Where can you find most Japanese sommeliers?

Answer: 30,000 feet above the Pacific Ocean.

The majority of Japan's certified sommeliers are actually flight attendants. At Japan Air Lines, 741 of the 1000 flight attendants have passed the Japan Sommelier Association's exam.

It may not be as rigorous as the UK/US Master Sommelier program, but it does require a knowledge of wine regions, varietals, service questions, and everything else a sommelier exam implies.

The last time I flew JAL, I remember drinking a 175-ml bottle of Bordeaux blanc that was actually pretty decent; I may have had a second. The last time I flew American Airlines, the only wine offerings were FishEye, sweet stuff from the Wine Group. I had sparkling water.

So maybe the sommeliers in the sky matter. The next time I fly JAL, I'm going to ask the flight attendant for the right pairing for roasted peanuts and pretzels. See how she does with that one.