Kent and Sussex, is scheduled to launch on the first of July. A new wine by renowned winemaker Dermot Sugrue, based in the South Downs, will debut in January 2026. 

In the Club World cabin, the airline continues to offer premium English sparkling wines, featuring new choices on a rotating basis. For the upcoming months, Digby Fine English’s Brut NV will be on the menu, and from July, customers can anticipate the arrival of Gusbourne’s 2019 Vintage Rosé.  

Starting October, Club World customers will enjoy Hattingley Valley’s Blanc de Noirs, specially crafted for British Airways. This premium range of English sparkling wines will carry on into 2026, beginning with Roebuck’s Reserve Brut 2020 available from January, followed by Digby's Leander Pink Brut NV in April. 

Customers eager to taste premium English sparkling wines before their flight can savor Balfour Rosé de Noirs and Simpsons Chalklands Cuvée Brut NV in a designated tasting area for English sparkling wines, located within the airline’s Galleries First lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 5. 

Calum Laming, British Airways’ Chief Customer Officer, said: “We are proud to lead the way in championing provenance and British originality, as we continue to work with the very best wine producers across England and beyond for our customers to enjoy both on the ground and in the air. 

“We have selected the highest quality of wines with our customers’ expectations in mind and more than a thousand of our incredible colleagues have undergone specialist training to deliver our award-winning wines through world-class service, every time they fly with us.” 

To kick off the launch of the airline’s English sparkling wine list this year, Nyetimber’s Owner and Chief Executive Officer, Eric Heerema, said: “It is fantastic to see our 1086 by Nyetimber sparkling wines available in British Airways’ First cabin. We make these wines from only the very best grapes from across our vineyards in the best vintages, and they represent the pinnacle of Nyetimber’s winemaking – embodying outstanding quality, craftsmanship and patience.  

“It feels very fitting to partner with a fellow iconic British brand that also reflects these values. We are seeing fantastic growth for Nyetimber sparkling wines in travel retail, and this exciting listing with British Airways solidifies our presence and expansion in this area of the market.” 

Raise a toast with the finest First Champagne 

The airline’s Master of Wine has collaborated with numerous award-winning wineries to source, taste, and select an exclusive selection of premium Champagnes for first-class travellers to savour while on board and in its lounges. While the airline will still offer Pommery Cuvée Louise 2006 in the Concorde Room at London Heathrow Terminal 5, esteemed new Champagne choices will be available on a rotating basis in First Class. 

Starting on March 30, Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle will be available in First Class. This will be followed by the prestige cuvée, Lanson NOBLE Champagne 2008, from July, and in October, travelers can enjoy Bollinger La Grande Année 2015 along with Bollinger PN AYC18. In January 2026, both Rare Champagne and Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millénaires will be introduced. Meanwhile, passengers flying First from New York (JFK) can continue to savor the elegance of Veuve Clicquot’s La Grande Dame 2015. 

More than 1,300 British Airways cabin crew members worldwide have completed the airline’s First Service Specialist training program, which features a customized wine masterclass created by the airline’s Master of Wine. This program equips the crew to deliver informed recommendations on British Original-inspired food and beverage options, complemented by outstanding on-board service. Additionally, British Airways recently launched its Club World Service Specialist training program, which focuses on improving the premium and personalized experience for business class passengers. 

Since launching its £7bn investment program in March last year, British Airways has completed over 695 initiatives, with 120 impacting Customer Experience. Key highlights are the introduction of a new First cabin set to debut in 2026 and various lounge upgrades across its network, with further enhancements planned this year in London Heathrow, Dubai, and Miami.