A Bordeaux vineyard has entered into a partnership with a Beijing school to train oenology students.

Chateau La Tour Blanche in Sauternes will work with the as-yet unnamed Chinese institution, using guest lecturers from international restaurants and sommelier schools, Decanter reports.

The students will spend six months in Beijing being taught the basics of wine production, while also learning French and English.

They will then spend a year in Bordeaux learning about wine culture, techniques for wine tasting and the etiquette of wine service.

"The goal is to encourage a high level of wine knowledge for Chinese potential wine professionals and sommeliers, to fill a knowledge gap that currently exists in the rapidly-developing wine culture of China," Didier Frechinet of La Tour Blanche told Decanter.com.

Bordeaux has been developing strong links with China for some time, with expansion in the Asian country forming the backbone of the region's growth plans, the Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux trade association recently revealed.