Skip to main content

Air New Zealand launches signature wine with symbolic name

Air New Zealand debuts signature 1345 wine

air new zealand 1345 wine thirteenfortyfivebottlesmarlboroughbackdrop  pc
Air New Zealand

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

1345 Pinot Noir
1345 Pinot Noir Air New Zealand

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. 

Recommended Videos

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.”

Mark Reif
Mark Reif has a passion for the outdoors and travel, and telling the stories of his experiences. He’s a lifelong…
Icelandair launches route to this Southern cultural destination
Nashville, Tennessee

Icelandair’s new seasonal route between Iceland and Nashville will debut soon, offering four weekly flights through October. Nashville is the airline’s 18th North American destination and will bolster ties between the city and Iceland, while also encouraging economic exchange. In addition, a new interline agreement with Southwest enables connections to and from Iceland and Europe from nearly 90 North American airports that Southwest flies directly to from Nashville. Passengers can book now on Icelandair.com.

Travelers can connect throughout the US and Europe

Read more
New study ranks the busiest airports in the world
New study ranks the busiest airports in the world
Dubai International Airport

Airports Council International (ACI) has released an exclusive preview of its 2024 rankings of the world’s busiest airports. Despite changing geopolitical and economic conditions, several airports maintained their top rankings, with strong prospects for future growth. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport retained its top ranking. 
Air travel continued to grow in 2024

Preliminary statistics show that 2024 global passengers reached nearly 9.5 billion, representing a 9% increase since 2023 and a 3% rise compared to pre-pandemic levels (2019). The Top 10 busiest airports, which account for 9% of global traffic (855 million passengers), experienced an 8.8% increase since 2023 and an 8.4% increase since 2019. 

Read more
Move over wine tours — Mendoza’s Spirited Asado experience is your new must-do
This one-of-a-kind event is priced at $150 USD
SB Winemaker’s House & Spa Suites

SB Winemaker’s House & Spa Suites in Mendoza is turning Thursday nights into a spirited celebration of Argentina’s food and drink culture. The hotel’s new Spirited Asado Experience kicks off with a guided tasting of premium local distillates, including Andes Single Malt whisky from The Williams Casanegra Distillery and ultra-premium gins, vodkas, and liqueurs from Andina Cía. Destilería – Argentina’s only distillery that produces its own alcohol.

Guests sample rare spirits alongside artisanal charcuterie, then gather for a traditional open-air asado featuring perfectly grilled cuts like sweetbreads, chorizo, flank steak, and ribs. It’s an immersive, social dining experience that combines Mendoza’s culinary roots with a modern twist.

Read more