Course objectives

Understanding and interpreting Champagne wine labels.

Describing and assessing Champagne wines.

Knowing how to store and serve Champagne wines in optimal conditions.
Being able to recommend a Champagne wine by ascertaining a customer’s expectations and requirements and then making a range of proposals suited to their request.

Pairing food and Champagne wines.

Course advantages

Focus is on practice with workshops allowing students to apply the knowledge acquired.

Develop consulting skills required for the exercise of professional activities such as recommending, serving, selling, and purchasing Champagne wines and managing a cellar.

This program is created and certified by the Comité Champagne: the content is up to date and you are guaranteed to have a global vision of Champagne.

Course limited to small groups to encourage interactivity and active participation.

Tasting of 14 Champagnes including Tête de Cuvée Champagne and wines from houses, growers and cooperatives showing large spectrum of wine styles made in Champagne.

Champagne Specialist Exam & Certification

Upon successful completion of the Champagne Specialist Course, candidates are required to pass a final examination to become certified.

Approximately eight weeks after the exam, individuals who have successfully met all course requirements and passed the final exam will be awarded the Champagne Specialist Certificate, issued by the Comité Champagne.

Course Agenda

Session 1
Introduction, tasting technique, food and Champagne pairing
Workshop: Perfect pairing

Session 2
Champagne Terroir
Workshop: Champagne Game

Session 3
Champenois Method
Workshop: The Cellar Master

Session 4
Recommending, serving & storage
Workshop: The Wine Merchant

Who is this course aimed at?

This program is ideal for professionals and students:
wine merchants, sommeliers, food distribution professionals, restaurant professionals, executives/ buyers/salespeople in the wine and spirits industry, professionals in the wine industry, tourism professionals, wine journalists, importers, wine trainers, students in the hotel and restaurant industry and in the luxury industry.
Champagne expert instructors trained in Champagne will lead the course.

Study Materials

Study books will be sent prior to the course.

Instructions to access the Comité’s MOOC program for online study prior to your course days will be provided in your confirmation emails.

You will be sent a study book by mail to the shipping address provided when you registered.

Course length

At least 7 hours of own study:

Complete the Champagne MOOC prior to in-person course days

Read the student booklet

14 hours in class (2 days, including exam time)

Final assessment on Day Two
MCQ
30 Questions
30 Points
30 Minutes

Open Questions
2 Questions
30 Points
30 Minutes

Tasting Description

2 Champagne tasting
40 Points
45 Minutes

Exams will be sent to Comité Champagne and results will come from Comité Champagne in 8 – 9 weeks from course end date.

Marking Scheme
Less than 54%: Fail
55% to 69%: Pass
70% to 79%: Good
More than 80%: Excellent