At Gruaud Larose, a classified grand cru, Chinese students received their diploma in wine tourism.
Yesterday morning, while continuing to receive the harvest, Château Gruaud Larose, a Grand Cru Classé of the Saint-Julien appellation, also had to respond to other news. In a friendly atmosphere, Jean Merlaut, the site’s owner, and Maisa Mansion, his collaborator, presented a diploma in wine tourism to a group of Chinese students.
In October 2011, at the request of the EPCC business school in Libourne, the Médoc estate agreed to sponsor these students from the Middle Kingdom. Twelve months later, for them it was a question of receiving the precious sesame and “closing the loop” by tasting a great wine.
“The number of Chinese students wishing to take part in this wine tourism training continues to grow. This year we are experiencing a 25% increase in registrations.
” Lionel Mayot, EPCC’s educational director, also reports on exchanges with Shanghai University. In the end, it was possible to establish a network. It was also at China’s request that this training was activated in France.
“The number of Chinese students wishing to take part in this wine tourism training continues to grow. This year we are experiencing a 25% increase in registrations.
” Lionel Mayot, EPCC’s educational director, also reports on exchanges with Shanghai University. In the end, it was possible to establish a network. It was also at China’s request that this training was activated in France.
It should allow guides trained in the knowledge of the properties and the region to receive tourists from Asia.
Wealthy clients
“The Chinese who come to France in search of wine have means. This is a clientele that doesn’t want standardized tourism. Our students are trained to respond to this demand and open the doors of the châteaux to them,” said the EPCC representative.
In detail, the training given prepares the “students” for welcoming the public, for tasting, also for a culture of the wine-growing environment and to be able to set up these circuits in the vineyards which will then be offered to wine agencies.
This year, despite the slowdown in China’s wine market, wine tourism doesn’t seem to have lost much of its dynamism. “Chinese trainees have been in great demand at the châteaux. We can’t satisfy all the requests,” confides Lionel Mayot.
Stay in France
According to EPCC, after the course, many students want to stay in France. This is the case with Ting, 22, who wants to do a master’s degree and then open a travel agency, a bridge between China and France.
Hang is already looking for a job in the commercial sector. He also has no intention of returning to his country of birth.
Before handing out the diplomas to the students, Jean Merlaut encouraged the future guides: “You’ll be able to describe the wonders of our terroirs,” he told them.
