Contributors: Miss Koey Lee (Career and Leadership Centre, SDS) and Miss Ng Wai Ki (Public Policy & Politics, Undergraduate Year 4)

Internship programme may be common, but the opportunities lined up by the Career and Leadership Centre are never ordinary! Serving as an indicator of professionalism, it is not uncommon for students at university level to attend workshops to equip themselves with proper etiquette. Having basic wine-related knowledge, such as how to drink a glass of wine properly or differentiate a unique aroma and taste in wine, is generally considered as an essential for students who wish to develop a career in the business sector. Ordinary wine-tasting classes are easily accessible but wine-related internship programme in a vineyard and winery is absolutely rare!

Driven by a strong passion in wine and the desire to establish a career in wine industry, Miss Ng Wai Ki, a CityU Year 4 student of Public Policy and Politics, spent 12 days in the Bordeaux Internship Programme in France in the autumn of 2019!

There is always no substitute for hands-on experience and that is why internships are essential for students to get well-prepared for the professional world. Especially thanks to Altaya Group, the organiser of this internship programme and other sponsors for giving me such a unique opportunity to interact with winemakers and merchants and pursue my dream to visit Bordeaux. There are limitations in studying wine in Hong Kong as we lack the necessary climate and environmental factors to produce wine. Nevertheless, I had the great fortune to work for Château Figeac for about 2 weeks in September 2019. My duties ranged from assisting wine production, such as harvesting and fruit processing at vineyards, as well as tourism outreach to local wineries. Incredibly, I was all in it. For sure, sharing with people about the soil type of a vineyard is cool. However, having that soil under my fingernails is a far more powerful testament to my experience. The days in the Château helped me develop a more nuanced understanding of winemaking and a deeper appreciation of the level of work - it is a labour of love. Learning about wine is a great asset to personal development. Literally, the wine journey is filled with never-ending challenges. The more we know, the less we understand, but that is also why wine culture still attracts so many people to unveil its mystery over the centuries. Undoubtedly, wine has become my significant partner. It enriches my social experiences and becomes a source of my satisfaction. Previous experiences in CityU Wine Team and the Left Bank Bordeaux Cup have served as the solid foundation of my wine study and provided me with an avenue to develop my senses of taste and smell. In addition to the internship experience, wine has transformed me from someone ordinary to magical and made me more passionate about it. All in all, the internship gave me the best way to get a proverbial foot in the door of the wine industry. Benefitting from the internship exposure and tutelage of wine professionals, not only I am fascinated by wine appreciation but I have also been equipped with wine knowledge and expertise, from being a wine consumer to a brand ambassador or even a winemaker in the coming future. Even though the internship came to the end, my love in wine keeps prevailing. The path to promote wine culture will not be easy, but it is worth it. - Ng Wai Ki

Hands-on Experience of Harvesting.

Benefitting from the Tutelage of Winemakers

Vineyard in Château Figeac, France