Monica Xu St. Pierre: ‘Knowledge is the foundation; connection is the goal’
Celebrating 20 years of WSET in China, importer and distributor ASC Fine Wines’ lead director shares her vision for the future of wine education with Rebecca Lo.
On 6 February in William’s Steakhouse in Shanghai, ASC Fine Wines hosted a reunion dinner for its WSET graduates.
Marking 20 years since ASC became China’s first approved WSET course provider, the private dinner gave the 50 WSET China alumni, colleagues and friends an opportunity to gaze into the wine education crystal ball.
As one of China’s leading wine importers and distributors, ASC believes that education will continue to be a critical engine for its next chapter.
Connecting to ‘the soul of wine’
“For two decades, our WSET programmes have been about transferring knowledge,” said Monica Xu St. Pierre, lead director with ASC at the dinner’s opening speech.
“The market today is telling us it’s not just about classroom learning or passing an exam. What’s needed is a more engaging journey that connects people to the soul of wine – the stories, the history, the terroirs and the families behind the label – all in a way that’s accessible and genuinely fun.”
St. Pierre linked the shift in WSET direction to ASC’s marketing pivot from product to a service and experience-oriented company. “We are dedicated to embedding this story-led approach directly into our WSET programmes and, just as importantly, amplifying it through social media endeavours to reach a much wider audience.
“Knowledge is the foundation, but connection is the goal. It empowers our trade partners to curate moments, not just move inventory. And it empowers consumers to choose with confidence and find genuine joy in discovery. In this new era of China’s wine market development, our role is to be [an] enabler of rich, personal experiences.”
The need for accessible resources
In a recent consumer study with Areni Global, many cited their WSET courses alongside copies of The World Atlas of Wine by Jancis Robison and Hugh Johnson as the two pillars that unlocked the world of wine for them. It is no coincidence that both authors were former WSET honorary presidents, with Robinson one of its earliest alumni.
Publishing agent Andrea Mingfai Zhu, a guest at the dinner, took to the floor to recount her 2010 collaboration with ASC to support translation and publication of The World Atlas of Wine in Chinese.
“ASC understood from the very beginning that for a wine culture to truly take root, it needed deep, accessible and authoritative resources,” Zhu said. “Backing this book wasn’t a marketing exercise: it was a mission to build foundational literacy and romance. They saw that the journey of a wine lover begins with a man, a story, a spark of imagination.”
The future of wine in China
To reinforce ASC’s business model, the evening’s menu was paired with wine from its global portfolio. The meal was complemented by compelling narratives of place and producer by ASC’s education team, who acted as experiential guides for the dinner.
“Our work with WSET and with foundational texts like the Atlas laid the groundwork,” said St. Pierre.
“Now, we are building a vibrant, connected community. Through evolved educational programmes, digital storytelling and deeper support for our trade partners, we are investing in this ecosystem of experience.
“The future of wine in China belongs not to transactional gifting but to the memorable and shared moment of discovery: the meaningful connection we exist to advance.”
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