Michelle Defeo

Champagne
  • Everyone in our company took this course, and even though some of us have decades of experience in the Champagne business, everyone still learned tremendous amount.
  • President at Laurent-Perrier US
  • WSET Level 3 and Certified Sommelier (CMS)
Michelle Defeo

Congratulations to Michelle Defeo, President at Laurent-Perrier US, for passing the Champagne Master-Level exam with honors!

You enrolled all your staff in the program. What was your objective and were your expectations met?

Everyone in our company took this course, and even though some of us have decades of experience in the Champagne business, everyone still learned tremendous amount.

I first started working for a Champagne house in 1996, and I’ve been fortunate to visit the region many times. I’ve taken other wine classes and have read many books about Champagne, and I still learned a great deal in the Master-Level course. My goal is to have our company be comprised of the most knowledgeable people in the Champagne industry in the US. This course was a significant step towards that goal.

Please tell us more about your wine studies...

I’m not currently taking any wine classes but in the past I’ve taken dozens of classes at Napa Valley College, UC Davis, and the International Wine Center in New York where I completed WSET Level 2.

Please tell us how you think the Master-Level program will help you further your wine passion/carrier moving forward

Champagne is a complex region, and one that is changing right now. Competition is becoming even more significant, and having in-depth, up-to-date knowledge about all aspects of Champagne is a critical part of being able to properly sell and market these magnificent wines.

Julien Camus

Founder & President @ Wine Scholar Guild

Julien worked as Trade Attaché for wines and spirits at the French Embassy in Washington DC (2004-2006). In this role, he recognized the need for French wine education as a means to spur consumer demand and interest in his country’s wines.

To that end, he founded the Wine Scholar Guild in August of 2005,an organization dedicated to the promotion of French wine and culture through education. Julien invited national importers of French wine to join the organization as Industry Members and 25 key French wine importers did so immediately.

After leaving the embassy, he has devoted his energies to developing the Wine Scholar Guild and its network of program providers around the globe. Julien holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration with a major in International Marketing from the Strasbourg Management School.

In 2019, Julien was one of the "Future 50" award winners, an award created by WSET and IWSC to acknowledge professionals under 40 who have made a significant contribution to the industry.

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