My story
Hello, wine lovers! My name is Daniel Beres.
When it comes to choosing wines, what matters most to me is the harmony between nature and humanity. Great wines are born from the earth, air, and water, intertwined in a beautiful dance with the philosophy, emotions, and dreams of people. I’ve had the privilege to meet wonderful individuals who create exceptional wines, and through them, my love for the world of wine was born. I’m excited to be part of the wine world and to share this passion with wine lovers in Japan.
I think I can safely say without exaggeration: wine is my life. More than anything else, wine has brought me emotions, joy, and encounters with amazing people.
Those who truly love wine, in the deepest sense, love everything related to art, culture, or philosophy. And those who love these things usually do not remain indifferent to wine.
Wine is a masterpiece framed in a bottle, with its own universe and culture.
No to more. Yes to better.
In a world of excessive consumption, we are bombarded daily with ads and encouragement to buy as quickly as possible. And a lot. As much as possible. The wine industry is no exception.
I see things differently, and I want to do things differently.
Both moderation and quality are essential elements for well-being; the well-being of each individual and the environment we all share.
As we age, it becomes increasingly clear that "more" is not the answer.
[NO TO MORE. YES TO BETTER.] captures the essence of what I am trying to build at Daniel’s Wine Club.
The best moments in life stay etched in our minds and hearts because of their quality and intensity. That’s why good wine enhances your experiences, or at the very least, makes them better.
The experiences that stay with us are intense, not plentiful. I choose only wines crafted with care and passion, meant to accompany you in moments that matter.
I believe Romanian wine can take on this role in the Japanese market: to be that honest wine, true to the consumer, without carrying an exorbitant brand price.
My Role
In search of those who love wine, I have traveled all over Japan, visiting all 47 prefectures over the past 15 years and organizing over 800 events (as of March 2024), all centered around Romanian wine.
With all my heart, I believe that Romanian wine can enrich the lives of Japanese people through its authenticity and simplicity. I have continuously strived to convey, through my events, just how good Romanian wines are and how much heart goes into the people who make them.
I am deeply committed to sharing as much of Romania's rich wine culture and the dedication of its winemakers with the people of this country.
If you live in Japan and love wine, don’t pass me by. You can find a list of all upcoming events where I’d be delighted to see you again (or for the first time).
The Beginning
As a child, I dreamed of becoming a great novelist, writing about honorable adventurers, knights who roamed the world, striving to make it a better place. While I haven’t yet written any novels, I’ve had the extraordinary chance to work in the beautiful world of wine. So, I’ve written a bit about wine... in Japanese. Even though the adventurer in me led my steps to Japan and kept me here, I’ve stayed connected to my ancestral roots.
This website was born out of a desire to write a bit more in my native language. Not because I fear forgetting it—after all, the things that are part of your essence cannot be forgotten. But rather, to close the distance between the two places I call “home.”
I grew up in Ariușd, a small village in Covasna County, 20 km north of Brașov. It’s not on most maps. Perhaps only those interested in the ancient Cucuteni culture have heard of Ariușd, as there are ruins of a settlement belonging to this culture here (which is why some researchers refer to it as the “Cucuteni-Ariușd Culture”). It’s a village with a mixed community, like most villages in Transylvania.
I didn’t have a particularly spectacular childhood. I went to elementary school in Sfântu Gheorghe and high school in Brașov.
After high school, I took entrance exams for two universities and was accepted to both. At the last moment, I made a decision that surprised my parents. I enrolled in the Air Force Academy in Brașov (AFA). Surprisingly, I really enjoyed the military. I finally found a place where I felt I could grow both morally and physically. The education was top-notch, and I had much to learn from the professors.
But I wasn’t destined to stay in the AFA. After six months, I received the news that the Japanese government was offering a scholarship for a Romanian military officer. I volunteered for the program, took the necessary exams, and was eventually selected and sent to Japan’s National Defense Academy.
A New World
And so, I set off for Japan. I had big dreams but my heart was racing with anxiety. I spent 5 years at one of the strictest military academies in the world, where moral, physical, and mental education is modeled after the Edo period.
Everything was done in Japanese. From the very first second, I was spoken to only in Japanese. No English, and certainly no Romanian. It felt like I was in a completely different world, almost like a newborn. During my 5 years in the Japanese Defense Forces, I visited most of Japan’s military bases and underwent various training modules.
Wanting to make the most of my environment, I joined the academy’s karate team. For 4 years, I trained daily for 2 hours, including Saturdays and Sundays. I earned my black belt and became a member of the JKA (Japan Karate Association). During this time, I also passed the highest level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (Nihongo Nouryoku Shiken Level 1).
Academically, the first few years were tough because of the language barrier. However, my theoretical training from Romania helped me a lot, so I managed not to embarrass my country. I graduated from the Japanese academy with a specialty in communication systems and earned licenses for Level 1 land communication systems and Level 3 maritime communication systems (valid in Japan).
Upon returning to Romania, I was assigned to a military unit in Buzău, where I stayed for 6 months. Once again, I was fortunate to have extraordinary teachers. I graduated from the Air Force Application School in Boboc and became an air traffic controller. After graduating, I was sent to the military group at ROMATSA in Bucharest. I met incredible people there as well, but I wasn’t meant to stay.
In January 2007, I resigned from my career as an officer and returned to Japan, where I planned to start my own business. However, I never forgot the military oath I took in Brașov at the age of 19. So, I promised myself I would do everything I could to serve my country, even in civilian life.
From Aviation to Wine
In February 2007, I started working at E&M Corporation, an IT company in Tokyo. In December 2007, E&M Corporation Romania opened in Brașov. In 2008, I founded the Japanese Romanian Business Association (JRBA), an organization through which I continuously promoted Romanian products in Japan, especially Romanian wine, which, to my great fortune, turned out to be the great love of my life.
Through JRBA, in 2008, I organized a seminar in Bucharest, with the support of the Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, where I introduced Romanian producers to the Japanese wine market. This was the moment I first had direct contact with the world of Romanian wine. The passion of the Romanian producers I met during that time naturally and irreversibly entered my soul. And when I started promoting them in Japan, I truly began to feel that I was doing exactly what I wanted.
That’s how I began my career as a wine importer. Without knowing anything about the industry. And I paid for that ignorance through all the mistakes I made while building this business. "Trial and error + a lot of hard work" was the only formula I could apply, and luckily, it worked. Today, I am the main importer and probably the only dedicated promoter of Romanian wines in Japan.
The Present
Currently, I am the founder and CEO of Euro Asia Trading. Together with my team, we promote Romanian wines on the Japanese market under the brand Daniel's Wine Club.
Among other roles, I am the founder of the Japanese Romanian Business Association and vice president of the Japan-Romania Economic Committee.
In addition to promoting wine, I have been and continue to be involved in a series of cultural activities aimed at strengthening the friendship between Romania and Japan.
The Future
The future? I plan to shape it with goals. Many small goals. The biggest goal is to bring Romanian wine into the top 10 imported wines in Japan. We will get there eventually.
Emotions, Joys, and People
Emotions, joys, and meetings with dear people. These are the moments when I hope Romanian wines can be alongside wine lovers in Japan. It’s said that life without wine has no color, but wine without dear people loses its meaning.
I will continue to offer you, in the years to come, honest and good wines, to accompany you during important moments, to amplify your joys, and to deepen your friendships.
Thank you, and I look forward to seeing you at the next event!
If you’d like to know more, I’d be happy to answer your questions here.
