L'Academie du Champagne, or 'The Champagne Academy' was established in 1956 to recognise the UK and Ireland as key markets, and to foster the appreciation of Grande Marque Champagne through education of younger members of the wine trade.

To be selected for such a prestigious opportunity is a huge privilege as only 16 candidates are chosen each year to attend.  It is an industry leading qualification and totally immersive educational experience into Champagne, where the candidates spend one week in Champagne being hosted and taught by the highest level of expertise in the region while tasting Champagne usually reserved for very special events!

It was a great honour to be invited this year to attend this prestigious course, and to join Charles Wharton as a member of the Champagne Academy, Charles having been invited to attend in 2002.  

Special thanks to the presidential house of 2025, Veuve Clicquot, who organised a fantastic week for us, and to EWWines, without whom this would not have been possible.

Also, a dedication to Ruinart’s chef de cave Frédéric Panaïotis, who sadly died the day the 2025 academy started.  We understandably did not visit Ruinart, but Champagne is such a close network, everyone was shocked and grieving.  Thank you for continuing to host us in such a difficult time.

The Champagne Academy

The Champagne Academy course involves a week staying in the heart of Champagne, being hosted by the Champagne houses, and includes the opportunity to meet the House representatives, wine makers, owners and business leaders, with the aim to understand each house’s distinct style, and their differences and similarities. 

Each day we were lucky enough to visit three or four maisons, taste some incredible Champagnes throughout and experience incredible gastronomy and hospitality. The generosity of each house was incredible. 

Included every day was a 2-hour lecture (with follow up exam) on topics ranging from Champagne production, the framework of the industry, to the marketing of the brands; these lectures were fascinating and insightful.  The aim of the course was to achieve the Diploma of the Champagne Academy, make connections in the industry and become a lifelong ambassador for Champagne.

The Region of Champagne

Champagne is in Northern France, a 2-hour train ride North-East from Paris.  It has a cool continental climate which is perfect to produce low alcohol, high acidity wines necessary for Champagne.

Reims and Épernay are two key cities in the Champagne region of France.  Reims, a larger city, is known for its historical significance, including its cathedral where French kings were crowned, and toasted with Champagne obviously!  Grand Marques we visited here included Krug, Louis Roederer, Pommery, Taittinger, Charles Heidsieck and Veuve Clicquot.

Epernay, on the other hand, is smaller and more focused on the Champagne industry, particularly along the famous Avenue de Champagne, which features numerous prestigious Grand Marques including Pol Roger, Pierre Jouliet, and Moet and Chandon.

Champagne has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2015 which will safeguard the region for future generations.  Sustainability is being taken seriously in Champagne,  Champagne being the world’s first wine region to initiate sustainable viticulture.  Back in 2003, Champagne became the world’s first wine region to assess its carbon footprint.  The region has created its own Certification Viticulture Durable en Champagne (VDC) – a rigorous environmental framework that is acquired in three stages.  By 2030, Champagne aims for an impressive 100% of the area certified as sustainable which shows the ambition and that all of the vineyards of Champagne are working together - an approach which has allowed for continuous progress to be made towards the common goal.

What is a Grand Marques Champagne House? 

A Grande Marque ('Great Brand') Champagne House represents the pinnacle of Champagne.  They are established globally with international brand awareness, infallible reputation and unyielding customer loyalty in all markets.  They are responsible for approximately 70% of the total production of Champagne but ship an incredible 90% of all Champagne exports!  Their role is undeniably crucial into the success of Champagne.  Their approach is timeless in the pursuit of excellence.

What is Champagne?

There are many methods to make sparkling wine around the world.  However, to make Champagne, only one method is permitted - the Traditional Method.  A summary of the traditional method is that the still base wine must undergo a secondary fermentation in the bottle which traps the CO2 to create the Champagne bubbles and with time adds the fundamental secondary characters that we all expect in our Champagne, flavours of brioche and pastry along with the beautiful texture and depth.

There are regulations and controls to all elements of viticulture and wine production to ensure the quality and style of Champagne is maintained.  Champagne requires all fruit to be hand harvested, all fruit must be grown within the region of Champagne, with only 7 permitted grape varieties.  For most of Champagne, the focus remains with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier.

Before Champagne is released, it must age in the cellar for a minimum of 15 months before commercial release for a non-vintage Champagne, and 36 months for all vintage Champagne.  This minimum maturation is often exceeded, depending on the house style and the Champagne.  There are literally miles of Champagne maturing in the chalk cellars of Champagne, maturing in perfect constant conditions and waiting for their time to shine!

Exceptional hospitality

This was a trip of a lifetime, so this is the most difficult section to write.  There were so many unforgettable experiences; each Grand Marques made us feel welcome and special and articulated their style and unique character.

From the terrace of the Royal Champagne Hotel and Spa Champagne welcome reception with breathtaking views of Champagne in perfect sunshine, through to the five days with special visits to HEIDSIECK & Co MONOPOLE, PERRIER JOUËT, BOLLINGER, MOËT & CHANDON, POL ROGER, LAURENT PERRIER, CHARLES HEIDSIECK, POMMERY, VEUVE CLICQUOT, KRUG, PIPER-HEIDSIECK, TAITTINGER, LANSON, G.H. MUMM and LOUIS ROEDERER, this was an action-packed experience for any Champagne lover in the wine trade.  We tasted some incredible Champagnes from each house experiencing the magic ingredient of time, from 1985 vintage all the way to current releases and the timeless Non-Vintage House’s signature cuvee’s.

Champagne Pol Roger

Our cellar tour was with Hubert de Billy, who is the Great-Great Grandson of Pol Roger.  Hubert explained his destiny to work in the Champagne industry was confirmed at birth!  Pol Roger's cellars, which extend 9.5 km are among the coolest and deepest in the region and were unforgettable, Hubert is such a fountain of knowledge and charismatic character and there was a story at every turn.  At lunch we compared 2018 Vintage Pol Roger to 2018 Sir Winston Churchill, both outstanding, but the Pinot Noir dominant Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill was incredibly vibrant and refreshing and an absolute treat to taste.

IMAGE POL ROGER

Champagne Pommery

The Pommery Champagne house offers a unique experience from the gate with an impressive garden, full of fun art installations and a giant bench very suitable for a team photo!  Behind were the impressive Maison, winery and much more.

Clément Pierlot, chef de cave and winemaker, generously tasted a range of wines with us including the Pommery Apanage range known for their elegance, finesse, and gastronomic pairings. They are Chardonnay focused, showcase a longer ageing process in the Pommery cellars and a lower dosage, stunning.  We were then treated to Champagne Cuvee Louise 2004 in Jeroboam, which was created as a tribute to Louise Pommery, Cuvée Louise. We dined on the terrace of "Le Réfectoire", their flagship restaurant.  This was a most memorable experience with a very special Jeroboam for the academicians from 1990 vintage, and ended with Ratafia Champenois!  Ratafia Champenois is a sweet, fortified wine produced in the Champagne region of France which seldom leaves Champagne.  It is unfermented select Champagne must fortified with Marc de Champagne and was a delicious treat.

Champagne Bollinger

Cyril Delarue hosted us at Champagne Bollinger, Cyril being a 6th generation member of the Bollinger family. Bollinger have a bicentenary in 2029 (founded in 1829!) and to celebrate they are transforming their historic site.  Their ambitious plans include the creation of a cathedral like cellar open to the vines, and a boutique spa hotel with gastronomic restaurant which will overlook their historic Clos's which survived phylloxera and remain un-grafted vines to this day.

We tasted Bollinger's latest release, Bollinger PN TX20 which is a 100% Pinot Noir champagne, predominantly from Tauxières and the 2020 base year. This is complemented by various reserve wines from other years and crus.  It was stunning, with a long life ahead.  Well worth buying a few bottles when released and slowly drinking over the next few decades.

Krug

The evening at Krug was hosted by Olivier Krug, another larger-than-life character -  charming, knowledgeable and engaging!  We were warmly hosted, and this was a dining experience we will never forget.  Singular ingredient menu created by 3 Michelin Star Chef Arnaud Lallement and paired with Krug, including a Krug Grand Cuvee 161 eme Edition Krug Grand Cuvee which is based on the 2005 vintage with wines dating back to 1990 in the Cuvee!  Very special indeed.  Krug like to use singular words to describe each of their base wines when they taste blind.  One word to describe this experience would be ‘magical’! 

L'Assiette Champenoise

The Champagne Academy Graduation Ceremony was at the famed 3 Michelin starred property just outside Reims.  Based in the heart of Champagne, L'Assiette Champenoise is a family house run by 3 Michelin star Chef Arnaud Lallement.  The warm hospitality, creativity, attentive staff with incredible menu created a memorable impression, helped by the excellent company of fellow graduates.  We ended our visit to the heart of Champagne in style!

The collaboration and sense of oneness and commitment to Champagne is unlike any other region.

Sante Champagne!