The Champagne Academy Course

 

The course always takes place in the summer and usually lasts seven days, starting on a Sunday and ending on the Saturday of the following week. 

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The syllabus includes lectures led by the Principals and Wine Makers of the sixteen Member Houses covering all aspects of Grande Marque Champagnes, with visits to vineyards, press houses, cellars, bottling plants as well as tutored tastings. Lectures cover wide-ranging topics including the history of Champagne and the Grande Marques, viticulture and viniculture, marketing and analysis of world markets. 

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Each House shares in the introduction and entertainment of the candidates during their stay, giving them the opportunity to meet top management and families of the sixteen Member Houses. 

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The course provides the most thorough grounding in the knowledge of a particular viticulture region of any wine-producing area in the world and the opportunity to build relationships with the key industry leaders in Champagne. 

All candidates sit examinations daily and also at the end of the course. On passing the exams, candidates are awarded the prestigious Champagne Academy Diploma. Those showing outstanding knowledge and understanding of the Grandes Marques philosophy are granted a unique distinction, and the top candidate is crowned the winner of the silver ice bucket and receives a magnum from each of the Houses. All selected candidates are then invited to join the Champagne Academy.​​​​​​