{"id":64012,"date":"2026-07-22T05:14:36","date_gmt":"2026-07-22T05:14:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.usjapancouncil.org\/?post_type=news&p=64012"},"modified":"2026-07-22T05:14:38","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T05:14:38","slug":"visionary-voices-leadership-series-featuring-japanese-leaders-in-wine-country","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.usjapancouncil.org\/ja\/news\/visionary-voices-leadership-series-featuring-japanese-leaders-in-wine-country\/","title":{"rendered":"Visionary Voices Leadership Series featuring Japanese Leaders in Wine Country"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Last month\u2019s Visionary Voices Leadership Series brought our community into conversation with two remarkable Japanese American leaders in wine country: Akiko Freeman of Freeman Vineyard & Winery in Sonoma and Maya Dalla Valle of Dalla Valle Vineyards in Napa, guided by moderator and USJC member Brittany Amano. Their stories traced a powerful arc from early Nikkei pioneers like Kanaye Nagasawa to today\u2019s Nikkei Wine & Vine Group, showing how mentorship, shared heritage, and \u201cchosen family\u201d relationships continue to shape a quiet but influential movement in the U.S. wine industry. Akiko\u2019s journey from crawling into tanks as an apprentice to becoming America\u2019s first Asian female winemaker specializing in Pinot Noir, and Maya\u2019s path through world\u2011class ch\u00e2teaux before returning to lead her family\u2019s estate alongside her mother Naoko, reflected a shared commitment to learning, humility, and multi\u2011generational stewardship rooted in Japanese values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Throughout the discussion, both leaders emphasized that wine is as much about people and land as it is about bottles and brands. Maya spoke about honoring Naoko\u2019s difficult decision to replant their entire vineyard, foregoing flagship vintages rather than compromise the integrity of the estate, and about using data\u2011driven innovation, from vine\u2011level mapping to misting systems, to help their vines adapt to a changing climate while preserving balance and elegance in the glass. Akiko shared how she and her husband converted a chemically depleted former apple orchard into a thriving organic vineyard using cover crops and even daikon radish as living tillers, determined to leave healthier soils for the next generation than they found. Their stories of pushing through male\u2011dominated spaces – whether convincing an Argentine winery to let a woman \u201cdig out tanks\u201d or gradually earning acceptance in an old\u2011boys Pinot network – offered resonant examples of quiet tenacity and leadership that will inspire many in our community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, the conversation reminded us that wine can be a bridge between nations as well as between people. Akiko recounted the improbable phone call from the White House that led to Freeman Chardonnay being served at the state dinner honoring Prime Minister Abe, and later at a State Department lunch for Prime Minister Kishida and at an official visit in Japan, with her kanji\u2011adorned labels symbolically linking the two countries at the same table. As USJC continues to cultivate leaders and people\u2011to\u2011people ties across the Pacific, Akiko and Maya\u2019s example of honoring heritage, investing in the land, and opening doors for the next generation of Nikkei winemakers offers a compelling picture of how our values can take root in new fields and still bear fruit for both the U.S. and Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watch the full video here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last month\u2019s Visionary Voices Leadership Series brought our community into conversation with two remarkable Japanese American leaders in wine country: Akiko Freeman of Freeman Vineyard & Winery in Sonoma and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-64012","news","type-news","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nVisionary Voices Leadership Series featuring Japanese Leaders in Wine Country - U.S.-Japan Council<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.usjapancouncil.org\/ja\/news\/visionary-voices-leadership-series-featuring-japanese-leaders-in-wine-country\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"ja_JP\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Visionary Voices Leadership Series featuring Japanese Leaders in Wine Country - 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