Gary Vaynerchuk, owner and presenter of Wine Library TV, has this week announced a partnership with California-based Virgin America airline.
Vaynerchuk is due to become wine consultant for all Virgin America flights. His Wine Library TV service will become part of the on-board entertainment system.
Virgin American is a separate company to Virgin Atlantic, for which UK wine merchant Berry Bros & Rudd is the exclusive supplier.
Vaynerchuk will be working with the airline’s existing wine team, and focusing first of all on choosing wines for the first class cabin.
Two wines –Turnbull Sauvignon Blanc 2008 and Arrowood 2002 Sonoma County Merlot – will be on the menu with immediate effect.
A spokesperson for the airline told decanter.com, ‘Gary has encouraged us to look beyond California, and to think more creatively with suggested pairings.
‘We’re the only California-based airline, so our roots are here – and we will always have California selections, but there’s room for other selections as well.’
This summer, Virgin America is also planning an in-flight wine-tasting with Vaynerchuk in the first class cabin.
Written by Jane Anson in Bordeaux
