Air New Zealand is bringing its new signature wine label, Thirteen Forty Five, to the skies. Named after the airline’s first-ever flight from Auckland to Sydney in 1940, which covered 1345 miles, the wine’s made in collaboration with the renowned New Zealand winery, Villa Maria. Air New Zealand and Air Points Store customers can partake in the world-class creations — including a sauvignon blanc and a pinot noir — in Air New Zealand lounges, the Premium Economy cabin, and the Air Points store.
Thirteen Forty Five features New Zealand’s award-winning winemaking
The sauvignon blanc is a blend of grapes from vineyards in Marlborough’s Wairau and Awatere valleys. It has faint herbal notes and aromas, including lemongrass and passion fruit. The pinot noir uses grapes from the eastern side of the Wairu Valley. It has tastes of plum and cherry and notes of violets and dried herbs.
Air New Zealand General Manager Customer Experience Kylie McGillivray-Brown said: “Making a great wine takes time, and Thirteen Forty Five has been a passion project that honours our legacy while creating something special for our customers. We’re thrilled to finally share it – particularly in the year in which we’re celebrating our 85th birthday.”
“With every sip, travelers can toast to a legacy that spans miles and decades. It celebrates the connection between our love for travel and our passion for New Zealand’s incredible wines. We hope our customers will enjoy drinking it just as much as we enjoyed creating it.”
Winemaker Tom Dixon of Villa Maria said: “We couldn’t have asked for better vintages to produce the debut release of these wines. The conditions during the growing seasons were very favorable for producing high quality wines that reflect their respective varieties and showcase the essence of sauvignon blanc and pinot noir from Marlborough.”
