5 scholarship holders from the Gérard Basset Foundation and Alexa Camus Golden Vines® 2024 in Spirits go to study in the province of Cognac
Camus Cognac, a well-known producer managed by the Camus family since its inception and for six generations, is collaborating with Liquid Icons and the Gérard Basset Foundation, a partner of the Wine Travel Awards, for the second year in a row.
The goal of the collaboration with the famous Maison de Congac is to identify worthy applicants among industry operators and award The Alexa Camus Golden Vines® Scholarships in Spirits.
On June 12, the selection was over, with 5 students having received funding to complete the WSET certification for the Level 3 Award in Spirits qualification. And Maison Camus invited them to a 5-day intensive training on the basis of this world-famous enterprise. Drinks+ columnist and Wine Travel Awards ambassador Kateryna Yushchenko was among the five winners. Her article about complete immersion in cognacs will be published shortly.
The Gérard Basset Foundation fellows, who will arrive in the French province of Cognac in the forthcoming days, are expected to not only gain theoretical knowledge about premium cognacs, but also obtain practical experience in the various departments of Maison Camus, including the distillery, vineyards, cellars and production. This will allow fellows to meet and learn from Camus department heads, to understand first-hand what it takes to produce world-class cognac.
The training will be held by Alexa Camus, Vice-President of the board of Camus Wines& Spirits. This would allow fellows to develop their knowledge and competencies necessary for the success of their own business in the spirits sector.
We must remind that the expert commission that chose the five winners, included, besides Alexa Camus, James Nisbet, General Manager of the Luxury Division of Camus Wines & Spirits, Ian Harris, MBEDipWSET, Trustee of the Gerard Basset Foundation and CEO of WSET 2002-2022, and Romane Basset, Co-Founder of the Gerard Basset Foundation.
Commenting on the launch of this new initiative, Ms. Alexa Camus noted: “It is a great honor for me to support five selected students who will study the world of spirits with the help of our scholarship. On my own path, each diploma and certificate was a stepping stone that confirms that education is not just about acquiring knowledge — it is the key that unlocks potential, forms leaders and turns dreams into reality. In the world of wine and spirits, a WSET diploma is more than a diploma. It is a symbol of experience and passion. We were delighted to offer scholarships to support this endeavour.”
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Dossier
- Maison de Cognac Camus
Founded in 1863, the House of Camus is the 5th largest Cognac producer and the biggest one, still owned and managed by the founding family. With six generations of dedication to producing only the highest quality Cognac, Camus boasts a distribution network covering more than 110 countries, selling a bottle of premium Cognac every 13 seconds to connoisseurs worldwide. Cognac House specialize in the premium segment for demanding clients, producing the most aromatic Cognac among the major Cognac houses, a distinctive hallmark of Camus.
- Camus-Yuanliu
Camus‘ fully-owned Chinese subsidiary, Camus-Yuanliu, is one of the top five largest importers of premium spirits in China. Representing more than 20 international brands from the world’s leading distillers and wine-growers, Camus-Yuanliu offers over 200 products across all major categories.
- Camus Holding Group
The Camus Holding Group consists of six companies, including the Irish whiskey brand Lambay and e-commerce distribution in Europe and China. Additionally, Camus is the largest distributor worldwide of Moutai, a premium Chinese Baijiu. In 2023, Camus entered a joint venture with Chinese spirit Gujinggong (6.1 billion CNY revenue) to establish a world-class whisky distillery in Bozhou, China, combining global expertise with unique Chinese characteristics.