Virgin Atlantic wine: brilliant bottles, big stories and English sparkling wine at 35,000 feet
By Virgin Atlantic | 7 July 2026 | 4 minute read
There’s something quietly magical about a good glass of wine in the sky. It can mark the start of a long-awaited trip, turn dinner above the clouds into a proper moment, or bring a taste of somewhere special to your seat.
At Virgin Atlantic, onboard wine is chosen with exactly that feeling in mind: flavour first, always, but with stories worth telling too.
How Virgin Atlantic chooses wine for the journey
Virgin Atlantic’s onboard wine selection is built around discovery, balance and a genuine love of travel. The aim is to offer wines customers already know and enjoy alongside bottles that start a conversation.
That might mean a wine from a brilliant newcomer, a smaller-batch producer, or a vineyard with a story that reaches far beyond the label.
The Hambledon story: from Hampshire chalk to the clouds
Hambledon vineyard sits in the village of Hambledon in Hampshire, surrounded by the rolling South Downs. First established as a vineyard by Major General Sir Guy Salisbury-Jones in 1952, Hambledon is recognised as the UK’s oldest commercial vineyard.
Its roots, however, sit within a much longer English winemaking history, with vineyards recorded in Southern England as far back as the Domesday Book.
Today, Hambledon covers more than 200 acres and grows Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, the three grape varieties most closely associated with Champagne production.
The chalk soil and cool climate help create the freshness and acidity that sparkling wine loves, while the winemaking happens with care, patience and plenty of craft. It is English countryside, bottled with precision, then poured above the clouds.
Raise a glass on your next Virgin Atlantic flight
Whether you are settling into Upper Class with a glass of bubbly or discovering a wine with a story from one of the world’s great wine regions, Virgin Atlantic’s onboard wine selection is designed to make the journey feel that little bit more special.
It is about craft, character and the pleasure of finding something delicious in an unexpected place.
So next time you fly, take a moment before the first sip. Somewhere behind that glass is a vineyard, a landscape, a winemaker, a decision made with care and, quite possibly, a story worth travelling for.