The Alexander Panda Grappa Flies To China

April 6, 2010 - PRLog -- Four Chinese airlines pay tribute to the national symbol of China, the endangered Giant Panda Bear, with a unique item: an Alexander Panda Bottle.

Sold onboard Air China, Air Hainan, China Southern and China Northern, this elegant gift bottle, designed by Sandro Bottega and made of mouth-blown glass, features the symbol of peace, a giant Panda, and contains Alexander Grappa, the best Italian distillate obtained from the Prosecco grapeskins.

The bottle is a collector’s original, designed exclusively by Distilleria Bottega for the Chinese airlines. It can be displayed in a crystal showcase and enjoyed in a wine glass sip by sip, on the rocks, in mixed cocktails or as an after dinner. Alexander Grappa has a smooth tasting with a complex herbal, fruity aftertaste.

The giant panda is now one of the rarest mammals in the world. Nowadays there are only 1,600 pandas living in the wild. About 160 giant pandas live in zoos and breeding centers around the world.
The giant panda has a special place in Chinese culture because it has qualities and characteristics valued by the Chinese people. Writings from ancient China described the giant pandas as strong and invincible. The panda was believed to be a gentle animal and first became a symbol of peace 3,000 years ago. Battles between armies were stopped, and a temporary peace called, if one of the armies raised a flag with an image of the giant panda.

The Alexander Panda bottle joins the collection of Alexander blown glass bottles. Sandro Bottega, president of Distilleria Bottega, began creating the first highly artistic blown glass bottles for the Alexander brand back in the 80s. Never trivial, they have now become collectors’ items, containing the best selection of grappas. The Alexander grappa bottles have been showcased in a travelling exhibition entitled “Art in grappa” in New York, Montreal, Cologne, Barcelona, Madrid and Toronto.

The Alexander Panda Bottle will be showcased at the Distilleria Bottega’s stand n. J9 at the next TFWA fair (Singapore).

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Based in Bibano, in the Prosecco area, 25 miles north of Venice, Distilleria Bottega has been producing award-winning grappas, wines and liquors since the 1970s. Bottega sells its products in 110 countries and produces 6 millions bottles per year. Its hand-blown Murano glass bottles, made according to the Venetian glass-blowing tradition and part of the Alexander line, are sold all over the world and have won many design awards.