About
Kaori Ishiguro
I live in one of the world's leading wine producing regions with a history of over 2,000 years.
In the beautiful countryside of the vineyards of Burgundy, France
I work in the production of the wine.
Why wine now?
We live in an era of material abundance. The store is overflowing with products, and when we talk about food, it is no longer possible to sell a product simply by saying it is delicious. In our lives, it has become commonplace for meat, fish, vegetables, etc. to be processed in large factories, displayed in convenient packages, and sold. Unfortunately, the awareness that we are receiving life has decreased. The same is about for plants.
The wines I would like to introduce are made from grapes that have been carefully cultivated through a lot of manual work in the vine of small and medium-sized farmers. Just as it is said that high-quality wine cannot be made from low-quality grapes, the quality of wine is determined by the quality of the grapes. For that reason, grape farmers spend a year working hard in the vines. By learning about the precious work of farmers through wine, which we don't usually see, why don't you think about the life around us from a different direction?
In addition, our lives have become nuclear families, and we have acquired time to spend freely alone. Many tasks have been conveniently mechanized, and our daily lives have been modernized with high precision. It is good that SNS has made it possible to communicate globally, but I feel that communication with people close to us has become less important. It is said that wine accompanies meals, and wine is said to be the lubricant of human relationships. Let's feel the importance of human relationships by sharing delicious food and wine, and this precious moment with people close to us.
My Story
Representative:
Kaori ISHIGURO
As a member of an international cabin crew for Japan Airlines Co., Ltd., I have travelled around the globe approximatively 250 times in domestic and overseas flights for a period of about 15 years. During my tenure, I felt the need to know more about wine from my experience of wine service on board, so I applied in-work for the opportunity to study at the Department of Oenology, Bordeaux University.
Since 2003, I became part of a family of wine-makers in Burgundy and became more intimate with the wine-making process from grape to bottle. During the busy season, the whole family needed to go out to the vines, and I also learned the farming work related to grapes. In my experience of living as a viticulture wine farmer in Burgundy, France, I have become more familiar with the need to review the global environmental problems on a daily basis. I had the opportunity to see and think about the wine-making process from various angles.
Responsibilities:
Burgundy winery management and sales strategy
Customer response and tasting event
Planning and tasting at Burgundy wineries with professional buyers around the world.
Participation in and sales of tastings held in France, Europe and in the world
Preparation for shipment of wine, export and design (labels, wine products and advertising related business)
Participation in world-famous wine auctions such as "La vente aux enchères des vins des Hospices de Beaune"
In 2018, I decided to participate the Wine Project leaded by Mr. Etienne de Montille in Hokkaido Japan, a viticulture wine farmer and a local celebrity in the village of Puligny-Montrachet in Burgundy. This is an international project with a grand purpose to further develop Japanese viticulture and wine agriculture in the future.
Responsibilities:
Coordination and negotiation with accounting, personnel and management of international wine project startup participation projects in Japan, subsidy-related organizations (Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hokkaido Government, Hakodate City, French Embassy in Japan, Banks of Japan and France)
Branding of wine
Sales strategy
In 2021, the WINE no Kaori project started.
Wine trader/Consultant
PDG of Bellevue France
WINE no KAORI
Skills:
Obtained the Japan Sommelier Association Sommelier Qualification (1997) and Senior Sommelier Qualification (2001). lived at Bordeaux, France while studying abroad send by Japan Air Lines, and studied winemaking and tasting at Bordeaux University in 2000. In 2006, I obtained a diploma from the University of Burgundy license professionnelle de commerce, option «distribution et commercialisation des produits vinicoles».
2009 Investiture of "the Chevaliers du Tastevin" in Burgundy.
Philosophy:
Trust ourselves.
Always keep a global perspective and strive for mental and financial independence.
Don't forget to smile.
Difficulties of life feed us. Do not forget to enjoy life.
Keep a sense of beauty and protect earth's beauty.
Work hard as a wine professional.
Continue to challenge my potential.