Laurent-Perrier is involved in several partnerships with trade bodies and educational organisations - can you explain what your primary focus is across all these relationships?
Our primary focus is on elevating standards and knowledge across the entire wine trade. For our family, Champagne, particularly at the luxury end, deserves to be understood deeply - not just consumed. Whether we are working with the WSET, the Court of Master Sommeliers, the Gérard Basset Foundation or the Wine Scholars Guild, the common thread is education that goes beyond tasting notes.
We want sommeliers, retailers and wine professionals to understand the nuances of terroir, the complexity of blending, and the philosophy behind our three unique savoir-faire: blending reserve wines; maceration of Pinot Noir to craft our rosé Champagnes; and non-dosage, a visionary approach pioneered by Laurent- Perrier, that continues today with Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature.
When trade professionals are genuinely knowledgeable, they become passionate advocates who can tell our story authentically to consumers.
Why is supporting the needs and opportunities of young people in the industry so important to your family and to Laurent-Perrier?
Lucie Pereyre de Nonancourt, Grand Siècle global ambassador for Laurent-Perrier. Picture Leif Carlsson
These students represent the future of wine education, assessment, and leadership across the global industry. They bring fresh perspectives, new energy, innovation and diverse voices if we want our industry to remain relevant.
They are also the ones who will be shaping wine culture for the next 30-40 years. As someone from the next generation of my own family's involvement in this Champagne House, I feel a particular connection to that idea. By supporting scholarships, mentorship programmes and early-career opportunities, we are ensuring the industry attracts the best talent. If we want excellence in the trade, we need to make these pathways accessible to talented individuals.
What do you hope this work can achieve?
In the immediate term, we want to see more qualified, confident wine professionals who can deeply understand the history and the complexity behind Champagne. Long-term, we are hoping to contribute to a more sophisticated, knowledgeable wine culture in the UK - one where consumers understand what they are drinking and why it matters.
We would love to see a generation of sommeliers, buyers and educators who not only recognise Laurent-Perrier savoir-faire, but also understand the broader context of Champagne production and appreciate craftsmanship across the category.
Ultimately, if our support helps even a handful of individuals build successful careers in wine, and if those individuals go on to elevate standards wherever they work, then we have succeeded.
How do you choose which organisations and bodies you work with?
Laurent-Perrier's managing director UK, Adam Guy, right, with the WSET's chief executive, Michelle Brampton and Danny Brennan, Laurent-Perrier's UK brand director, celebrate their working partnership
We look for three things: credibility, reach, and alignment with our values.
Organisations like the WSET and the Court of Master Sommeliers have unimpeachable reputations - their qualifications are globally recognised and genuinely rigorous.
We want to support institutions that maintain high standards and are not just offering certificates but real education.
We focus on where we can make the greatest impact: supporting underrepresented groups, expanding access to education, and helping talented individuals who might otherwise be unable to afford it. We also seek partners who share our long-term vision.
What have you found most rewarding from all the collective support the family and the house have been able to give?
Without question, it is the individual success stories. Seeing someone we have supported through a scholarship programme go on to become a head sommelier or watching a young buyer we mentored develop into a confident, knowledgeable professional - that is incredibly gratifying.
Working with these organisations is both an honour and a privilege. These partnerships reflect my family's longstanding commitment to wine education and to sharing our savoir-faire with those who will shape the conversation around fine wine for decades to come.
We are investing in people who share our passion for excellence, authenticity and the sharing of knowledge.
* In part two of this report to be published later this week The Buyer talks to the individual training and education bodies that receives support from Laurent-Perrier about the work they do and what its support enables them to do.
* Laurent-Perrier is a commercial partner to The Buyer. You can find out more about the Champagne House here.
