French winemakers analyzed Chilean wine industryPublished: March 25, 2009
Students and teachers from a prestigious French wine institution have visited Chile to learn about the country's wine industry.
A group of forty oenology students and six teachers from the Lycée Agro-Viticole, Bordeaux-Blanquefort -School of Agriculture and Viticulture- arrived to Chile at the beginning of March to study the growth of the country's wine industry. Their visit is one of several promotional activities before the First International Agricultural Investment Forum, which takes place in Santiago, June 8-12.
The future winemakers took part in an induction seminar at the Chilean Economic Development Agency's (CORFO) auditorium, attended by executives from the Wine Investment program. The CORFO experts explained Chile's agro-economic situation and outlined the government's initiatives and policies to promote the development of the industry.
After the event, the students visited some of the vineyards in the Metropolitan and Maule Regions -Cousiño Macul, Alma Viva, Concha y Toro, Casa Lapostolle and Laura Hartwig- and then looked round the facilities of the Instituto Tecnológico Colchagua. This prestigious institute, which belongs to the Universidad de Talca, is mainly focused on viticultural research.
After visiting Mendoza, in Argentina, the delegation will return to Chile to visit vineyards in the Casablanca and Aconcagua valleys, in the Valparaiso Region. "The fact that this prestigious French institution decided to bring its students to learn from the Chilean experience shows that we are working well in the development of our wine industry," explained Danilo Sturiza, CORFO's Deputy head of Investment Attraction.
The visit forms part of the permanent collaboration plan between the Chilean Government, the Chilean embassy in France, and Interco -the International Cooperation Agency of the Aquitaine Regional Council. Via a range of measures, including business agreements, technical visits, and trade missions, this body aims to create links between socio-economic entities in Aquitaine and their counterparts abroad.
Lycée BlanquefortThe Blanquefort School of Agriculture and Viticulture is the legacy of Avril Edouard-Marie, once a prosperous landowner in the region. In August 1888, Edouard-Marie bequeathed the property of Béchon to the local community in order to create a school of agriculture.
After several decades of political and financial problems, the project finally came to light on 20th July, 1923, under the official name - the Blanquefort School of Agriculture, Viticulture and Horticulture. The school occupies land of the Château Dillon, which it uses for research into vineyards and wine.
For further information on the Chilean wine cluster visit:
www.investchile.cl (in English)
For further information on the Blanquefort School of Agriculture and Viticulture visit:
www.formagri33.com (in French)
Source:
CORFO