For Education and Industry • 100% Online 
Online French Wine Training for Schools and Professionals
From Introduction to Independence
Give your students or teams the skills to understand, choose, pair and recommend French wines, wherever they are based. Taught entirely by video conference, with no tastings and no travel.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
Understand the cultural codes of French wine: terroir, appellations and the art de vivre.
Select and buy French wines independently and with confidence.
Describe and present every wine in professional language.
Recommend food and wine pairings that suit customers’ tastes.
Grow sales through upselling, trading up and making the most of every wine on the list.
A four-module programme
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Understanding terroirs, the logic behind appellations and the history that shaped them.
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Building pairings and explaining why they work.
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Presenting wines, making the case for them and guiding the customer’s choice.
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Speaking with producers, négociants and suppliers.
Why this course
Understanding Wine Beyond the Technicalities
A French wine is explained by its place, its history and its customs, a context that is not always obvious outside France. This course shows you how to bring that context to life for your customers and turn it into a credible, appealing selling point. An adviser who knows the fundamentals puts customers at ease and suggests the right bottle at the right moment.
Practical details
Format: 100% online by video conference, in the daytime or evening to suit your time zone.
Duration: 24 hours over three weeks, in 12 two-hour sessions (four a week), scheduled to suit you.
Groups: 10 to 15 participants.
Prerequisites: no knowledge of wine needed.
Materials: a course handbook provided before the start, plus access to a student area (teaching videos, exercises and resources) for the whole course.
Fees€ 650 per participant
billed for a minimum of 10 participants (€6,500)
Invoiced in euros. VAT not applicable under Article 293 B of the French General Tax Code (CGI).
Who it is for
Schools and training centres
Give your students solid foundations, cultural insight and professional vocabulary they can put to use straight away in service, sales or purchasing.
Hospitality and retail professionals
Launch or expand your French wine offer, and train your teams to present it with confidence.
Your trainer
Maria Kumessa is the founder of the media platform Grand Cru and Etiquette. She is a qualified sommelier, trained at the Académie Internationale des Vins in Alsace, and holds the Champagne Specialist certificate and the EVS3 French Wine Ambassador diploma from the École du Vin et des Spiritueux. She designs and delivers every programme herself, with a practical approach focused on professional use.
Frequently asked questions
Have a question before getting in touch? Here are the answers to the queries we receive most often from schools and professionals.
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Schools, training centres, professionals and establishments in the sector, in France and internationally, that wish to train their students or teams in French wines.
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No. The course is 100% online and includes no tastings. It focuses on understanding wines, appellations, culture, pairings and customer advice.
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The course is held by video conference: 12 two-hour sessions over three weeks, in the daytime or evening depending on your time zone. The course handbook is provided before the start, and participants have access to a student area (teaching videos, exercises and resources) for the whole course.
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Partly. The four modules form a common core, while the examples, the regions highlighted and the sales or service scenarios can be tailored to your establishment, your wine list or your curriculum. Please tell us what you need when you request a quote.
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No. Video conference sessions are not recorded, out of respect for each participant’s image rights and privacy. Teaching videos and additional resources are available in the student area, which stays open for the whole course.
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€650 per participant, billed for a minimum of 10 participants (€6,500). Invoiced in euros. VAT not applicable under Article 293 B of the French General Tax Code (CGI).
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No. The course is designed for beginners, so no prior knowledge is needed.
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A minimum of French is needed to follow the sessions. The course is taught in English.
Take the next step
Get the detailed programme, request a quote or get in touch to discuss your project.