Congratulations to Péter Tüű, for passing the Champagne Master Level exam with highest honors!
About Péter:
My name is Tüű Péter. (Quite unusually, in Hungary we use family name first and given name second.) Currently my primary job is as Head Sommelier in the Michelin-recommended restaurant Laurel Budapest, but I am also working as a consultant for restaurants (wine programs, wine lists, etc.) and wineries, as well as a lecturer for several wine education institutions and various wine-related courses. I also have a few recurring masterclasses, the 'Food and wine pairing in practice' being extremely popular among aficionados.
My aspiration is to host Champagne Dinners regularly, because probably the most interesting aspect of champagne for me is pairing it with food. It is arguably the most versatile wine style when it comes to food pairing, and the little nuances and differences between the various styles and how they pair with different kinds of food really intrigue me. I also enjoy hosting events in general, I am comfortable speaking for a larger audience, seeing the happy faces of the guests after they tasted a great pairing and making sure they have a great evening, so that is really the direction I would like to go in. And since besides my native Hungarian I also speak German and English fluently, these events don't necessarily have to be in Hungary, I am also happy to explore the champagne scene in neighboring countries as well.
The first step in my wine studies was back in the spring of 2012 when I did the WSET Intermediate Level in Zürich, Switzerland, organised by the Académie du Vin, which I passed with distinction. In the autumn of that same year I enroled in the first ever course of the Court of Master Sommeliers in continental Europe (previously they only organised courses in England and overseas). It was in Salzburg, Austria, and I passed the Certified Exam that November. Learning is essential to my well-being, so after a few years I felt the need to immerse myself more in one special field of my profession, and since champagne has been a love for me for at least a decade, it was a no-brainer that I should start the Master-Level course of the Wine Scholar Guild. In June 2021 I passed my exam with Highest Honors.
This course is really the most comprehensive one I can imagine for a particular wine-region. My studies filled some blank spots I could not fill before, and it only increased my love for Champagne (the region) and champagne (the drink). Since then several friends and acquaintances from the profession have asked, and I always tell them to definitely pursue the Champagne course or any other Master-Level course they are interested in, because it really will give them a depth of knowledge they can't get anywhere else.
The program has already helped further my wine career! Since passing the Master-Level exam with Highest Honors and getting my Certificate in July there have been several industry players (restaurants, wine eduction institutes, winemakers) contacting me for masterclasses, courses, consultation, etc. The depth and breadth of knowledge the Master-Level course gave me really gives me more confidence when I serve or pour or speak about champagne (or 'méthode traditionelle' sparkling wine in general), and also the drive to pass on this knowledge as well as the love of champagne to other people, either from the industry or outside. But the next step for me is definitely a longer trip to the Champagne region itself, because the (regular!) visiting of the wine-region you love or care or want to know more about is inevitable.
