The Wine Scholar Guild is excited to announce the launch of a revitalised Champagne Master-Level program led by a panel of global industry experts in January 2019.
Champagne is one of the strongest territorial wine brands in the world, and no wine specialist can consider their education complete without having in-depth knowledge of this fascinating region.
The Champagne Master-Level program was originally launched in 2015 and was an immediate success. As Clara de Nijs, a Wine Importer in the Netherlands, notes, “When I came across the WSG Champagne Master-Level course, I found what I’d been looking for”
Champagne is shaped by its history, but stays successful by continually reinventing itself. The Guild embraces that determination to learn and improve and has re-vitalized the curriculum to ensure that it stays current and relevant. The new curriculum reflects the trends and the debates of today.
One thing that has not changed is the calibre of the instructors. Praise for the instructor team was overwhelming in the last Champagne ML series. Stefanie Kohler, wine educator, comments that “The detailed insight – especially from experienced professionals who know this region as extensively as Essi Avellan, Peter Liem and Steve Charters – have helped a lot to see a different perspective and to form my own opinion on a wide range of subjects”. We are excited that Essi Avellan MW, Steve Charters MW, Peter Liem and Charles Curtis MW are returning and they will be joined by some fresh faces.
The Champagne Master-Level has been designed for both the wine professional and Champagne enthusiast. Michelle Defeo, President at Laurent-Perrier US notes, “Everyone in our company took this course, and even though some of us have decades of experience in the Champagne business, everyone still learned a tremendous amount.” Wine enthusiast, Lynn Larson-Greene also reports that “I always enjoyed champagne before this course, but the greater in-depth understanding I’ve gained has given me a new appreciation for both what is in the bottle and the region it comes from.”
The instructor-led format consists of two webinars per week. This intense format helps to keep students on track while creating an interactive learning community. Chrissa Chase, wine director, consultant, and educator for Travelling Somm comments that “When you enrol in the WSG you realize there’s someone else in the room beside you, venturing through all those blocks and rows of wine learning”. If students can’t make the webinar live, they can catch up by watching the recording later.
Like all other WSG courses, the Champagne ML series is supported by extensive student material: a full-colour manual, custom maps, and online e-learning modules, quizzes, practice exams and discussion forums.
The Wine Scholar Guild provides specialised study & certification programs for the professional development of wine industry members and committed students of wine. Other areas of study include the wines of Italy and Spain.
