Wine and Management programme

Paris

Develop the know-how you need to become a wine expert

The Wine and Management Programme takes place in Paris, the French capital of culture, gastronomy, and the art of fine living. French vineyards remain a reference throughout the world, making the French capital the ideal location for in-depth wine studies.

The Wine and Management Programme students acquire knowledge and skills through both theory and practical training to:

Evaluate the quality of a wine by organoleptic analysis and be able to analyze wines on a worldwide level
Master management, business, and financial technology skills
Discover food and wine pairing in a curious and open minded manner and learn how to make your own pairings

Gain in-depth knowledge of French vineyards as well as the open-minded approach to world wines essential for understanding wine production worldwide.

This is a full-time course (approximately 25 hours per week). Lessons may also be programmed on an evening and/or during the weekend. More than 600 hours of training encompassing theory courses, tastings, professional experience and internships.

The Wine and Management programme is led by Franck Ramage, Head of Wine Department.

Being in Paris means that we are at the very heart of international sommellerie: the greatest number of sommeliers in the world can be found here, the greatest concentration of expertise in wine industry professions, and we are within reach of many vineyards. From a geographical point of view, coming to study in Paris is a highly strategic move.

1 intake per year: September

Key information

Languages: French and English
Duration: 10 months including 3 progressive internships to discover the professional universe of wine

2-week internship during the harvest period
6-week internship in a wine related establishment
8-week internship of professional insight

Price: 19 800 € (Full tuition includes registration fees, 4 vineyards visits, all tastings and student uniform.)
Hours per week: 25 hours on average
Entry requirements: candidates must be at least 18 years of age at the start of the course and have obtained the French Baccalaureate or equivalent diploma, High School Diploma (USA), High School Certificate (Japan), GCSE (UK). Candidates must have a very good level of written and spoken French or English.

Wine and Management programme details

Wine and Management Programme structure
The Wine and Management Programme is divided into four parts:

1. A 2-week internship during the harvest period in France

Two weeks of full immersion in the world of wine during the French Harvest season. Students join in the harvest alongside French winemakers.

2. Lectures, wine conferences and vineyard visits

- Study of viticultural countries - This part of the programme is spread over the nine months and focuses on French wines with an overview of vineyards in Europe and the New World. Subjects covered include cultivation techniques, associated climate and terroir as well as the winegrowing producers of each region. Students will have the chance to taste a representative selection of wines from each vineyard during the many professional tasting sessions organized in various locations throughout Paris. Several experts in the field (sommeliers, wine brokers, wine growers, speakers, wine merchants etc) provide students with the most up-to-date and comprehensive information in an ever-evolving discipline.

- Business and sales force related to the wine business - This part of the programme addresses the challenges of accounting and financial management in the wine business. Marketing, commercialization, business plan, target, location strategy and human resources are all covered. Students learn how to build a balanced wine menu calculated to optimize sales and profits.

- Food and Wine pairings - During culinary demonstrations by Le Cordon Bleu Chefs, students practise food and wine pairing with sensory analysis of the dishes and wines being tasted.- Oenology - Students focus on vinification and viticulture techniques, indispensible for mastering the art of wine tasting.

- Vineyard visits - As part of the Wine and Management Diploma, students go on a number of educational trips to French vineyards. These field trips give students the chance to discover the many facets of French vineyards and learn more about the history, the terroir, the economy, the way in which the wine industry is organized and the secrets of production of different wines. Here are some examples of French vineyard visits:
- Cognac
- Champagne
- Bordeaux
- Loire valley
3. An internship in a wine related establishment

6-week internship in a wine related establishment, such as:
- Hotels - Restaurants: Les Ambassadeurs (Crillon Hotel's restaurant), Drouant Restaurant , Le Sur Mesure (Mandarin Oriental Hotel's restaurant), La Tour d’Argent, Lasserre Restaurant , La Table du Baltimore (Baltimore Hotel's restaurant), Le Meurice Hotel, Le Bistrot du Sommelier, Le Jules Verne, Georges V, Frenchie
- Wine bars and wine cellars: O Château, Le Petit Sommelier, Wine by One, Caves Legrand
- Wine producers, specialized firms and organisations: Duval Leroy, AOC International, France Boissons, Bettane & Desseauve
- Wine tourism agencies: Wine Chic Travel
4. 8-week internship of professional insight.
Who is the Wine and Management Programme for?
This Wine and Management programme has been designed for those looking for a unique wine course. It is an important stepping stone for future entrepreneurs who plan to open a wine bar, a wine shop or to specialize in international business or wine tourism.
The Wine and Management programme is also aimed at those considering a career change and provides significant knowledge for those who are planning a career in the restaurant industry.
Wine Career opportunities
After obtaining the Diploma, according to the student's level, possible career opportunities include:
- Become a sommelier
- Become a wine consultant
- Become a wine Importer or Exporter
- Become a bistrot owner
- Become a wine tourism expert
- Become a wine journalist
Intake dates and apply

Term Dates & Prices

Select a date

2018

Sep 10, 2018 - Jul 11, 2019 (Standard)

€ 19,800.00

2019

Sep 9, 2019 - Jul 9, 2020 (Standard)

€ 19,800.00
International environment and professional network
The Wine and management programme is taught in French and translated into English. Students come from various countries: France, USA, China, Brazil, …
The Wine and Management Programme gives you the savoir-faire necessary to become an expert in the wine industry.
French lessons

Testimonials

The year at Le Cordon Bleu Paris is something everybody should experience at least once in their lifetime. The months are intensive and hard but when you see the final result, you cannot be anything other than speechless. I had never analyzed a glass of wine, a bottle, a grape variety, a region… Curiosity played a major role and opened my eyes to discover the beauty of this sector. Marketing, communication, management, soft skills… We touched on these subjects every day. The consultants are professionals, particularly good listeners and receptive, which is a very positive aspect.

Marie-Sophie Guthmann, Wine and Management Programme Alumna
The Wine and Management Programme is complete. You will learn techniques and theory; you will practice and visit the places to know. You will also make contacts and become an insider of the wine world.

Guillaume Gondinet, Wine and Management Programme Alumnus
I am now doing what I love for a living, which had been my goal for many years. It is very important to me to have a range of quality, original, and sometimes rare, wines and spirits so that I can always try to meet the needs of my customers. The training I received at Le Cordon Bleu institute gave me the opportunity to consolidate my network thanks to the different speakers we met (sommeliers, agents, appellation representatives, etc.). Not forgetting, of course, the visits to French vineyards, the professional fairs that I took part in during the training programme, the numerous tastings undertaken in lessons and the wines selected by Mr. Ramage.

Stephane Lecenes, Wine and Management Programme
I was, once again, delighted by our trip: the experience was extremely enriching and I really enjoyed discovering Cognac. Visiting the different Cognac Houses provides a thorough understanding of their style and philosophy. Not forgetting the Doureau cooperage visit, because I hadn’t realized the importance of wood in influencing different styles of Cognac. In addition, the meetings with David Boileau teach us so much and, I would go as far to say, are essential in order to fully understand the history and economy of Cognac. From a professional point of view there are, without a doubt, many development opportunities in the field of oenotourism.

Michael Mamane, wine and management Programme 2015-2016
I was very happy when I found out that one of our trips would be to Cognac. I really wanted to see the production methods and all the cellars. It was interesting to learn about the different facets of Cognac, from small wine-growers to large groups. At first glance, the programme seemed to have a lot of visits for just one product, but by visiting lots of different Cognac Houses we were able to understand the differences in quality, style, production and the way in which the different Cognac Houses are run. We always received a very warm welcome in a magnificent setting. I would like to thank Le Cordon Bleu once again for enabling us to have such amazing experiences: we are extremely lucky!

Elsa Layen, wine and management Programme 2015-2016
Our class visited a variety of cognac houses from smaller and more "artisan style" houses such as Tesseron to very famous and large ones such as Hennessy. We were able to taste numerous selections of cognacs and we also had food pairings with each. Every host was extremely hospitable and made me feel so welcome and at-ease especially.Getting to see the hands-on approach each distiller takes was also very special. . It was truly an incredible experience to be across the world tasting cognac that is very special to me! This trip was quite luxurious too as the château we stayed in was very classic French and ornate.

Samantha Becker, Wine and Management Programme 2015 - 2016
The trip to the Rhone Valley was amazing and the organisation outstanding! During three fairly intensive days, we had the opportunity to visit estates and winegrowers in emblematic appellations such as Côte Rôtie, Condrieu, Hermitage and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. There was a great atmosphere, amazing discoveries and many special moments shared!

Jean-Christophe Clément, Wine and Management Programme 2015 – 2016
Spending these 3 days in the Rhone Valley just increases our knowledge of wines. Tasting all these incredible wines and visiting all the winemakers, whether industry or independent winemaker, bring up so many different ideas and help us gain wine experiences. I really enjoyed the tour with Le Cordon Bleu.

Anyi Tai, Programme des Métiers du Vin et Management 2015 - 2016