Congratulations to Emily Murphy for passing the Champagne Master Level exam with highest honors!
About Emily:
I have appreciated the value of a good meal since a young age. When I took a trip to France with my family at age 12, the only thing I wrote about (unwittingly) in the travel journal my father gave me was our meals! From a farm stand tomato to my first heavenly experience of croque monsieur, every bite was recorded. I failed, however, to address the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre.
As I have grown up, my appreciation of wine and its role at the table has grown and grown, leading to extensive study and a desire to experience as much of the vinegrowing world as possible. In 2017, I finally earned my Diploma certification with the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET). This, combined with selling a portfolio of fine wines in Los Angeles with the Henry Wine Group, has given me an in-depth knowledge of the grape varieties, growing regions, and wine styles produced around the world. I now manage the Southern California market for Champagne Laurent-Perrier, the largest family- and female- owned Champagne house and an icon in the region. I am always striving to further educate “laypeople” about wine and encourage them to try new things because the variety of the world of wine is so vast and exciting.
After an introductory course at Seattle Community College fanned the flames of my interest in wine, my instructor encouraged me to get involved with the WSET. After completing Level 3 with one of the nation’s top instructors, Mimi Martin in Portland, OR, I started my Diploma with another of the nation’s top instructors, Monica Marin, at the Wine House in Los Angeles. I slid the Diploma certification in right under the wire before getting pregnant with my daughter!! When I joined Laurent-Perrier, I wanted to further my understanding of the Champagne region and the producers, villages, and vineyards there, and the Champagne Master Level was an incredible course with which to do so. I have such a deep knowledge of the region now, and feel confident discussing the villages, soils, and producers on top of my existing Diploma-level knowledge of viticulture and winemaking.
The Master-level will certainly assist me both immediately and long term with my career in wine and has encouraged a great passion in Champagne. I always enjoyed Champagne but now have such a deep appreciation for the challenges the winemakers of the region face and for the great variety of champagnes available. Career-wise, I am already appreciating the benefits of being able to discuss Laurent-Perrier’s place in the broader Champagne market as well as the incredible focus on quality and innovation at the house with my customers and with consumers. I feel confident that this course and the knowledge I’ve gained as well as the passion to continue learning about the region will only help me as my career moves forward.
