PE bubbly | Champagne vs Sparkling ... should QF know better?

[tyrolean]

Re: Champagne vs Sparkling ... should Qantas know better?

OK, just a few remarks:

Since Germany lost the 1st World war the usage of "Champagne" or "Cognac" was not allowed for German products. Before that, all sparkling wine was called "Champagne". So the words were synonyms.

You may look at the Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It took a few years for the french to conquer the world regarding to that. So the "It needs to come form the Champagne" was just an invention for a chauvinistic branding approach. Some of my French relatives only drink French blubby. They comment it with "Ahh" and "Ohh". Nice relabeling experiments proved their taste quite wrong. Yes they like me!

For the product: Yes they are very good sparkling wines (Australian and others too), and believe me there are a lot of very ugly things (Chateu Headache) that sell with the name Champagne and are bottled in France.

I was always wondering, that the french did not send troops to Australia, because the wineries did call their sparkling wines "Champagne".

For me, I do not mind. I am not keen on the blubby stuff. My German word for that would literlally translate to "Red-Light-Lemonade". (Puff-Brause for German speakers).

Better a good beer than a bad champagne.

 

[Blackswan]

Re: Champagne vs Sparkling ... should Qantas know better?

I think we should only start complaining if QF introduce the Sparkling that AA serve prior to departure.

I had two F flights on AA earlier in the year, one JFK-SFO and the other LAX-NRT. I'm not fussy by any means when it comes to drinks (I still remember my University days from a few years ago). However, this sparkling was worse than Passion-pop/Yellow/Pink. Not a good impression for Premium Pax - I think they'd do themselves a favour if they served nothing at all.

It presented nicely in the plastic glass (like the party glasses you buy at Coles).

 

[Keith009]

Premium Economy bubbly

Not sure how long this has been in place, just thought I'd mention...

The Charles Heidsieck NV in PE has been replaced by an Aussie sparkling (sorry too jetlagged to remember the brand). Pretty pleasant drop. Might or might not be an 'enhancement' depending on your perspective.

edit: Doh! Just noticed Mal's thread on this. I blame the jetlag. Mods, please close or merge, ta!

 

[Mal]

Haha. Qantas is listening.

Website has now been updated with:

Start your journey in Premium Economy with a complimentary Australian Sparkling Wine (juice or water if you prefer).

Now, I hope they train up the crew to use the correct terms when addressing pax (and not to correct a pax who asks for "sparkling")

 

[Moody]

Haha. Qantas is listening.

Website has now been updated with:



Now, I hope they train up the crew to use the correct terms when addressing pax (and not to correct a pax who asks for "sparkling")

Well that's fantastic news. Now we can all get some sleep!*

[*Shamelessly stolen from the Jack Thompson Claytons advertisement]

 

[Katie]

Re: Champagne vs Sparkling ... should Qantas know better?

Does the onboard menu for PE specifically list the word Champagne?

I did LAX-BNE on Thursday in Y+ and there were no printed menus. The bubbles offered tasted more like a champagne to me, but there are some good Aussie sparklings that have the yeasty falvour that you can get with many of the champagnes we get here. I changed over to red with dinner, so didn't bother asking for more bubbles.

I actually got a bit annoyed with the J FAs on our SIN-LHR-SIN flights (can't remember which one) for asking I wanted more "bubbles" when talking about the champagne. I darn well wanted more champers, darling.

 

[gumpy]

I answered yes to the poll thinking I was answering the forum title but the poll was asking the reverse question !!!! booo

 

[samh004]

I answered yes to the poll thinking I was answering the forum title but the poll was asking the reverse question !!!! booo

You have an excuse, but not so sure about the other 'yes'

 

[simongr]

Two or three (or more) lines of thought on this. Firstly no one should refer to a wine that isnt champagne as champagne. Secondly, AA should never serve their sparkling acid ever - the smell of acid in a battery factory has a more pleasant aroma. Thirdly I have a personal "policy" to always drink champagne if it is offered - at least I did until I drank the Deutz on CX which is only marginally better than AA's offering. Fourthly I am not sure if it is good that QF have updated the website as that now just confirms that there wont be any Champagne in PE . Fifthly - is this a big issue? No but QF should provide what they advertise - people choose PE for a range of reasons that contribute to the whole experience - Champagne may have been one of them... probably not the most important but a consideration nonetheless

 

[OverrideServlet]

Fourthly I am not sure if it is good that QF have updated the website as that now just confirms that there wont be any Champagne in PE .

With full acknowledgement that I may be reheating old soup here; I'm getting confusing messages from QF about this whole thing.

They've enhanced champagne from PE, where a majority of WPs do their flying, yet they are creating a new online community devoted to wine:

For those of you passionate about food and wine, we are also launching epiQure by Qantas Frequent Flyer, a new online community for Members on food and wine.

 

[oz_mark]

With full acknowledgement that I may be reheating old soup here; I'm getting confusing messages from QF about this whole thing.

They've enhanced champagne from PE, where a majority of WPs do their flying, yet they are creating a new online community devoted to wine:

Maybe they want to find out which Australian sparkling wine you like!

Like, could they get away with serving Passion Pop :mrgreen:

 

[Mal]

Qantas seem to have changed back (perhaps it was just my flight)... Instead of Crosser, they were serving Billecart-Salmon. Not a huge fan of Billecart-Salmon, but at least it is a champagne.

On the menu (and website), it is still published as "Australian Sparkling".

 

[Mal]

It seems that Qantas has not yet updated the staff wine training manual.

Flew PE LHR-DXB on Friday and the welcome drinks included champagne according to staff...

Of course a perusal of the menu later indicated that only sparkling was on offer to PE guests.

Another PE back to LHR tonight... Will quiz

 

[castie]

Is it possible that the first glass when you get on board is champagne but then all you can order is sparkling wine?
That would explain why they say its champagne and why the menu doesn't have it?

 

[Mal]

Well I asked tonight... Apparently they were serving the well known French champagne house brand called 'Umm croser'. Strange that. Isn't croser an Adelaide sparkling wine?

Menu shows Katnook founder's block Chardonnay pinot noir.

 

[PineappleSkip]

It could be worse.

Unless things have changed, ask for champagne on Air Niugini and you'll get ... Yellowtail sparkling :shock:

Cheers skip