Rising Stars of the Vine: Unveiling the Pioneering Spirit of Japan’s Next Generation Winemakers

*In-person Event

California is home to a wide variety of respected and renowned wineries, but it is still a rarity to see younger of Japanese and Japanese-American owned businesses in this sphere. What is the next generation of wine craftsmen doing to challenge these long-held perceptions?

On December 14, up-and-coming wine makers will be joining us for a special program all about their experiences as Japanese and Japanese-Americans forging a new path for California’s wine scene. Michelle Kazumi Sakazaki, Kazumi Wines, and Nori Nakamura, Atsushi Yanai, Noria will all share their moving personal stories, reveal what sets their brands apart from the competition, and detail the struggles of breaking into the highly-competitive American wine industry as individuals of Japanese heritage. If you’ve ever been curious about the market differences between the U.S. and Japan or just what goes into running a successful winery, you won’t want to miss out on this exclusive discussion!

Mouthwatering samples from Noria and Kazumi Wines will be available to taste (for a fee) at the event for individuals 21 and older. This is a great opportunity to pick up a delicious gift for someone special this holiday season!

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Date & Time:
Thursday, December 14th, 2023,
*Registration and Tasting Starts at 5:30pm (Program starts at 6:15pm)

Venue:
Noria Wines | 725 A Gilman St, Berkeley, CA 94710

Entry Price: Free.

Wine Tasting Price: $20 (Paid on-site)

Agenda:

5:30 – 6:15 pm  Registration and Tasting

6:15 – 6:20 pm  Opening Remarks
Welcome Remarks: D’Juan Mercado| Program Coordinator, Japan Society of Northern California

6:20 – 6:40 pm  Presentation
Michelle Kazumi Sakazaki | General Manager at 90 Plus Wine Club, Founder & Proprietor Kazumi Wines

6:30 – 6:40 pm  Presentation
Nori Nakamura | Owner/Winemaker, Noria

6:40 – 6:55 pm   Q&A/ Fireside Chat
Moderated by: Raj Dev | Managing Partner, EleveneX

6:55 – 8:00 pm  Networking and Tasting

Our Amazing Winemakers!

Michelle Kazumi Sakazaki | Kazumi Wines

Michelle is Japanese American, born in California and raised in Tokyo. For the past 14 years, she has worked in Napa Valley as the General Manager of 90 Plus Wine Club. Prior to that, she was a fashion designer for Missoni in Milan and Armani Exchange in New York. Her love for wine began during her six years in Italy, as wine is an integral part of everyday life and Italian culture. She realized that wine has other elements of style and design that are not part of fashion design and began to wish for a more expressive medium than apparel. She found that in wine. In 2015, Michelle decided to try her hand in making her own wine and started Kazumi Wines with just ½ ton of Sauvignon Blanc. Kazumi Wines has grown over the years and now produces a Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc, a single vineyard Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon and the first of its kind, Napa Valley Koshu. For Michelle’s full bio, read here.

Nori Nakamura | Noria

Born and raised in Tokyo, Nori first learned about fine wine at his uncle’s Italian restaurant.After graduating from UC Davis with a viticulture and enology degree in 2002, he worked as a winemaker at several wineries in Napa and Sonoma. He started his own brand, NORIA, wines Inspired by Japanese Cuisine in 2010.