Honorary Elevate Sauvignon Blanc to be enjoyed at 32,000 feet
The Honorary Elevate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is now exclusively available in Premium Economy and will be in select Air New Zealand lounges early next year.
Villa Maria, owned by Indevin Group, has been Air New Zealand's primary wine supplier for the past 10 years, but this is the first time the brands have joined forces to create an exclusive inflight wine.
Crafted in partnership with Indevin's Marlborough winemakers and the Air New Zealand team, the limited-edition sauvignon blanc highlights the distinctive Marlborough sub-regions of the Awatere, Wairau, and Southern Valleys.
Air New Zealand General Manager Customer Experience Kylie McGillivray-Brown says Marlborough sauvignon blanc is known as the world's best, so it's only natural that as New Zealand's airline we feature it in the skies.
"Our team collaborated with the fantastic wine makers from Indevin to create this special blend unique to Air New Zealand. We're proud to represent the best of Aotearoa in the air, and showcase the best New Zealand produce to the world."
Described by Indevin Group CEO Duncan McFarlane as "quintessentially Marlborough", the Honorary Elevate Sauvignon Blanc has a fresh herbal intensity and great palate length, and was recently awarded a silver medal at the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show.
"This exceptional drop celebrates our partnership with Air New Zealand, and the classic wine variety that continues to put New Zealand on the world winemaking map. It's a delicious example of quality Marlborough sauvignon blanc that you won't experience anywhere else."
The Honorary Elevate Sauvignon Blanc will be available exclusively in Premium Economy and select Air New Zealand and Star Alliance.
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Issued by Air New Zealand Communications.
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About Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand's story started in 1940, first taking to the skies between Auckland and Sydney on a flying boat - a Short S30. Known for its warm Kiwi hospitality, today, the airline has 104 operating aircraft ranging from Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and Airbus A320s to ATRs and Q300s, offering customers comfort in the latest most efficient jets and turboprops. It's a modern fuel-efficient fleet with an average age of 7.3 years. Air New Zealand's global network of passenger and cargo services centres around New Zealand. Pre-Covid, the airline flew more than 17 million passengers every year, with 3,400 flights per week. Air New Zealand was recently named the World's Safest Airline by the Australian rating service AirlineRatings.com, highlighting the airline's laser-focus on safety. Last year, Air New Zealand won Best Corporate Reputation in New Zealand – 8th year in a row.
Air New Zealand has a well-connected domestic business, connecting customers and cargo to 20 different regions around New Zealand. Internationally, the airline has direct flights to major cities across Australia, Asia, the Pacific Islands and the US, and through its strong relationships with alliance partners, offers customers more choice and convenience to connect further afield to hundreds of destinations. Air New Zealand has a particular focus on sustainability and its Sustainability Framework helps guide the airline's efforts in tackling some of New Zealand's and the world's most complex challenges. Air New Zealand aircraft are proudly identified by its distinct tail livery of the Mangōpare, the Māori symbol of the hammerhead shark which represents strength, tenacity, and resilience.
About Star Alliance
Air New Zealand is proud to be a member of Star Alliance. The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer worldwide reach, recognition and seamless service to the international traveller. Its acceptance by the market has been recognized by numerous awards, including the Air Transport World Market Leadership Award and Best Airline Alliance by both Business Traveller Magazine and Skytrax. The member airlines are: Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, THAI and United. Overall, the Star Alliance network currently offers more than 18,500 daily flights to 1,321 airports in 193 countries.