Air France Revamps In-Flight Wine and Beverage Selection
Air France is set to revolutionize its in-flight and lounge beverage offerings with a new selection of wines, champagnes, and spirits curated by Xavier Thuizat. Known for his expertise and award-winning selections, Thuizat will lead the initiative to enhance the passenger experience across all travel cabins and lounges at Paris airports.
The new wine list will feature top varieties from renowned French regions including Champagne, Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Rhône Valley, Languedoc-Roussillon, the Loire Valley, and Alsace. Additionally, Air France will introduce a new range of French beers, further diversifying its beverage menu.
Thuizat, who is currently the Head Sommelier at Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel, has been appointed as Air France's new Head Sommelier. His accolades include Meilleur Sommelier de France in 2022 and Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 2023. He will collaborate with the Air France team to organize blind tastings across various wine-growing regions in France to select the best wines for the new list.
The updated wine list aims to enhance the in-flight dining experience, providing passengers with a high-quality selection that highlights the best of French viticulture. This change marks a significant upgrade to Air France's beverage offerings, ensuring that passengers can enjoy exceptional wines during their travels.
Thuizat replaces Paolo Basso, the world's best sommelier in 2013, who has been curating the airline's wine list since 2014. Fabien Pelous, Air France’s SVP Customer Experience, expressed gratitude for Basso's decade of service and confidence in Thuizat's ability to continue this tradition of excellence.
Air France serves over a million bottles of champagne and more than 8 million bottles of wine annually in its travel cabins and lounges. The new selection, crafted by Thuizat, will be available to passengers in all travel classes, including Economy, and is set to elevate the overall travel experience with a focus on quality and variety.