Memories from the 2026 Students

Prologue - Carl Evans

After months of anticipation, the Champagne Academy adventure was finally underway.

Our journey began bright and early at Searcys Champagne Bar in St Pancras, where Rob welcomed us from the Champagne Academy Committee.

We were greeted with pastries and a Magnum of G.H. Mumm to kick things off in style.

Vice Chairman Rob talked us through what to expect in the week ahead, answered our questions, and set the tone for what promised to be an unforgettable experience.

We boarded the Eurostar armed with another Magnum for the journey to Paris. A short onward journey to Champagne-Ardenne brought us to our home for the next few days, the beautiful Hotel Margaux. We were welcomed by Magali, who handed out our course materials and helped us settle in before we met the rest of this year's Academy cohort.

The weather couldn't have been better, so naturally, the rooftop bar became our first port of call. With stunning sunshine and a glass of Champagne in hand, it was the perfect opportunity to take in the fact that we were finally here and all get to know each other a little better.

The evening's event was the official welcome dinner at Le Royal Champagne.

Representatives from all 16 Grandes Marques houses were in attendance, giving us the chance to introduce ourselves and begin building relationships with some of the most prestigious names in Champagne.

An exceptional dinner followed, paired with Champagnes from eight different houses, providing a fitting introduction to the week ahead.

As first days go, it was difficult to imagine a better start.

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Day 1 - Michael Morgan

And here we are, Day 1 of the Champagne Academy is upon us. A lovely Hotel Margaux breakfast to start the day, and the excitement is building for what's ahead.

Now the 'work' begins.

The 2026 students all met in the Hotel Margaux meeting room to begin the lecture "Champagne: The Framework" by Marian Geoffroy, Laura Duponchel, and Sebastien Lebon, where we learned about the history of Champagne.

We were joined by Heidsieck Monopole cellar master Cedric Thiebault to begin the clear wines (vins clairs) tasting, which was very interesting to taste the wines after their first fermentation before they become in fact 'Champagne'.

After an exciting morning, we walked to Maison Belle Epoque in Epernay to have our first tour, tasting, and gastronomic lunch at Perrier-Jouët with Fabyola Soares, Séverine Frerson, and Sébastien Lebon. The food pairing with the Champagne was fantastic and very well thought out. Thank you, Chef Sébastien Morellon.

We were in for a treat this evening as we made our way to Champagne Bollinger, where we were first shown around the 'New New' cellars, which will be interesting to revisit and see once finished.

Then we were taken to a viewing point on a higher floor to look over the Vieilles Vignes Francaises vineyard, and to take a quick look at the coopers' workshop.

We had a tour of the Bollinger Cellars, which was a brilliant experience, seeing the tens of thousands of bottles patiently waiting to be popped in years to come. Aperitifs were then served in the Clos des Chaudes-Terres with Laura Duponchel and Cyril Delarue.

The gastronomic dinner at Champagne Bollinger begins, and again we were spoilt with outstanding champagne and food for the second time today. Remember this is 'work'.

Thank you, Cyril, Laura, and Chef Benjamin Gilles.

A wonderful first day!

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Day 2 - Elizabeth Mellis

An earlier start today, and we sat quizzing each other over breakfast, all slightly stressed, trying to remember the dates each Grande Marque was established.

We headed to Moët & Chandon for our first exam of the week, which, thankfully, was nowhere near as scary as we had all built it up to be. Slightly annoyingly, though, not one question came up on the dates everyone had spent so long trying to memorise!

Today’s lecture focused on the vineyards and the importance of sustainability within the Champagne region, which was incredibly interesting to learn more about.

Afterwards, we headed to Laurent-Perrier for a tasting of their cuvées before going into the Orangerie for a wonderful ambigu (sharing) style lunch, which was absolutely incredible.

Then it was off to Pol Roger in Épernay with Martin Heidsieck. One of the few family-owned Grandes Marques, Pol Roger is absolutely beautiful.

After a brief introduction to the house and its history, we were shown around the cellars, which stretch for 9km underneath the town. We came out through their new winery building, where we were shown the bottling, packing, and distribution areas before heading into the tasting room to taste through the wines.

The Pol Roger Rosé was a particular favourite for me and something completely different from any rosé Champagne I had experienced before.

We had just enough time for a quick change back at the hotel before heading back to Moët & Chandon for a tasting and dinner. We tasted through some of their Grand Vintage and Grand Vintage Collection wines with winemaker Pierre before heading into the Maison for dinner.

The setting was absolutely spectacular, think Palace of Versailles. Ornate, golden, and incredibly elegant, with wonderful food and service. The perfect ending to another unforgettable day in Champagne.

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