By Amelia Ball
The Vin de Champagne Awards are on again, with the Champagne Information Centre (CIC) now calling for entries.
The coveted awards are organised every second year on behalf of the Comite Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC) and consist of three categories for contenders.
The professional section is for those who work in the food and wine industries, the amateur category is for experienced tasters with a passion for Champagne, and the student section is for those aged up to 27 who are either enrolled in, or recently completed, an industry-related course.
Entrants are required to answer a number of essay questions regarding Champagne viticulture, terroir and history, and expected to be familiar with the administrative and marketing structure of the Champagne industry.
State finalists will be flown to Sydney for a final hurdle in which they taste from a wide range of Champagnes before a panel of esteemed judges.
Winners will be announced at an official dinner in September and also receive a two-week educational tour to the Champagne district.
Entries close in July. For further details, see www.champagne-cic.com.au.