Sugrue South Downs is proud to announce that its prestige sparkling wine, Cuvée Dr Brendan O’Regan, will be served in British Airways’ First Class from January through March over the next three years.
Joining Gusbourne and Nyetimber, this exclusive listing forms part of a prestigious rotation of leading English wine producers for British Airways, and marks the first time an airline has chosen to serve English prestige cuvées – rare, extended-aged bottlings made from exceptional vintages – onboard.
Named in honour of the late Dr Brendan O’Regan – a pioneering figure in Irish hospitality and founder of the world’s first duty-free shop at Shannon Airport in 1947 – Sugrue South Downs’ prestige cuvée represents the pinnacle of winemaking by founder and winemaker Dermot Sugrue.
Crafted meticulously from mature vineyards on chalk across the South Downs, Cuvée Dr Brendan O’Regan is widely celebrated for its depth, complexity, and longevity. From an outstanding vintage for English sparkling wine, the 2018 is a blend of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir fermented in oak barrels and aged on its lees for 72 months. Just 4,500 bottles were made.
“We are thrilled that British Airways has chosen Cuvée Dr Brendan O’Regan for its First Class passengers,” said Dermot. “It is a tremendous honour to see our rarest and most prized cuvée recognised on a global stage – and now enjoyed at 35,000 feet. My great-uncle Brendan O’Regan was a peacemaker and a visionary with a truly internationalist outlook, so it seems entirely fitting that a wine bearing his name should be served in such a setting. He would be so proud.”
This listing follows a series of recent accolades for Sugrue South Downs, including Highest-Rated English Sparkling Wine from Wine Lister, Best in Show at the Decanter Awards, and inclusion in Vinous’ Top 100 Wines of 2025.
