Introducing the most advanced champagne tasting course

Read the full story of my inaugural Advanced Champagne Certificate, including photos and guest reflections.

Throughout my champagne journey, I have been privileged to countless ‘epiphany moments’ – tastings with chef de caves of unique components that offer a profound insight into the terroirs and techniques of the most complex and beguiling blends on earth.

My Advanced Champagne Certificate is the ultimate experience that encompasses each of these revelations in one unprecedented weekend.

Champagne lovers and professionals have expressed to me a desire to take their champagne insight to a new level not possible simply by drinking the cuvées, reading books or even visiting the region. To go further, to fully experience, recognise and appreciate the detail that every parcel and technique brings to the blend. The privilege of seeing, smelling, tasting and feeling the profound effect of each element in isolation affords the insight to recognise and appreciate the detail in every blend forever.

I could not find such a comprehensive, standalone, immersive experience anywhere in the champagne world.

Thanks to the support of some kind and talented friends in important places in Champagne, I am proud to announce that I have been able to achieve what I thought to be impossible and secure access to 46 cuvées and blend components, individual pieces of the grand champagne puzzle.

It’s my great pleasure to invite you to join me on this unique and unprecedented journey as we unpack the puzzle, discover the nuances of every piece, and reassemble them into the marvellous panorama that is champagne.

Spanning five masterclasses over two intensive days, we will go deep under the surface of the terroirs of each of Champagne’s key districts, explore the influence of each of its varieties and discover the effects of malolactic, tank and barrel fermentation, dosage, young, middle-age and old reserves, young and old disgorgements and young, old and very old vintages. Over two lunches we will explore the intricacies of vintage and prestige champagnes spanning six decades.

We will unravel each of the greatest cuvées of every one of champagne’s finest houses and growers, including Krug, Louis Roederer, Egly-Ouriet, Bollinger, Billecart-Salmon, Charles Heidsieck, Pol Roger, Dom Pérignon, Veuve Clicquot, Pierre Gimonnet, Vilmart, Franck Bonville, Deutz, Veuve Fourny, Dumangin J Fils, Gosset, Fleury and Le Brun de Neuville.

I am privileged to showcase individual blend components, vins clairs, reserve wines and finished blends exemplifying different techniques from the great houses of Charles Heidsieck and Dumangin J Fils. I have chosen Charles Heidsieck, both for the depth of its outstanding reserves, and for the talent and dexterity of chef de cave Cyril Brun in experimenting with different winemaking techniques. Gilles Dumangin’s fanatical approach and the elegant transparency of his northern Montagne de Reims terroirs provide the clarity for variety, maturity and technique to be displayed in glorious, articulate detail in the many samples that he has generously provided exclusively for this experience. All samples have been recently prepared and shipped door-to-door under pristine conditions of 14C.

My inaugural Advanced Champagne Certificate is limited to 14 guests and will be held at Montrachet, 1 King Street, Bowen Hills. Morning teas and three and five course long lunches will be created by Montrachet’s talented and ultra-champagne-sensitive Shannon Kellam.

A comprehensive booklet will be provided to accompany each of the five masterclasses, and at the end of the course all participants will be awarded with Tyson Stelzer’s Advanced Champagne Certificate.

Join me as we explore the wonderland of champagne together and discover just how deep this rabbit hole goes!

After our inaugural Advanced Champagne Certificate sold out very quickly, we are pleased to announce new dates of the weekend of 18-19 June 2022.

Champagne List

Masterclass 1: Champagne Terroir

Finished cuvées

Listed cuvées are for our inaugural 2021 course and will be updated for subsequent dates.

Flight 1:

Cuvée 1 – Côte des Blancs grand cru chardonnay: Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Special Club Grands Terroirs de Chardonnay 2012

Cuvée 2 – Côte des Blancs premier cru chardonnay: Veuve Fourny & Fils Blanc de Blancs Vertus Premier Cru Brut NV

Cuvée 3 – Montagne de Reims chardonnay: Vilmart & Cie Blanc de Blancs Les Blanches Voies 2009

Cuvée 4 – Sézanne chardonnay: Le Brun de Neuville Authentique Par Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs NV

Flight 2:

Cuvée 5 – Northern Montagne de Reims grand cru pinot noir: Bollinger PN VZ15

Cuvée 6 – Southern Montagne de Reims grand cru pinot noir: Egly-Ouriet Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Vieille Vignes NV (2012 base)

Cuvée 7 – Côte des Bar pinot noir: Fleury BdN Blanc de Noirs Brut NV

Flight 3:

Cuvée 8 – Vallée de la Marne meunier: Gosset Grand Blanc de Meunier Extra-Brut NV

Cuvée 9 – Petite Montagne de Reims meunier: Egly-Ouriet Les Vignes de Vrigny Premier Cru NV

Masterclass 2: Champagne Vinification

Vins clairs and finished cuvées

Listed cuvées are for our inaugural 2021 course and will be updated for subsequent dates.

Flight 1:

Cuvée 1 – Chardonnay: Dumangin J Fils Chardonnay Vin Clair 2019

Cuvée 2 – Pinot noir: Dumangin J Fils Pinot Noir Vin Clair 2019

Cuvée 3 – Meunier: Dumangin J Fils Meunier Vin Clair 2019

Flight 2:

Cuvée 4 – Full malolactic: Charles Heidsieck Aÿ Vin Clair 2020

Cuvée 5 – No malolactic: Charles Heidsieck Villers Marmery Vin Clair 2020

Flight 3:

Cuvée 6 – Tank fermented: Dumangin J Fils Vintage 2012

Cuvée 7 – Barrel fermented: Dumangin J Fils Aegydius 2012 (same as Vintage 2012, except pinot barrel fermented)

Flight 4:

Cuvée 8 – Zero dosage: Dumangin J Fils La Cuvée 17 NV (zero dosage)

Cuvée 9 – Low dosage: Dumangin J Fils La Cuvée 17 NV (3.5g/L dosage)

Cuvée 10 – Medium dosage: Dumangin J Fils La Cuvée 17 NV (7g/L dosage)

Masterclass 3: Vintage Champagne Lunch

Finished cuvées

Listed cuvées are for our inaugural 2021 course and will be updated for subsequent dates.

Flight 1:

Cuvée 1: Louis Roederer et Philippe Starck Brut Nature Rosé 2012

Cuvée 2: Charles Heidsieck Millésime Vintage Rosé 2008

Flight 2:

Cuvée 3: Franck Bonville Collection Privée 2008

Cuvée 4: Egly-Ouriet Grand Cru Millésime 2008

Flight 3:

Cuvée 5: Pol Roger Brut Vintage 2002

Cuvée 6: Deutz Brut Millésime 1990

Masterclass 4: Champagne Maturation

Reserves and finished cuvées

Listed cuvées are for our inaugural 2021 course and will be updated for subsequent dates.

Flight 1:

Cuvée 1 – Young reserve: Charles Heidsieck Vertus Chardonnay Reserve 2020

Cuvée 2 – Old reserve: Charles Heidsieck Vertus Chardonnay Reserve 2013

Cuvée 3 – Very old reserve: Charles Heidsieck Vertus Chardonnay Reserve 2007

Flight 2:

Cuvée 4 – Young reserve: Charles Heidsieck Verzy Pinot Noir Reserve 2020

Cuvée 5 – Old reserve: Charles Heidsieck Verzy Pinot Noir Reserve 2014

Cuvée 6 – Very old reserve: Charles Heidsieck Verzy Pinot Noir Reserve 2008

Flight 3:

Cuvée 7 – Recent disgorgement: Dumangin J Fils Le Vintage 2004 (disgorged 2021)

Cuvée 8 – Old disgorgement: Dumangin J Fils Le Vintage 2004 (disgorged 2016)

Flight 4:

Cuvée 9 – Young vintage: Dumangin J Fils Le Vintage 2015

Cuvée 10 – Old vintage: Dumangin J Fils Le Vintage 2005

Cuvée 11 – Very old vintage: Dumangin J Fils Le Vintage 1995

Masterclass 5: Prestige Champagne Lunch

Finished cuvées

Listed cuvées are for our inaugural 2021 course and will be updated for subsequent dates.

Flight 1:

Cuvée 1: Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 2004

Cuvée 2: Louis Roederer Cristal 2008

Flight 2:

Cuvée 3: Billecart-Salmon Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart 2002

Cuvée 4: Deutz Amour de Deutz 2002

Flight 3:

Cuvée 5: Krug Grande Cuvée Edition 168 NV (Base 2012)

Cuvée 6: Krug Vintage 2002

Flight 4:

Cuvée 7: Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 1998

Cuvée 8: Dom Pérignon P2 1998

Flight 5:

Cuvée 9: Bollinger La Grande Année 2007

Cuvée 10: Veuve Clicquot Cave Privée Rosé 1979

Program

Saturday

Masterclass 1: 8:45-11am

Morning tea: 11-11:30am

Masterclass 2: 11:30-1:15pm

Lunch masterclass 3: 1:15-4:30pm

Sunday

Morning tea: 9:30am

Masterclass 4: 10am-12pm

Lunch masterclass 5: 12:30-4:30pm

Simla Room, Spicer’s Balfour Hotel, 37 Balfour St, New Farm, Brisbane

Read the full story of my inaugural Advanced Champagne Certificate, including photos and guest reflections.

Places strictly limited – $4,890

We are of course working closely with the Spicer’s and Montrachet teams to guarantee that we do everything to ensure the safety of guests and fully comply with all relevant Covid restrictions. Should lockdown regulations force a postponement, we will of course offer you your choice of a full credit or refund. Should you be unable to attend on the weekend for reasons of health or travel restrictions, we will likewise offer you your choice of a full credit or refund. Please advise as early as possible if you are unable to attend.