Thirsting for original taste of French wines

A grape-picking trip to a vineyard in Champagne, France, two years ago sparked Wang Qiuyun's interest in French wines but she never thought she would pursue a career in the subject.

The 29-year-old student from Henan province gave up an offer of a master's degree program at an American university and decided to study wine in Bordeaux - France's world-famous wine region - where she trained as a sommelier, the French word for a professional who specializes in all aspects of wine selection and service, usually in fine restaurants.

"Initially, I struggled with the language and did not have much fun studying wine. But as I gradually honed my skills and started to be able to taste and tell the differences between the wines, I became fascinated by the richness and diversity of a good wine," Wang said.