Degrees all out : year 2011-2012

Sommellerie Gironde

Degrees all out

Year 2011-2012

First Oenotouristic Vocational Degree in Gironde and the second in France after that of Nîmes.

The Oenology Department of the University Bordeaux Segualen, the Hotel and Tourism School from Talence— that already has a Complementary Mention in Sommellerie headed by Muriel Lafourcade—and the CIVB*, with Bordeaux’s Wine School, created in September 2011 the first vocational training in oenotourism in Gironde. Since September 1st, 13 students started their school year. They all have a degree in Hotel and Tourism, viti-oenology, wine and spirit trade or come from second year in sciences, geography or foreign languages. Among them also are graduates with foreign diplomas. This training of 600 hours, with a part in English, is complemented with a training period of sixteen weeks and aims at educating in a one-year time the future “oenotouristic activities managers” within viticultural or touristic firms, territorial and socioprofessional organizations in Aquitaine or other regions in France and abroad.
It is to note that the University of Nîmes together with the Agricultural vocational School of Nîmes-Rodilhan, at the origin of the project “Oenotourism and cultural project” since 2008, have always been supported by the Association of Sommeliers from Languedoc-Roussillon. The last session was sponsored by Michel Hermet, president of the UDSF. Ariane Branger, Coordinator for the Viticulture and Oenology advan­ced certificate, and the Oenotourism degree, wants to state:
“Our students easily find training periods for a 15-week time as a complement of their theoretical lessons, and 80% of them find a job in the field or create their own structure.” For this year 2011/2012, 24 students from different regions or origins have been selected out of 70 applicants.


De gauche à droite : Pascal Faugère, Directeur Entreprises; Philippe Faure-Brac, Meilleur Sommelier du Monde 1992; Christophe Palmowski, AUIV (Association universitaire internationale du vin et des produits de la vigne); Pierre Goguet, Président de la CCI de Bordeaux; Jacques Faurens, Vice-Président trésorier de la CCI de Bordeaux, Président de la Commission Formation.

Year 2012-2013:

The International Sommellerie School: Bordeaux strengthens its position as the world capital of wine.

Already strongly committed in training in this field (Wine & Spirits MBA, Master Wine and Spirits Management, Wine and Spirits Commercial Promotion Institute), the Chamber of Trade and Industry of Bordeaux wanted to create, with the support of all the competent national and international organizations,
a unique high level training issuing a diploma of excellence. Sommeliers of all over the world will thus have the opportunity to come to Bordeaux, prepare themselves for national and international competitions or perfect their knowledge of wines of the world. The specificity of this training will be that the lessons will be taught by world’s best experts during 7 weeks in Bordeaux, exams included, and the rest by e-learning to enable the students to work in their restaurants. A diploma of excellence of the Chamber of Trade and Industry of Bordeaux to perfect and prepare for contests such as the A.S.I.’s. During the presentation of the project, Philippe Faure-Brac brought his backing and account, reminding that this training meets a real need.

September 2013:
The Viticulture and Oenology School La Tour Blanche will train Chinese students.
The School La Tour Blanche located in Bommes in the eponymous château, Classed Growth of Sauternes, has just signed a partnership with the Arôme Wine School & Institute, a Chinese entity located in Beijing.
The objective is to give Chinese students the opportunity to follow a course about the universe of wine, its production, its culture and its marketing, tasting, sommellerie; and to meet the demand of the luxury hotel industry, private clubs, rich cellar owners or importers in China.
A first part of 7 months of lessons is planned in Beijing, and then in March 2013, the students will follow at La Tour Blanche one year of training until their diploma.

* CIVB : Comité Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bordeaux
Florence Varaine
Michael Yue, Director of the Arôme Wine School and Institute, and Georges Jousserand, Director of the EPLEFPA* Bordeaux-Gironde on which the school La Tour Blanche depends.



Should you be looking for official diploma-awarding training courses in the vine and wine sector, read “Les formations diplômantes de la vigne et du vin”, Valérie Gosselin's book edited by the Editions Féret (65 pages, recommended retail price: €9.90).

* EPLEFPA : Etablissement Public Local d'Enseignement et de Formation Professionnelle Agricoles: vocational training and education organization under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture.