Master class Series

The Sommelier Society of America Master Class Seminars and Certifications series.

The SSA Master class series offers students and alumni the opportunity to continue their wine education with a focused purpose, diving into one major wine region to dissect its specific terroirs, history, varieties, winemakers, and more. Led by experts in the business, the Masterclass series are comprised of 2 90-minute courses followed by a brief exam for specialty completion certificates. Students will taste 12-15 wines per course and engage in deeper discussions on producers, terroir, and wine styles.

CHAMPAGNE co-presented by Jean-Remi Barbier, and Hak Soo Kim

Jean-Remi Barbier, born and raised in Champagne, France, combines deep-rooted heritage with modern expertise in the wine industry. He holds a Champagne Master-Level certification from the Wine Scholar Guild and a BBA from HEC Montréal. As Business Development Manager for Roederer Collection Imports, he drives market strategy, supports key partnerships, and leads high-impact brand activations across priority markets in the US.

Hak Soo Kim was most recently the head sommelier at Per Se where he oversaw the restaurant’s beverage program. Previously, Hak Soo led the wine program as Jungsik in New York City, which was awarded its first and second Michelin star during Hak Soo’s tenure and became the first Korean restaurant to be awarded three stars in 2024.

Champagne Master class:
This Master class offers a deeper, more structured exploration of Champagne, moving beyond traditional overviews to examine how style is truly shaped. Rather than approaching Champagne as a single, unified expression, the session will explore its underlying diversity, starting with terroir, grape composition, and key winemaking decisions that define the character of base wines.

It will then progress into the role of blending, reserve wines, and house philosophy, revealing how identity and consistency are carefully constructed over time.

The approach is both analytical and practical, providing a clear framework to better understand structure, texture, and balance in Champagne.

Each session is paired with a guided tasting designed not only to highlight differences, but to refine perception and deepen interpretation in the glass.

June 15th and 22nd (Mondays)
6pm-7:30pm, Sud de France location in Midtown
$269.95 Total

Come continue your education and networking with the first and longest continuously running sommelier program in the country.