Australian Grape & Wine launches China immersion programme
Early-career Australian winemakers are being asked to apply for a Chinese immersion programme to foster a “deeper appreciation of China’s wine regions”.
Australian Grape & Wine (AGW) has partnered with the China Alcoholic Drinks Association (CADA) and Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) to launch the Australia-China Winemaker Immersion Programme.
Open to early-career Australian winemakers, the programme will run from 10 October to 8 November.
Four participants will take part in a month-long placement across Beijing, Shanghai and Ningxia to gain production and technical experience and insights into the Chinese market.
Treasury Wine Estates’ Stone & Moon Winery will host participants as part of the programme as well as Greatwall Chateau Terroir, Changyu’s Longyu Estate and Yuanshi Vineyard.
The programme’s organisers have also onboarded experts from the China Agricultural University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University to teach technical skills to the selected applicants.
A regional tour of Ningxia and its key sites will take place during the programme, which ends at the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai.
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Lee McLean, AGW chief executive, said of the programme: “We are delighted to see Australian winemakers gain a deeper appreciation of China’s wine regions, consumers, and production practices. Our industries face common challenges in areas such as sustainability, climate adaptation and meeting the expectations of a new generation of wine consumers. This programme equips participants to address those challenges together.”
The Australia-China Winemaker Immersion Programme includes return economy flights to Shanghai, all accommodation, transfers, and meals.
This stage of the programme, inviting early-career Australian winemakers to apply, follows on from the first stage in which four Chinese winemakers were immersed into Australia’s wine industry. This part of the programme took place in February 2025.
Kerrin Petty, chief supply and sustainability officer at TWE, said the programme was about “more than technical skills” and was designed to foster “cultural exchange, mutual respect, and lasting relationships across the Australian and Chinese wine industries”.
He said: “After seeing the passion and dedication of the first cohort of Chinese wine professionals, we welcome applications from Australian winemakers ready to broaden their horizons, share ideas, and learn from one of the world’s most dynamic wine regions.”
Applications are now open and will close at 5pm AEST on Monday 8 September 2025.
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