OREANDA-NEWS. February 10, 2011.  ANA has won two categories in Business Traveller's Cellars in the Sky wine awards for “Best Business Class Fortified or Sweet Wine” and “Airline with the Most Improved First Class Cellar.”

Best Business Class Fortified or Sweet Wine
Taylor's 20-year Old Tawny Port
Airline with the Most Improved First Class Cellar
Krug Champagne, France NV
Bugia 2006, Testamatta de Bibi Graetz, Italy (white),
Meursault Blagny 1ER Cru, Chateau de Blagny 2004, France (white)
Cirrus Syrah 2007, South Africa (red)
Chateaux Pontet-Canet 2004, France (red)
Chateau LaFaurie-Peyraguey 2005, France (dessert)
ANA has also been short listed in five other categories this year, the highest number of recognitions it has ever received at the Cellars in the Sky
Best First Class Cellar (3rd place)
Best-presented Wine List(3rd place)
Consistency of wines across business and first class (4th place)
First Class Sparkling (3rd place) – Krug Grande Cuvйe, Champagne, France First Class
Red Best First Class Red (4th place) – Cirrus Syrah 2006, Stellenbosch, South Africa

The awards run by Business Traveller Magazine UK, were presented last night at the Thistle Bayswater Hotel in central London with a total of 36 airlines taking part; the highest entry since the award was launched in 1985.

Katsuya Kato, the head of Product and Services said;
“It is a great honor for us to receive two awards this year. Our aim is to appeal to the broadest range of tastes and yet retain the highest quality to complement more than 30 dishes which ANA serves on board. When selecting the wines we always consider the change that your taste buds go through at high altitude. The wines we select not only have to taste outstanding but must retain good stability throughout their transportation time. This recognition of our efforts to continually deliver an enjoyable and unique in-flight dining experience is very special for us.”

ANA set out its policy for the 2010 wine selection. Based on the set targets, it enlisted 1024 wines from all over the world, which were narrowed down to 155 wines that were selected for blind tasting. ANA enlisted the help of some of the finest sommeliers, its own Cabin Attendants, in-flight meal chefs and importantly, a cross section of our passengers, covering all ages and professions for the blind tasting.
This process took two days in which 30 different panels sampled the wine and provided feedback.

Katsuya Kato added: “In recent years ANA has striven to widen its horizons when selecting wines served on board. We were one of the first pioneers to introduce up and coming bottles from the Japanese wineries such as Chateau Mercian and Grace Winery. We also featured unique wines with a story, such as Myrit Eco Barrica, a small vineyard producing organic wine in Spain. The vineyard is owned by an ex-pilot which provides a fitting story to the wine served in the air.”

As a Japanese airline, ANA places particular importance on in-flight meals and drinks selection. ANA does not limit its offering of culinary delights to its premier class, Economy Class travelers can also enjoy Business Class champagne, wine and food menu as a payable option named ‘MyChoice Menu’.

Customers will be able to sample one of the award winning red wines, CIRRUS 2007 in the First Class wine selection list this coming autumn on the Japan – USA routes.