Finnair Business Class beverage selection – crafted with care, collaboration, and captivating flavours

Balance between trends and timelessness

Creating the wine list for our Business Class is a continuous, seasonally driven process. The red and white wines on our long-haul routes are refreshed every spring and autumn, while champagne, many spirits, and certain forever-favourites – such as Riesling – remain available throughout the year.

Seasonality plays a key role when planning new selections. For summer, we look for lightness and freshness, while the winter months call for richer, fuller-bodied choices. The wine list itself is a balance between the timeless and the new: classics stay, but they are complemented by interesting new discoveries from time to time.

According to Lauri Ahonen, who’s responsible for Finnair’s inflight beverage selection, each selection is guided by clear principles. “Above all, our wines must appeal to a wide range of tastes, be of high quality, and carefully chosen – from as close to home as possible, meaning Finland or elsewhere in Europe,” he explains. 

All Finnair wines come from Europe, with a strong focus on sustainable farming and renowned, responsible producers. The final decisions on new wines are made together with a diverse team of experts.  “What matters most is that there’s genuinely something for everyone. Since not all our customers are wine enthusiasts, we also include a variety of voices in the selection process – from Finnish restaurant sommeliers and our Canadian wine consultant Ken Chase to members of our cabin crew,” Lauri says. 

Partnerships as cornerstones 

Our beverage selection is guided by a balance of curiosity and trust. The goal is to find winemakers and producers whose stories and products spark interest – and, most importantly, delight our customers. Sometimes, a shared passion for quality drinks between us and the producer grows into a long-term partnership and beverages that our guests enjoy on board year after year.

Among these are both new discoveries and long-standing collaborations – Finnish and international names alike, each bringing their own nuance to our selection. Our trusted partners include Finnish distilleries Kyrö and Ainoa, as well as the French champagne house Joseph Perrier, whose champagne has been poured on our flights for 25 years. 

Kyrö – powerful partnership 

The collaboration between Kyrö and Finnair began back in 2015, in the very early days of Kyrö, just as Napue Gin & Tonic was becoming a phenomenon. Finnair played a key role in Kyrö’s international growth – bottles of Napue Gin in our inflight sales were continuously sold out, boosting its reputation and helping pave the way for Napue’s later recognition as the world’s best gin for Gin & Tonic.

Over the years, our partnership has included many creative projects and adventures. One of the most memorable was the whisky aged between 2017 and 2023 in Finnair’s Non-Schengen Business Lounge to celebrate our centenary – later enjoyed in the lounge, at special events, and available for purchase at the airport. While the whisky was maturing, the desire emerged to create something new – at Finnair's request, Kyrö crafted a vodka that was initially available exclusively on Finnair flights. 

Kyrö’s CEO, Jouni Ritola, recalls the shared journey fondly:

“Our collaboration with Finnair has helped elevate our brand globally for nearly a decade. Through Finnair’s international network, Finnish rye bread in liquid form (Kyrö Malt Whisky) and distilled herbs (Napue Gin) reach hundreds of people’s lips every day around the world. We are deeply grateful to Finnair for recognising and embracing our potential – this partnership has been both meaningful and inspiring for us,” he says. 

A few years ago, we wanted to bring even more Finnish identity to our range, and together with Kyrö we developed a cohesive selection of spirits. The lineup included Kyrö’s gin, whisky, and vodka – the latter available exclusively on Finnair flights for its first six months. The range also features Kyrö Dairy Cream liqueur and several Kyrö-based cocktails, from the classic Gin & Tonic to whisky and ginger ale. 

Ainoa – flavours of the forest

True to its name, Ainoa’s position in Finland’s wine scene is truly unique. Although Finland isn’t traditionally known as a wine country – and Finnish wines are few – Ainoa stands apart. Founded by two winemakers who moved to Finland, David Cohen and Paola Guerrera de Cohen, the company has become known for its award-winning dessert wines made from Finnish berries. Ainoa has proven that world-class wines can be crafted from the natural bounty of Finnish forests, and their products have been featured in our selection since 2023. 

“We had been making wine just for ourselves, mostly as a challenge to see how good we could make wines at home.  At one point, Paola looked at me after we tasted one of our efforts and said, "this is really good, it really captures the essence of Finland – we have to share this!”, David recalls.  

So far, Finnair’s menus have featured Ainoa’s cloudberry, blueberry, raspberry, and strawberry dessert wines. The latest addition to our winter 2025 menu is Valokki, a new version of their cloudberry wine – made from Finnish cloudberries and aged for four months before bottling. The result is a refreshingly crisp, lightly apricot-toned, and lively dessert wine.

“The collaboration has been wonderful and has drawn a lot of positive attention – Ainoa’s wines have been our best-selling dessert wines. We wanted to bring something different and uniquely Finnish to our selection, and Ainoa has been part of our story ever since,” says Lauri.

According to David, the partnership with Finnair has given Ainoa the opportunity to bring the flavours of the Finnish wilderness to the world.

“What makes our wines special isn’t that we’re the only ones in Finland making them. It’s that only in Finland can wines like these be made. Their distinctiveness comes from Finnish berries – their intensity and depth of flavour, unlike anything found elsewhere,” he explains. 

Joseph Perrier – champagne with wings 

In Finnair’s long-haul Business Class and Helsinki Airport lounges, we serve champagne from the renowned French champagne house Joseph Perrier – our passenger favourite since 1998.

Born from its founder’s bold vision and uncompromising craftsmanship, Joseph Perrier has preserved its distinctive character for six generations. Its own vineyards and exceptional terroir produce champagnes that embody quality, authenticity, and the mastery of centuries-old winemaking traditions. 

In Finland – one of Europe’s smallest champagne markets – many recognise Perrier’s name specifically as Finnair’s champagne. Our collaboration has been a meaningful part of Finnair’s history for 25 years – one-eighth of Joseph Perrier’s 200-year legacy, celebrated this year. The milestone was also marked at Finnair: a special vintage champagne was served on select flights during Finnair’s own anniversary.

Benjamin Fourmon, sixth-generation CEO of the Perrier family, describes the collaboration as a success:

“Our partnership with Finnair has been truly rewarding. Sharing Champagne Joseph Perrier on board allows us to reach a wide international audience and to accompany travellers in some of their most memorable moments. We deeply appreciate Finnair’s commitment to quality and service, values that perfectly align with those of our family maison. This collaboration has strengthened our visibility among discerning consumers and contributed to enhancing the image of Joseph Perrier as a Champagne of authenticity, elegance, and joy”, Benjamin says.  

Northern Blush – our signature drink 

One of the cornerstones of our beverage selection is our very own signature cocktail, Northern Blush – a refreshing, cosmopolitan-style drink that brings the flavours of northern nature to the skies. The cocktail was introduced in 2022 alongside the renewal of our long-haul cabins and has grown in popularity ever since.

Its base is gin, complemented by authentic Finnish lingonberry, orange peel, and a hint of juniper. Bright red in colour and forest-fresh in aroma, the drink is served with ice and a slice of lemon. 

“Cocktails enjoyed with food are a growing trend, and we wanted to introduce a premium-quality drink available across all travel classes. The inflight environment doesn’t allow for complex preparation methods, so a ready-mixed cocktail was the perfect solution,” explains Lauri.

Developed in collaboration with Danish Mikropolis Cocktails, known for their bar-quality mixes, Northern Blush offers a memorable cocktail experience on any flight. Its inspiration lies in northern phenomena – the orange-red sunsets that can at best be seen twice on flights crossing the North Pole, and the warm, shy blush of us Nordic people, from which the drink takes its name.

All our Business Class beverages and info about them can be found both in our Business Class menu and on our inflight entertainment system. Our cabin crew are always happy to tell you more.