Roederer marks Champagne Academy presidential year

Champagne Louis Roederer has marked its year as presidential house of the Champagne Academy – a yearly programme that invites select candidates to immerse themselves in the world of Champagne – with a gala dinner at The Savoy, while also calling on nominations of candidates for the 2019 programme.

The Champagne Academy is a unique cooperation between sixteen leading Grande Marques, which seeks to put the interests of the region ahead of individual houses.

The Champagne Academy was created in 1956 and is a unique collaboration of 16 Grande Marques houses who recognised the UK and Ireland as key markets and decided that if they worked together to champion the region and educate the trade in all aspects of Champagne it would be to the benefit all producers.

Each year 16 candidates are selected to attend the Academy, one for each of the 16 houses represented, with the aim of improving their knowledge of Champagne viticulture and winemaking, and to encourage them to become ambassadors for the region. The group of successful candidates travel to Champagne to attend a week-long course during which they are immersed in the world of Champagne, visiting numerous houses across Champagne. Following a final exam in Reims, the top candidate is rewarded with the ‘Golden Magnum’ award, receiving a magnum from each of the 16 houses.

Traditionally the shippers for each house select a few candidates from the trade they feel would benefit from this experience, and also give back to the category, however the candidate will never know which house proposed them to deter favouritism. In the last few years, the academy has widened its net, allowing people to apply for consideration via the website.

Each house in rotation provides a President for a one year term during which their prime responsibility is the organisation of the Academy Course and its associated events.

This year it was the turn of Louis Roederer, who kicked off their presidential year with the organising of the AGM and vintage tasting in January, as well as Champagne dinners in the midlands, the north, Scotland and Ireland, starting with a four-course Champagne dinner at The Savoy last night.

Among the Champagnes on pour with dinner were Ruinart Blanc de Blancs NV, Louis Roederer Rosé 2012, Louis Roederer Cristal 2009 and Pommery Cuvée Louise 2002, while the NV Magnums of all 16 houses were available to taste beforehand.

“We, at Champagne Louis Roederer, are delighted to be the Presidential House of the Champagne Academy this year and it was my personal pleasure to host the splendid London Dinner on Monday May 14 at the Savoy hotel,” said Louis Roederer CEO Frédéric Rouzaud.

“We recognise and appreciate the tremendous work the Academy does and has been doing for over 60 years to promote and deepen the understanding of champagne among the UK trade in what has and will continue to be a key market for our industry. We look forward to welcoming the class of 2018 to Champagne in June and to fostering a lasting relationship with all of the candidates.”

For more information on nominating yourself or another worthy candidate for the 2019 intake, click here.

The class of 2017