I’ve been working in the wine industry for just over five years, but been interested in Champagne for a lot longer than that, from thimblefuls as a child at any family celebration, to an encounter with Ruinart at University. I currently work at a large independent called Cambridge Wine Merchants where I sell wine to the Cambridge and Oxford University colleges and am also on the buying team. Beyond this, I spent nine weeks in 2018 getting some hands-on winemaking experience at Rustenberg Wines in Stellenbosch, South Africa, and I am also enrolled on the MW study programme. My most memorable moment on the Champagne Academy course in 2015 would be having lunch in Mumm’s Moulin (windmill) á Verzernay with stunning views of the vineyards around but drinking Louis Roederer Cristal there as well. This is a classic example of the unity and collaboration of the 16 houses this one week of the year. My most memorable wines from the course included not only great vintages and prestige cuvées but also new discoveries such as the remarkably good value Folies de la Marquetterie single vineyard wine from Taittinger. I still buy a few bottles of this whenever I see it for sale.