ANA has announced its collaboration with wine connoisseur, Ned Goodwin, to create its very own duo of bespoke wines.
The airline will offer a smooth red wine and a crisp white, both of which have been perfectly designed for optimum in-flight enjoyment.
Both wines, available for the first time in Business and First Class from September, were blended to complement the way taste and smell faculties differ when flying at greater altitudes.
The white, crafted from grapes grown in an ecologically sustainable fashion in South Australia, along with the smooth, full-bodied red, find harmony with the culinary riches available on ANA flights.
Goodwin, who was Japan’s first master of wine, has worked as a sommelier, educator, TV show host, critic, consultant and wine writer.
He explained:
“There are a number of factors that affect the taste of wine on board.
“The lower humidity and cabin pressure temporarily reduces our capacity to smell and taste intricate flavours.
“Fruity, lighter wines are more suited to enjoyment in flight, while wines with a high acid or tannin content don’t hold up as well.
“So I worked with ANA to blend these wines with the optimal combination of varieties, to enhance the in-flight environment, giving international flight passengers a delectable gastronomic experience.”
After starting with approximately 2,400 wines from 15 different countries, around 300 wines were chosen to be reviewed and subject to blind tasting over approximately six-months, before 29 wines were finally selected.
Akira Nakamura, ANA senior vice president EMEA commented:
“ANA is dedicated to delivering a five-star service to its passengers, and for us that means a high-quality and personalised service that embodies Japanese culture.
“With our original blend of wines, we’re giving our Business and First Class passengers an opportunity to enjoy fine wines that have been uniquely crafted to suit heights of 30,000+ feet.”
