Patron: JESUÍNA FERNANDES ZITA
Seat: 34
ABOUT ME
Academic Rachel Alves Massanori Nariyoshi, Professor Doctor, is a multifaceted and highly qualified professional, with an academic and professional career marked by diverse training and excellence. She likes to recall that she entered school still as a baby, in the arms of her mother, educator Jesuína Fernandes Zita — a symbolic milestone of a life immersed in the world of education from an early age. She has never left the classroom; sometimes she is the teacher, other times the student. Her educational journey began with a degree in Social Studies, followed by a degree in History. She later graduated in Information Engineering and then in Gastronomy, with a specialization in Italian Gastronomy from the University of Caxias do Sul. Holding a Doctorate in Education Sciences, she expanded her training with a specialization in Information and Technology, in addition to an MBA in Information Security from the University of Brasília Association, qualifying as an ABNT ISO/IEC 17799 auditor in information security management from Det Norske Veritas.
With an established career in information technology, she is a tenured civil servant of the Federal Senate.
In the world of wine, Rachel is a widely recognized professional, with international certifications as a Sommelière and International Wine Judge from the Federazione Italiana Sommelier, Albergatori e Ristoratori (FISAR/Italy). She holds training in Enology from Embrapa and holds important institutional positions, notably as President of the Brasília Section of the Confraria Amigas do Vinho and Social Director of the Brazilian Federation of Wine and Sparkling Wine Fellowships (FEBAVE). She supports the Parliamentary Front for Grapes and Wine and is a member of the Chamber of the Production Chain of Viticulture, Wines, and Derivatives of the Ministry of Agriculture.
She is a columnist for the magazines Vinum Brasilis and Embassy News, in addition to hosting the program "Pausa para um Vinho" (Pause for a Wine), broadcast by NET-Brasília.
In education, she was the first wine instructor in Brasília, at a time when sommellerie was predominantly male. A dedicated and widely recognized teacher, she teaches at institutions such as the Catholic University of Brasília, the Gastronomic Institute of the Americas (IGA), Espaço Hedonnê, ASSEFE, SINDILEGIS, ASBAC, APCEF, and at the Confraria Amigas do Vinho itself.
She is part of various cultural, literary, and women's organizations, being an Immortal of the International Academy of Culture (AIC), occupying Chair No. 66, whose patron is Mário Quintana, and also of the Academy of Sciences, Arts, History and Literature (ABRASCI), where she occupies Chair No. 34, whose patroness is her mother, educator Jesuína Fernandes Zita.
She is the author of five books, with one work nominated for the Academic Jabuti Award in 2025: Expressões e Conceitos do Vinho; O Vinho por Elas: Um Universo Além dos Rótulos; Vinho Espumante – Show de Borbulhas; Vinhos – História, Cultura e Informação; and co-author of the book Antologia dos Patronos III, an initiative of the International Academy of Culture. The work Vinhos de Inverno – Vinhos do Cerrado Brasileiro: A Transformação pela Técnica da Dupla Poda da Videira is currently in press.
With solid practical experience, she has carried out grape harvests, grafting, planting, and winemaking, being a producer of the Nariyoshi's Wine brand of wines and spirits.
She has received various national and international honors, including the titles of Doctor Honoris Causa in Education (Ministry of Education/Brazil Accreditation No. 3,421) and Doctor Honoris Causa in Education Sciences from World Christian University (Florida, USA). She was awarded the Commendation of the Order of the JK Rose, in recognition of her educational, cultural, and intellectual contribution, in addition to medals of Cultural, Educational, and Professional Merit: Dame Commander of Wine, Simón Bolívar, Veturis Ventis - Heroes of the Nation, the Louis Ferdinand Cruls Commendation, and a Motion of Commendation honoring female entrepreneurship.
Her career is marked by dedication to education, culture, and human development, uniting academic rigor, practical experience, and social commitment. A life dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge, professional excellence, and a passion for wine and education. More than working in the world of wine, she has built an educational and cultural legacy that impacts people, institutions, and generations.
