NEW Champagne Master-Level Program
A 5-MONTH JOURNEY TO MASTER
THE COMPLEXITY OF CHAMPAGNE WINES!
Led by a team of Champagne experts this completely revised and updated five-month program will take you deep into an exquisite landscape and an extraordinary winemaking process…all the while tapping into the spirit and mindset of those who found a way to capture the bubble in the bottle.
This program is the most in-depth and up-to-date certificate program on the wines of Champagne.
The online format combines the ease and flexibility of on-demand learning , with the structure and camaraderie of an online instructor-led program.
Students will study the history, geology, viticulture and winemaking practices, terroirs, vintages, and significant producers of the region via more than 60 recorded lectures . Content has been divided into shorter segments to minimize screen time and maximize content retention . Key concepts will be re-examined each month via live online review sessions .
Next Champagne Master-Level online session starts on:
September 19, 2023
PRICE: $590
Take a sneak peak at just one of the many video interviews included in the program. The interviews, led by Andrew Jefford, WSG’s Academic Advisor, and with leading Champagne experts, allow students to put their new knowledge into perspective:
The New Champagne Master-Level Program Includes: 
- A printed copy of the newly updated Champagne Master-Level study manual , revised by Peter Liem
- 60 recorded lectures on Champagne's history, geology, viticulture and winemaking practices, terroirs, vintages, and wine law
- 5 live monthly review webinars plus one welcome webinar and one exam prep webinar, always recorded for replay viewing
- A series of video interviews conducted by Andrew Jefford with some of the most admired experts of the region
- A list of recommended wines to accompany recorded tutored tastings conducted by Essi Avellan MW
- Online, proctored exam sit
- Access to instructors via the Q&A forum
Next Champagne Master-Level online session starts on:
September 19, 2023
PRICE: $590
WHAT'S INCLUDED? INSTRUCTORS DETAILED SCHEDULE
STUDY UNDER TRUE CHAMPAGNE EXPERTS
AND MASTERFUL INSTRUCTORS
Peter Liem
Peter Liem• Author of the award-winning book Champagne
• Author of ChampagneGuide.net, an award-winning online guide to the wines and wine producers of Champagne
• Former senior editor, critic and tasting director for Wine & Spirits magazine
• Contributor to The World of Fine Wine, Decanter, The Art of Eating, and The San Francisco Chronicle
Essi Avellan MW
Essi Avellan MW• Author of Matka Champagneen and Parhaat samppanjat
• Revising editor of the 3rd edition of Christie’s World Encyclopedia of Champagne and Sparkling Wine by Tom Stevenson
• Chair of Decanter World Wine Awards’ Champagne panel
• Knighted as Chevalier l’Ordre du Mérite Agricole by the French Minister of Agriculture
Steve Charters MW
Steve Charters MW• Professor of Wine Marketing at the School of Wine & Spirits Business at Burgundy School of Business
• Former Professor of Champagne Management at Reims Management School (Neoma)
• Winner of the Australian Vin de Champagne Award (professional section)
• Author of Wine and society: The social and cultural context of a drink
Charles Curtis MW
Charles Curtis MW• Founder of WineAlpha, a full-service wine consultancy
• Regular columnist for the Chinese version of La Revue du Vin de France
• Author of The Original Grand Crus of Burgundy
• Regular teacher and speaker at Master of Wine courses, numerous universities, and dozens of wine and food festivals
Nick Blampied-Lane
Nick Blampied-Lane• Head winemaker at Defined Wine in the UK
• Former winemaker for Dom Pérignon
• Former Director of Oenology Projects at Moët and Chandon
• Former winemaker at Veuve Clicquot
• Former winemaker at Cloudy Bay
Gaylord Legras
Gaylord Legras* 5th generation vintner in Chouilly, Côte des Blancs
• Diploma in Wine Estate Management with a certification in hand-grafting
Meet your interview host:
Andrew Jefford 
• Wine writer since 1988
• Author of The New France, Whisky Island, Andrew Jefford's Wine Course
• Wine Scholar Guild Academic Advisor
• Contributing Editor and columnist for Decanter and World of Fine Wine
• Winner of eight Glenfiddich Awards and eight Roederer Awards
WE OFFER ALL THE NECESSARY TOOLS
TO MASTER THE WINES OF CHAMPAGNE:
A 138-PAGE COMPREHENSIVE STUDY MANUAL (FULLY UPDATED AND REVISED IN 2023)
The Champagne Master-Level study manual covers:
- Viticultural History
- Geology, Topography, Soils
- Climate
- Grapes and the Vine
- Grape Growing Practices
- Winemaking Practices
- Vintages
- All Sub-regions and all Appellations
- Wine Trade, Wine Statistics, Industry Trends
60 RECORDED EPISODES ON CHAMPAGNE'S HISTORY, GEOLOGY, VITI/VINI PRACTICES, TERROIRS, BUSINESS, PRODUCERS, WINE LAW, WINE STYLES, AND HOUSE STYLES
Students will study the history, geology, viticulture and winemaking practices, terroirs, business, producers and house styles via more than 60 recorded lectures. Content has been divided into shorter segments to minimize screen time and maximize content retention.
Course content is divided in tracks with strong focus on producers:
- Regional Context: History, viti/vini practices, climate
- Geology: The geology of the Champagne viticole
- Terroirs: The sub-regions and their villages
- Business: Structure of the champagne industry, the champagne brand and the players; wine law
- Producers: Factors affecting styles and house styles
5 LIVE MONTHLY REVIEW WEBINARS
Key concepts will be re-examined each month via live online review sessions.
You can’t make a review webinar live? No worries. They are all recorded for on-demand replay!
A SERIES OF VIDEO INTERVIEWS BY ANDREW JEFFORD WITH SOME OF THE MOST ADMIRED EXPERTS OF THE REGION
Dr. Yves Tesson
Journalist and Historian
Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon
Executive Vice-President and Chef de Cave, Champagne Louis Roederer
Cédric Moussé
Proprietor and Head Winemaker, Champagne Moussé
ONLINE, PROCTORED EXAM SIT
The exam is comprised of three separate sections: 50 multiple-choice questions (worth 50 points), four short-answer essay questions (worth 40 points total) and a map identification exercise (worth 10 points). Passing score is 75/100. The exam questions and essay topics are taken from the Champagne Master-Level study manual and online lectures. The map exercise asks students to identify ten features on a map of Champagne (rivers, cities, sub-regions, topographical features etc.) Practice maps are available on the online classroom.
Candidates will need a computer with reliable internet connection, a webcam, working microphone, and speaker. The exam cannot be taken from a tablet, mobile phone or Chromebook.
Students have up to one year from the date of registration to sit the exam. When ready to sit the exam, email us WSG at least one week in advance of the desired exam date at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will schedule your test.
+ A LIST OF RECOMMENDED WINES
+ ACCESS TO INSTRUCTORS VIA THE Q&A FORUM
DETAILED SCHEDULE OF LIVE REVIEW WEBINARS
All webinars are recorded and available for on-demand replay
|
September |
Welcome Webinar Tuesday, September 19, 2023 at 12:00 noon EST |
|
November |
Review Webinar 1: Regional/Context Tuesday, November 7, 2023 at 12:00 noon EST |
|
December |
Review Webinar 2: Montagne de Reims Tuesday, December 5, 2023 at 12:00 noon EST |
|
January |
Review Webinar 3: Vallée de la Marne Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at 12:00 noon EST |
|
February |
Review Webinar 4: Côte des Blancs & Côte de Bar Tuesday, February 6, 2024 at 12:00 noon EST |
| March |
Exam Prep Webinar Tuesday, March 5, 2024 at 12:00 noon EST |
WHO SHOULD ENROLL IN THIS PROGRAM:
- For dedicated Champagne wine enthusiasts:
If you are passionate about Champagne and want to acquire a full understanding of the secrets behind its magic, this program is for you. You will gain a 360-degree understanding of the viticulture, winemaking, history, and the people who make this wine region so unique and so lauded. After taking this program, you will be able to confidently speak on all aspects of Champagne as a region and a wine.
- For wine professionals:
This program is ideal for customer-facing wine professionals seeking to boost their knowledge about region of Champagne and its appellations sparkling and still. After taking this program, sommeliers, food & beverage directors, servers, wine educators, distributor reps and importers, will be able to speak with authority while offering outstanding service and guidance about champagne.
ABOUT THIS FORMAT:
Re-imagined and completely revised, the new Champagne Master-Level program sets a new standard in advanced wine education . Structured around the terroirs of Champagne , each month will focus on a specific sub-region and deliver a wealth of comprehensive and up-to-date study aids . You will find reading assignments from the manual , recorded sessions from an incredible panel of renowned instructors and Champagne specialists, and recorded interviews with leading Champagne experts .
All of this is on-demand, allowing you to create a study plan that suits your schedule . To keep you on track, there are monthly live review webinars which will review the key lessons.
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