Students take part in Wine Tasting Competition for Young Professionals in Paris

Our two third-year BA (Hons) International Wine Business students, Amelia Balthazor and Harrison Blyth, have just returned from the Concours des Jeunes Professionnels du Vin (CJPV) Wine Tasting Competition for Young Professionals in Paris. This annual contest, sponsored by the French Government's Department of Agriculture, pits young professionals from all over Europe against each other in a 3-day long wine tasting competition.

Every year, Plumpton College sends two young wine students to participate in the competition. Amelia and Harrison each had to prepare a presentation on a nominated topic along with the tasting. 

This year's topic was "Wine professions: soon our daily life, already your future": Whether it is the increasingly frequent climatic hazards linked to climate change  (drought,  flood,  frost, thunderstorms,  etc.),  the economic impact of the  COVID19  pandemic,  the necessary consideration of societal expectations (respect for the environment; organic farming; biodynamic; ethics; proximity, etc.), all in a context of a downward trend in wine consumption, the wine industry must adapt and renew its practices and its production, sales and communication methods. 

As future professionals in the wine sector, Harrison and Amelia prepared presentations showing how viticulture stakeholders are involved daily in adapting their activity to such constraints and building a sector that respects the environment while considering consumer expectations. Amelia concentrated on reducing the carbon footprint of the wine industry, while Harrison focused on protecting vulnerable vineyard soils in the face of climate change. 

We are delighted to announce that Amelia placed 4th overall. While Harrison and Amelia found the 3-day schedule testing, they enjoyed the event tremendously.