These countries are the traditionally old world wine producing countries and the new world wines are now coming from USA, Australia, Chilli, Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay and in the future China.

India will be not far considering the rate at which our wine yards are growing! The wine producing countries are basing their marketing strategies focused on new emerging markets such as India and China. India is considered to be a very lucrative market for them especially after the wine crisis that France is recovering from. In France as in many traditionally wine drinking countries the consumption of wine per head is reducing while in traditionally non-wine drinking countries like India, China the consumption is going up. In this given scenario India needs to gear up to this growing industry and education in this field seems like a good place to start.

The European Union is doing its bit to spread awareness on this subject by offering a two year Master International Vintage organised by Ecole Superieur D’Agriculture D’Angers, France. The objective of this programme is to train executives to become experts on the subject of international vine and wine industry. This course gives students a through over view of the wine industry globally, at the same time knowledge of the techniques and organisation of several European countries.

The seven teaching modules taught in two year are:
¸ Languages:French and English,
¸ Œnology,
¸ Economy and marketing,
¸ Organization of the wine industry
¸ “Terroirs »,
¸ Viticulture,
¸ Preparation for professional project
¸ international study trip in europe(3 weeks).
¸ Professional project in firm (6 months internship) giving you an opportunity to learn while working.

This year the class comprises of thirty students from twenty-one different countries, all-bringing in their previous professional experience and at the same time learning and building a network internationally across the globe. Of the 30 students there are four Indians. This course is completely funded by the European Union under the scholarship Erasmus Mundus. Taught in three universities of the seven partner universities University of Bologna (Italy) ,Politechnic - Valencia (Spain) ,Corvinus, - Budapest (Hungary), TAD - Vila Real (Portugal) ,of Sacro Cuore - Piacenza (Italy) ,TEI Athens (Greece),ESA Angers (France).

This year the course is being conducted in France, Italy and Spain. It gives the students an exposure to the heart of the wine world. There are various study tours across Europe and also visits to many viticulture domains that provide a first hand learning experience. The wine tasting sessions held regularly give students an opportunity to taste wines from various wine regions of the world.
All in all this is the place to be if you are a wine enthusiast and wanting to learn more (www.vintagemaster.com) .

The author is a student at ESA, in her first year of Master programme. Ms Ashwini Avate