Taste test

The rapid development of China's wine industry over the past 20 years has facilitated the launch of related majors in higher education. More than 20 colleges and universities in China have started wine-related majors for undergraduate and graduate students, including China Agricultural University in Beijing, the Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University in Shaanxi province, and Ningxia University.

Some colleges also provide exchange programs for students to study in foreign countries with strong wine cultures such as France, Italy and Spain. At Wine in University, a community for wine enthusiasts, thousands of members from over 15 Chinese universities regularly exchange insights on wine through online lectures, tasting events and other activities.

"Wine culture has become more prevalent among university students in China since 2010. Today, there is a growing number of wine clubs and communities in the country and they offer platforms for the exchange of insights and participation in wine competitions," says Chen Si, a lecturer from the school of tourism at Shanghai Normal University.

The Concours National Inter-Ecoles de Sommellerie en Chine, a contest for sommeliers, has seen a significant increase in the number of participating Chinese universities. Last year, 2,000 contestants from 50 universities took part in the contest. In 2016, the year the contest debuted in China, only seven universities were in attendance.

"The increase in numbers reflects Chinese students' growing acceptance of wine and related professions, even though domestic universities have yet to launch sommelier courses," says Xu Junzhe from the Shanghai CAFA Wine School.