Art & Wine: Five New World Business Class Wines With An Artsy Twist

In August and September, KLM will serve a new range of wines in World Business Class. The wines are linked to famous paintings from the Rijksmuseum. As Food, Wine & Travel reporter I had the honour to be present at the press launch at the Rijksmuseum as wine ambassador. And of course, I tasted all wines afterwards. 

Can’t wait to find out which wine goes best with your next on-board meal? Go ahead and watch my vlog first to find out more about the art, wines and their taste!

KLM has been the official partner in art-transportation for the world-famous Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam for many years. This unique cooperation resulted in a select range of exceptional wines for lovers of art and wine.

After the KLM tasting panel carefully selected five new wines, the museum chose great paintings from its rich collection to accompany them. This resulted in the wonderful theme: Art & Wine. Especially for KLM, the master works are printed on the labels of the wine bottles. And of course, the real paintings can be seen at the Rijksmuseum.

KLM Wine

KLM’s wine ambassadors at The Rijksmuseum together with Hubrecht Duijker, Chairman of the KLM wine panel. 

KLM art & wine

Wine in the museum

It felt very unusual to walk around in a completely empty museum after closing time. We almost felt like we were doing something sneaky. As if we were living in a movie and just broke into this majestic museum. Fortunately, we did nothing wrong. Everything was arranged for this amazing press launch.

Especially for this occasion, an exception was made for having food and drinks in the museum. The visitors to the event were allowed to taste a glass of wine and enjoy a complementing amuse right in front of the linked painting. Meanwhile, the museum guides provided information about the paintings as did the KLM wine ambassadors about the wines.

The visitors to the event were allowed to taste a glass of wine and enjoy a complementing amuse. (Photo: Natascha Libbert)

klm wine

Fresh, Full-bodied and Aromatic whites

The first new white wine is the French Sauvignon Blanc 2016 from Abbotts & Delauney in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. This fresh and aromatic wine has Johannes Vermeer’s ‘The Milkmaid’ (ca 1660) on the label, as it is very feminine and fresh.

The second white wine is the South African Boschendal Chardonnay 2016. This full-bodied wine is linked to Rembrandt van Rijn’s painting ‘The Sampling Officials of The Amsterdam Draper’s Guild’ (ca 1662) because it is a more sturdy white wine. Boschendal Chardonnay also got the special recommendation ‘Kus van Thérèse’ from the famous 3 Michelin star restaurant De Librije.

The third and last white wine is the Italian Masi Pinot Grigio 2016. The label of the wine features the classic painting ‘A Windmill on a Polder Waterway’ (ca 1889) by Paul Joseph Constantin Gabriël, as it is a classic-made Pinot Grigio.

Abbotts & Delauney Sauvignon Blanc 2016 with Johannes Vermeer’s ‘The Milkmaid’. (Photo: Natascha Libbert)

‘The Milkmaid’ (ca 1660) (Photo: Natascha Libbert)

Fruity and full-bodied reds

In the new range of wines for KLM’s World Business Class you will find two new reds as well. The first one is the Argentinian Finca Perdriel Pinot Noir 2015.  The painting linked to this wine is ‘View of the Golden Bend in the Herengracht’ (1671-1672) by Gerrit Adriaensz Berckheyde. The choice for this painting was made because this is an impressive part of Amsterdam, which perfectly suits this prestigious made Pinot Noir.

The last new red wine is a biodynamically produced Merlot 2015, made in Chili by the famous Marnier Lapostolle family. The painting ‘Still Life with Flowers and a Watch’ (ca 1660 – ca 1679) by Abraham Mignon perfectly reflects the fruitiness and body of the wine.

KLM Wine

Food, Wine and Travel Reporter Diederik Swart showing the biodynamic produced Merlot 2015.

KLM art & wine

The painting ‘Still Life with Flowers and a Watch’ by Abraham Mignon perfectly reflects the fruitiness and body of the Lapostolle Merlot. (Photo: Natascha Libbert)

Would you like to know more about the wines? Please watch my vlog at the top of my blog!

Posted by:   Diederik Swart  | 
Join the conversation Show comments

Rodolfo Piotto Roehrig

KLM always surprising !

ALETTA VANDERNAT

PINOT GRIGIO for me!

EMUAKPEJEKESSENA

KLM LOVE HI EMUAKPEJEKESSENA

Warren Lobo

Wonderful idea. Now if only they would also make the canapés art themed to match the wines. I could certainly help with that as it is a project I’ve created before and now teach to my teen culinary students who just love it.

Lucas

Hi KLM, it is nice that you put Dutch paintings on the bottles, however, let me remind that you also have excellent Dutch whites, pity they are available only so rarely… When they are, I always drink it and it’s fabulous. Keep ’em coming pls! :-) L. PS It really sucks to read abt all this new selection for August knowing that I am flying on July 31st! :-DDD

LOLITA M.BALBOA

KLM ARE FULL OF SURPRISES!!!

Pattarapol Wongprachan

It sounds a wonderful idea and makes me exciting to taste them when i already planed to have a flight on Semptember. It would be great if this event can share with Comfort Eco class by selling on board over there escpecially very special Dutch painting! Im very appreciated

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