Margaret River Chardonnay Named World's Best First-Class White Wine

10 June 2026

Margaret River's Flametree Wines has been crowned the producer of the world's best First-Class white wine after its S.R.S. Wallcliffe Chardonnay 2023 won best White Wine at the prestigious 2026 Cellars in the Sky Awards in London last night.

Presented by Business Traveller magazine, the Cellars in the Sky Awards are regarded as one of the aviation industry's most respected wine competitions, celebrating excellence in airline wine programmes for the past 40 years. These awards were judged through a blind tasting process conducted by an independent panel of leading wine experts and Masters of Wine.

Flametree’s S.R.S Wallcliffe Chardonnay 2023 was selected as the only Gold Medal recipient in the White Wine category after being featured within the Qantas wine program, placing it alongside some of the world's most acclaimed wines served to international travellers. The award further cements Flametree Wines' reputation as one of Australia's leading producers of premium Chardonnay and highlights Margaret River's standing as one of the world's great Chardonnay regions.

Flametree Wines Director Anne Towner said the award represented an extraordinary achievement for both the winery and Margaret River.

"To be recognised as the producer of the world's best First-Class white wine is an incredible honour and a testament to the quality of Margaret River Chardonnay on the world stage," Ms Towner said.

"The S.R.S. Wallcliffe Chardonnay represents the very best of Flametree Wines — meticulous vineyard selection, thoughtful winemaking and a commitment to producing wines of distinction. To see it recognised by such a respected international judging panel is immensely rewarding."

"We are also proud of our longstanding partnership with Qantas, whose wine program continues to showcase some of Australia's finest wines to travellers from around the globe. Having our wine enjoyed at 35,000 feet and then recognised with this award is a wonderful achievement for everyone involved."

Full list: Cellars in the Sky 2026 Results: The Full List of Winners - Business Traveller

About Flametree Wines

Established in Margaret River, Western Australia, Flametree Wines is a family-owned and operated wine business recognised among Australia’s leading premium wine producers and has consistently been named in the Top 100 Wineries of Australia over the last 10-15 years. The winery is renowned for its award-winning Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and S.R.S. collection, showcasing the distinctive qualities of Margaret River’s world-class wine region.