for aussies who love champagne


Ken Gargett

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any aussies who love champagne should consider entering the CIC competition. even if you don't win, it is great fun and you'll learn a heap. and even getting to the awards dinner is an achievement and a brilliant night.

if you do win, the prize is priceless. a couple of weeks being hosted around champagne, meeting the heads of houses, drinking wines that the public will never see, great meals. unbelievable. and it will give you a door to the region any time you return, a door that is not there for everyone else.

i have copied james halliday's article on it (i'm sure he won't mind if it helps to promote the competition). james was chief judge when i did it many years ago.

there is a professional and an amateur section.

NEWS ARTICLES

40 years of the Vin de Champagne Awards

Publish Date: 10 Feb 2014

Authored by: Media Release

2014 marks the 40th Anniversary of the Vin de Champagne Award, one of Australia’s most coveted wine awards. As one of the top ten countries in the world for Champagne exports, Australia has had a long standing relationship with the region.

In celebration of this landmark anniversary, the Champagne Bureau and the Comite Champagne will host a very special reunion trip to Champagne for over forty of the past award winners. This unique experience will bring together recipients of the Award from all over Australia for a once in a lifetime educational tour of the region.

Organised biannually on behalf of the Comite Champagne, the Vin de Champagne Award not only aims to celebrate and encourage the enjoyment of Champagne in Australia, but also seeks to develop a network of Champagne specialists to act as Ambassadors in support of the promotion of the Champagne Appellation by sharing their knowledge and appreciation of the wine.

“This year we are celebrating the 40th Anniversary of an award which has produced some of the finest Champagne palates in the world. Past winners do a fantastic job in actively promoting Champagne in Australia and the reunion trip to Champagne highlights the importance of Australia’s affinity with Champagne.” says Elisabeth Drysdale, Director of the Champagne Bureau, Australia.

The award is open to candidates in one of two categories; Professional for people who gain income from the food & wine industry and Amateur for those experienced tasters who have a passion for Champagne. Entry forms and questions are obtained from the Champagne Bureau website.

The entrants in both sections will be required to answer a number of essay questions on Champagne viticulture, terroir and history and are expected to have some knowledge of the administrative and marketing structure of the Champagne industry. State finalists will then be flown to Sydney to undergo a final judging before a panel of experts in which they are required to demonstrate their skills in a blind tasting of Champagne wines.

The judging of the Award is completed by a panel of industry experts and past winners that include wine-writer for the Sydney Morning Herald, Huon Hooke, the “wine-man”, Peter Bourne and author and Champagne educator, Bernadette O’Shea.

The winners are announced that evening at an invitation only awards dinner attended by Australia’s most respected wine and food industry leaders and media.

The grand prize for the two winners is a two-week educational tour to the Champagne district where they receive their medal from the Comite Champagne and enjoy the legendary Champenois hospitality. In the past, winners have been overwhelmed by their visit and for many; it’s the start of an exciting and passionate relationship with Champagne.

Matthew Stutsel, winner of the amateur section in 2012 said “Winning the Vin de Champagne Award has been an amazing experience; the study tour has taught me so much more about the wines and the regions, as well as introducing me to amazing people. It’s enabled me to share my love of this great wine in a much more meaningful way.”

Some of Australia’s most knowledgeable wine industry personnel including winemakers, journalists, restaurateurs, sommeliers, commentators and educators can be listed as past winners of this prestigious award.

Key Dates:

Entries forms out: 2nd April, 2013

Entries due: 11th July, 2013

Entries can be downloaded from www.champagne.com.au

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