A report on the JAL First Class Wine Selection Conference, where the best bottle was selected from over 1,000 bottles

A JAL-like wine selected from over 1,000 bottles

The selection of wines served on JAL flights and elsewhere is supervised by two world-renowned Japanese wine experts.

The guests are Kenichi Ohashi, the only Japanese person living in Japan to hold the title of Master of Wine, known as the world's most difficult wine degree, and Motohiro Okoshi, Japan's first wine taster and wine director, who conveys the essence of wine.

He is involved in all of the wines served by JAL, but the First Class selection is chosen after the most rigorous screening process.

"Every year, starting around summer, we in the development department discuss the concept and changes to each wine category in preparation for the next year's selection. Based on that, we conduct document screening in September, and the second round of selection is held in October for first class and then business class." (Kenta Watanabe, Planning Group, In-Flight Meal Operations Office, Development Department, Product & Service Planning Division)

The role of the Procurement Headquarters is to search around the world for wines that fit the concept decided by the Development Department, taking into account the in-flight meal menu and selection policy.

"We asked domestic importers, wholesalers, and wineries to submit proposals for as many brands as possible, not just based on the general framework set by the development department, but also based on an idea of what brands Ohashi and Okoshi are interested in. There were more than 70 companies involved, and about 50 domestic wine companies. At the document screening stage, we received more than 1,000 bottles of wine, so it was quite a large number." (Michio Kurisaka, Rooms & Lounge Services Group, General Procurement Department, Procurement Headquarters)

After a document screening process, the list is narrowed down to six categories, divided according to grape variety and flavor type, with around eight brands in each. At this stage, a considerable number of brands are sifted out. The brands to be adopted will be decided through actual tasting at the second selection meeting on the day. The tasters will be a total of 10 people, including JAL wine advisors Ohashi and Ogoe, as well as members from the Development Department, Procurement Headquarters, and the Cabin Quality Planning Department, which creates manuals for cabin attendants.

Each participant was given a scoring sheet and asked to select one wine each from six categories: Chardonnay, light-bodied (white), medium-bodied (white), domestic wine (white), Pinot Noir, and Champagne to be offered in Term A (March to August 2020) and Term B (September 2020 to February 2021).

Tasting time was about 10 minutes per category. A tray with glasses was placed in front of the participants and the tasting of eight Chardonnays began.

Worldwide selection with a focus on quality

When choosing wine, many people first check the origin, but at JAL, while we include famous wines in our selection, we also actively choose more delicious wines in the same price range.

"We choose wines from all over the world. Before Ohashi and I got involved, we focused more on traditional French wines, but recently European wines have been rising in price. Because of this, we are increasingly choosing New World wines, which are made outside of Europe and have been gaining in popularity in recent years." (Okoshi)

Another new feature worth noting is that with an eye on the 2020 Olympic year, we will be actively adding Japanese wines to our lineup.

"I've been involved with wine for about 25 years, and the quality of Japanese wine has improved significantly over the past 10 years. So I think the time is ripe to recommend it with confidence. I hope that you will discover new flavors through the wines served on board," says Okoshi.

How to choose wine on the ground and in the air is very different

After the tasting for each category is finished, the scores from Ohashi and Ogoe are tallied and the results are announced. Taking into consideration the origin, variety, and flavor balance, the top two brands are assigned to the Spring/Summer A term and the Autumn/Winter B term.

"Of course, the season is a deciding factor when you want to drink what type of wine, but the wines we tasted this time will actually be served in B term, which is about a year from now. Therefore, if the wines are not ones that can maintain their current flavor until then, there is no point in selecting them. If the flavor is likely to reach its peak in about six months, or if you don't want to wait a year, we may put them in A term even if the flavor is suitable for B term. In order to serve the wine at its most delicious, we select them from the perspectives of season and state of aging." (Okoshi)

This is a delicate decision that only professionals can make, but providing food in the special environment of an aircraft requires even greater attention to detail.

"Naturally, the environment is very different between on the ground and on an airplane. Specifically, the air pressure makes the flavors more concentrated, making it difficult to appreciate the inherent goodness of the wine. Therefore, I think that wines that have a more familiar, mellow aroma often taste better on an airplane or in the air. That's why we sometimes choose not to choose a brand that has a high score but feels a bit hard. Also, there are two types of wine aromas: those that you can't find unless you "go looking for" them, and those that give off a fragrant aroma that comes straight to you. If you're enjoying it on an airplane, the latter type will be easier to understand. We always need to keep these points in mind when evaluating wines." (Okoshi)

From a service perspective, we have a product that we can confidently recommend.

Among the brands that made it to the second round of selection were those that used wax caps, which are corks covered with wax. There was also a scene where Mr. Okoshi gave a lecture to the Room Quality Planning Department on how to open these somewhat unusual wines.

"If the wine is difficult for the cabin attendants to handle, even if it has a high rating, we may not be able to make an immediate decision. Our important role in the development department is to listen to the opinions of not only the two wine advisors, but also each department and make a comprehensive judgment," says Watanabe.

And whether or not we can consistently supply the selected wines depends on the skills of the Procurement Headquarters.

"We decide the number of bottles beforehand, but sometimes the number of bottles sold exceeds the number expected. Once a wine is selected, we immediately enter into negotiations to purchase it, but in the end, adjusting the number of bottles may be the most difficult part," says Kurisaka.

We don't just introduce delicious wines, we also suggest new ways to enjoy them.

These carefully selected wines, each with their own unique appeal, are unique to JAL.

"One of the attractions of wine is that it not only helps customers drink familiar wines with peace of mind, but also broadens their worldview through new ways of enjoying and discovering new things. In that sense, we want to deliver the same delicious taste on board as on the ground, and we have a wide variety of options to achieve this. In my case, I am also a sommelier by trade, so pairing food and wine is also one of my specialties. Therefore, I taste the dishes prepared by the first-class chefs every time they are updated, and propose attractive approaches from within the wine selection. I am always keen to help customers enjoy in-flight meals that can be said to be among the best in the world." (Okoshi)

The wines selected this time will be available from March 2020. JAL's new "face of in-flight service" is steadily being prepared for its launch. Please look forward to the lineup.

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