Welcome | The institute | The pedagogical team
THE TEAM
PEDAGOGIC
MICKAEL VILLACHENOUX
Responsible for preparatory classes
Sommellerie Trainer
Master Sommelier, Michael Villechenoux has long been preparing sommeliers and young sommeliers for regional and national competitions, with passion and kindness.
Serving French sommellerie for 35 years, he works as Head Sommelier, Wine Buyer, Wine Merchant, and Room Manager in numerous prestigious establishments: Ministry of Defense, Domaine du Grand Veneur, "La Table d'Alain Jaume ", The Palais du Carré, ...
BAPTISTROSS-BONNEAU
Sommellerie Trainer
Wine Educator South of France
Winner of the national and international Sommellerie Challenge Sud de France in 2018, Baptiste is a sommelier consultant and ambassador for wines from the south of France.France . He works in the restaurant business but also with regional appellation unions and large Languedoc estates such as: Gerard Bertrand, Anne de Joyeuse, Maison Ventenac, Borie de Maurel, etc.
Previously, he worked as Head Sommelier at the starred restaurant of the prestigious Hôtel de la Cité in Carcassonne.
GEORGES GRACIA
Trainer in Sommellerie and Gastronomy
Master Sommelier, he has served as Head Sommelier and Catering Director of prestigious establishments: Les Prés dʼEugénie restaurant of chef Michel Guérard, Hostellerie du Vallon de Valrugues, the Hôtel de la Cité de Carcassonne,...
For more than 10 years, Georges has now worked as a trainer, coach and consultant in French catering.
It is also at the service of French sommellerie through the Sommeliers Association Languedoc-Roussillon and Rhône Sud.
SYLVIE TONNAIRE
Press Relations Trainer
Editor-in-Chief of the national magazine Terre de Vins for nearly 25 years, Sylvie Tonnaire promotes the players in the French wine world on a daily basis.
Its role is to design and organize the production of the magazine, to supervise its contents and those of the site terredevins.com, to choose and organize the tastings, to participate in the creation and running of their events: Trophies, Datings, and Tastings and of course, to represent the Terre de Vins brand to the various contacts in the Wines and Spirits sector
STEPHANE VATTEPAIN
Trainer in Sommellerie, Management, Marketing,
English reference trainer
A sommelier for 25 years, Stephane Vattepain began his career in France at the Hotel de Crillon, at the Bistrot du Sommelier Philippe Faure Brac as well as as Sales Manager for Europe at Maison Riedel. He then opened up to a great career abroad: 5 years in England, 3 years in Japan with Hiramatsu, 10 years in Turkey,...
His innovative and spectacular wine list designs have been recognized with 15 Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards.
MARIE-HÉLENE DAL-CIN
Trainer in Sommellerie, Oenology and Viticulture
After starting her first career as an oenologist in our beautiful Region, Marie Hélène Dal-Cin returned to her studies to obtain her Complementary Mention in Sommellerie in order to obtain a more complete vision of the world of wine. She restarted her career as a Sommelier at the Bistrot du Sommelier Philippe Faure Brac before returning to the South on the VIAVINO wine tourism project. For 9 years, she held the position of Oenologist, Sommelier and customer manager.
Today, Marie Hélène devotes herself fully to passing on her passion through entertainment and professional training for adults.
SIMON PAGES
Spirits Trainer
Simon Pages' passion for spirits was born within the legendary Aux Grands Vins de France cellars, in Montpellier, for which he worked for nearly 10 years, as a Wines and Spirits customer advisor and CHR sales manager.
3 years ago, he decided to take the WSET Spirits level 2 diploma (highest level) and began providing commercial support for Languedoc winegrowers, training, and hosting company evenings.
Winemaker on the family estate and passionate about mixology and the world of bars, in 2021 he created his own brand: Bal Pages, a lunchtime aperitif based on a recipe from his ancestors.
PAUL BONNO
Trainer in Sales, Marketing, Luxury and Wine Tourism
With his initial training in International Business, Communication and Marketing, Paul has managed numerous establishments: Château Vaux le Vicomte, Châteaux La Bastidié, La Cité de l'Espace in Toulouse and the legendary Paris Wine Museum.
At the same time, he also undertook a BTS Viti-Oeno as well as an Oenologist Diploma (DNO), before setting up his wine estate in Cru Banyuls in 2012.
Since then, he has dedicated himself to passing on his passion through training, wine tourism and acting as a consultant in oenology and wine business strategy.
QUENTIN FIGUERES
Trainer in Zythology
Better known as @the_hoppy_sommelier, Quentin obtained a first degree in viticulture and oenology before obtaining his sommelier diploma. He started his career at De Lauz, a Michelin-starred gourmet restaurant * before turning to the profession of wine sommelier.
Passionate about beers, he trained in brewing and the false tastes of beer and redirected his career towards a position as customer advisor in a beer cellar where he also runs numerous introductory workshops on beer and microbrewing.
PAULINE LINSING
Trainer in Sales, Marketing, Luxury and Wine Tourism
With his initial training in International Business, Communication and Marketing, Paul has managed numerous establishments: Château Vaux le Vicomte, Châteaux La Bastidié, La Cité de l'Espace in Toulouse and the legendary Paris Wine Museum.
At the same time, he also undertook a BTS Viti-Oeno as well as an Oenologist Diploma (DNO), before setting up his wine estate in Cru Banyuls in 2012.
Since then, he has dedicated himself to passing on his passion through training, wine tourism and acting as a consultant in oenology and wine business strategy.
HELENE CADEAU
Trainer in Zythology
Better known as @the_hoppy_sommelier, Quentin obtained a first degree in viticulture and oenology before obtaining his sommelier diploma. He started his career at De Lauz, a Michelin-starred gourmet restaurant * before turning to the profession of wine sommelier.
Passionate about beers, he trained in brewing and the false tastes of beer and redirected his career towards a position as customer advisor in a beer cellar where he also runs numerous introductory workshops on beer and microbrewing.