Visiting Emirates’ business class Champagne Lounge

Champagne and flying go hand-in-hand. A flute of bubbles while relaxing in your business or first class seat is really part of the experience.

Emirates took that to the next level with the iconic upper deck bar on its A380 superjumbos – but the Gulf carrier also boasts a swish Champagne Lounge at its sprawling Dubai hub.

Part of Emirates’ long-standing partnership with Moët Hennessy – now at 30 years and counting – the Champagne Lounge tempts travellers with free-flowing pours of four Moët & Chandon varieties, paired with a curated selection of canapés created to complement each Champagne.

Where to find the Emirates Champagne Lounge

The Emirates Champagne Lounge actually sits within the Emirates Business Class Lounge at Dubai’s Terminal 3, Concourse B, which is a bustling stopover for Emirates’ flights to and from all corners of the globe.

There’s an obvious upside here: entry to the business class lounge isn’t only for business class passengers.

Anybody flying in Emirates premium economy or even economy can also visit the lounge for some pre-boarding bubbles if they hold Emirates Skywards Gold or Qantas Frequent Flyer Gold status.

Once you enter the Emirates Business Class Lounge, you’ll find the Champagne Lounge nestled in the far right corner – just look for the eye-catching ‘golden wave’ wall covered by 2,400 intricate gold leaves.

It’s a long walk through the business class lounge, but what better way to work up a thirst that’ll soon be sated?

As a bonus, this tucked-away location also makes the Champagne Lounge pleasingly quiet and relaxing compared to the rest of the business class lounge. 

Sampling the Moët & Chandon selection

The Emirates Champagne Lounge serves the following Moët & Chandon varieties:

• Impérial Brut
• Rosé Impérial
• Nectar Impérial
• Grand Vintage 2013

Those are very different drops, so a visit to the Emirates Champagne Lounge affords a wonderful opportunity to try each one – and the paired canapés, of course.

Start with the Impérial Brut, which is Moët’s ‘entry-level’ Champagne, to establish a baseline for your tasting session.

Emirates has paired Moët Impérial Brut with four individual dishes which are served on rotation throughout the month, such as tuna tartare with fresh orange segments, grilled Obsiblue shrimps, and scallop tataki.

Then move on to Moët Rosé Impérial, which has a more intense bouquet than the Brut – expect red fruits, rose petals and florals, underscored by a hint of pepper.

This cuvée pairs well with summer vegetables and fresh green herbs, so the canapés offered are:

• beetroot moutabel with akawi cheese and pine seeds
• fennel-infused spinach and asparagus dip with grilled asparagus and yuzu pearls
• beetroot tartare with sesame seeds and dill
• bocconcini cheese with basil infused green melon and pine seeds 

But don’t stop there – you’re only halfway through!

Next on your list is Moët Grand Vintage 2013, and it’s a definite step up from the non-vintage Impérials.

Seven years in the cellar, the Grand Vintage 2013 presents a more complex profile leading with soft autumnal notes, followed by a palate of ripe pear, grapefruit and toasted nuts.

The matching canapés are:

• duck rillette with chive mayonnaise
• foie gras on toasted brioche with fresh fig and Maldon salt
• foie gras on toasted brioche with quince and Maldon salt
• foie gras on toasted brioche with passionfruit, mango and Maldon salt

Because there’s always room for one more glass of Champagne, finish with the Moët Nectar Impérial.

As the sweetest drop of the bunch, Nectar is appropriately-named: you should be able to pick up notes of pineapple, mango, plum and apricot with a dash of vanilla.

The matching canapés fall into line with a fruity dessert theme:

• tropical crème
• mango trifle
• lemon cream pannacotta
• blueberry cheesecake

In short, the Emirates Champagne Lounge is the sort of place where you could not only tolerate your flight being delayed, you might welcome that apologetic PA announcement with the popping of Champagne corks and the clink of glasses.

Also read: Five tips for an Emirates Skywards status match