Back in October 2021, Singapore Airlines introduced a vintage champagne in Business Class on selected flights, in the form of a Piper-Heidsieck Brut 2012, then after returning to non-vintage pours repeated the return of the 2014 vintage in early 2024.
More recently the champagne in Business Class has returned to the non-vintage but still very popular Charles Heidsieck, but the good news is that vintage Champagne is making a comeback on SIA Business Class next week.
Piper-Heidsieck Brut Vintage 2018
From 1st December 2024, Business Class passengers on Singapore Airlines will find the Piper-Heidsieck Brut Vintage 2018 being poured on board.
While the airline was serving the 2012 vintage and then the 2014 vintage previously, remember that first started over three years ago, and the pricing for those has therefore increased commensurately since then.
In recent years, SIA has featured Taittinger Prélude Grands Crus, Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve, Laurent-Perrier Brut, and Piper-Heidsieck Brut Vintages 2012 and 2014 in its long-haul Business Class cabins. The newly introduced Piper-Heidsieck 2018 vintage pretty much matches up with the best of these selections.
Piper-Heidsieck Brut Vintage 2018, launched in June this year, has garnered positive reviews from critics already, including an impressive 93-point rating from Wine Enthusiast, placing it at the higher end of the “Excellent” category.
Vivino ratings for this release are just beginning to come in, but it’s already achieving a solid 4.2 out of 5 on the popular review platform.
Not widely available for purchase in Asia-Pacific yet, the champagne retails for GBP 70 (~S$118) in the UK or EUR 88 (~S$123) in Europe.
Retail prices do not translate directly to contract purchase rates of course, with airlines like SIA enjoying large discounts for the quantities they order.
This champagne is a blend of 50% Chardonnay, 47% Pinot Noir and 3% Meunier.
Here’s how Singapore Airlines describes the Champagne in its menus.
It remains to be seen whether Singapore Airlines will also upgrade the champagne offered in its SilverKris Business Class lounges at Changi Airport to this variety, or retain the (still very acceptable) Charles Heidsieck on the ground.
(Photo: MainlyMiles)
Last time SIA poured vintage champagne in-flight, it remained the non-vintage Piper-Heidsieck Essentiel on offer in the lounge.
Which routes?
According to SIA’s Digital Menu System, which allows you to view the menu for your flight online up to eight days before departure, this vintage Champagne is being offered network-wide from 1st December 2024.
That means even on shorter regional flights like Bali, Phuket and Jakarta you can look forward to a vintage Champagne pour (or three!) when flying in Business Class.
This also applies to Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737-8 MAX services, as well as across the wide-body fleet.
(Photo: MainlyMiles)
The only exception is flights to or from London Heathrow and London Gatwick.
On the London routes, the airline looks set to deplete its remaining stock of Charles Heidsieck or the non-vintage Piper-Heidsieck Essentiel Extra Brut.
Do note that Singapore Airlines does not offer champagne in Business Class on its very shortest flights, which are those to and from:
- Kuala Lumpur
- Medan
- Penang
On these services, white wine and red wine are available, but sadly nothing in the bubbles department.
First Class and Suites get 2015 Cristal champagne
As we recently reported, Singapore Airlines has entered into an exclusive partnership with Louis Roederer to offer the 2015 vintage Cristal, priced at S$460 per bottle, in its First Class and Suites cabins on selected routes.
This will alternate with Krug as the third champagne option on board, with eight destinations included from 1st December 2024 to 28th February 2025, followed by the remaining eight cities from 1st March 2025 to 31st May 2025.
For full details including the route list, see our dedicated article.
Rosé wine joins the menu in Business Class
Traditionally, Singapore Airlines has only offered white wine or red wine in the non-bubbles department, alongside port, in its Business Class cabin.
Many airlines now include rosé wine in their Business Class offerings, including Qatar Airways. Starting next month, Singapore Airlines will join them, which is great news for rosé enthusiasts.
This sees a Mirabeau X Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence Rosé 2023 poured on both regional and long-haul routes in Business Class, alongside two white wines and two red wines.
This one scores 3.8 out of 5 on Vivino.
The news comes as a 2009 Tattinger Comtes de Champagne Brut Rosé now forms part of the champagne lineup in First Class and Suites on board SIA flights, a recent addition in the last few weeks, though the airline’s top cabins don’t get a still rosé option, for some reason.
Summary
It’s great to report that Singapore Airlines is restoring a vintage champagne to its Business Class cabin, and we’re particularly excited that this latest addition is effectively network-wide on the carrier’s routes from 1st December 2024, including on regional flights.
London Heathrow and London Gatwick are the only two routes that miss out, as the airline appears to be using those flights to diminish remaining non-vintage stocks.
While champagne options in premium cabins are rarely “permanent,” especially in recent years with supply becoming increasingly challenging (at least for the right price), we’re hopeful that this new addition will remain a fixture on SIA flights for a while to come.
For the first time we can recall, SIA is also set to introduce rosé wine in Business Class, alongside two white wines and two red wines – a welcome addition to the offerings this cabin.
Meanwhile in First Class there’s the hardship of three champagne options, one of which will include 2015 Cristal from next month on selected routes.
This will also see the 2007 Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millénaires and the 2009 Tattinger Comtes de Champagne Brut Rosé included in the lineup through to at least the end of the year.
(Cover Photo: Singapore Airlines)
Surely, 2018 is not considered vintage.
Vintage in wine does not mean old. A 2018 Vintage just means its a wine from the year 2018. The Piper SQ serves is NV (Non-vintage), meaning they can blend wine from different vintages to achieve the house taste.
This is not an upgrade…I don’t understand why they stick to Charles H, it is so much better than Piper H. Over the last 3 years they flipped flopped these several times, there is no point.