26th April 2023 – Bordeaux Mentor Week is a not-for-profit five-day education and mentorship programme in Bordeaux that conveys knowledge and access while increasing diversity and inclusivity in the wine world. The insights and support acquired during Bordeaux Mentor Week are meant to empower the Scholars in their future careers within the wine or hospitality industry.
For the second year in a row, the programme will be co-hosted by Jane Anson, author of Inside Bordeaux and founder of janeanson.com, and Nigerian-born Chinedu Rita Rosa, owner of Vines By Rosa consultancy specialising in importing wines across the continent of Africa. Zimbabwe-born star chef Treasure Makwanise will join as another mentor.
During Bordeaux Mentor Week, the seven Scholars will have the chance to meet with start-up companies and wine innovators, obtain insider details about the Place de Bordeaux, including how it works and how it is evolving, learn from seasoned industry professionals about wine marketing and selling strategies, work alongside harvest teams and cellar teams, explore the latest concepts in organic and biodynamic farming, and of course, taste some of the finest wines of Bordeaux, focusing on older wines and olfactory development.
Each Scholar will also be paired with additional mentors based on their specific area of interest. Upon the conclusion of Bordeaux Mentor Week, the Scholars will be encouraged to stay in contact with their mentors upon returning home to continue to develop their skills and advance along their chosen career paths.
All accommodations and transport within the region will be covered for attendees. Several travel bursaries were made available for those who are not able to fund travel to the region. The Gérard Basset Foundation returns as a key sponsor for the second year in a row, joined by the IWSC Foundation. Scholars will reside at Château Bellefont Belcier in St Emilion, Grand Cru Classé owned by Vignobles K.
‘The success of last year’s Mentor Week was beyond all our expectations,’ says Anson. ‘The entire experience was as motivating for Chinedu and myself as we hope it was for our scholars, and we have done our best to continue to give advice and contacts ever since. Seeing how the first seven scholars embraced the opportunity and have used it for concrete improvements in their careers has underlined just what an important initiative this is.”
The 7 Bordeaux Mentor Week 2023 Scholars are as follows:
- Lorna Kipkosgei – Nairobi, Kenya – 29 years old – Instagram: @sip_with_lornzie
- Onyeka Obiocha – New Haven, Connecticut, USA – 33 years old – Instagram: @palmwine.us • Lily Kittisrikangwan – Thailand/UK – 32 years old – Instagram: @lilz91
- Valeria Puga – Quito, Ecuador – 31 years old – Instagram: @vino_mood
- Folakemi Alli-Balogun – Lagos, Nigeria – 33 years old – Instagram: @thewineclublagos.com • Eric Palmer – Atlanta, Georgia, USA – 26 years old – Instagram: @eric.palmr
- Sebastien Gonzalez – Santiago, Chile – 26 years old – Instagram: @sebastiaan.iggn
“I know how important mentors have been in my own career,” continues Anson, “not just in terms of gaining access but in gaining confidence. The idea of Bordeaux Mentor Week is to empower our brilliant Scholars so that each of them can return home with new knowledge, new skill sets, new contacts, and a renewed sense of excitement about the future. Equity and inclusion are key, but we also need to focus on empowering others and putting long-term support structures in place.”
