Tasting: Annual Grand Champagne Tasting with Alicia Barrett

Join us for our most anticipated wine event of the year: an in-depth tasting dedicated to the world’s most celebrated sparkling wine.

This annual seminar explores the remarkable diversity of Champagne through a curated selection of grower and house Champagnes, showcasing the region’s unique terroirs, grape varieties, production methods, and styles. From Blanc de Blancs to rosé, vintage expressions to prestige cuvées, we’ll examine what makes Champagne one of the world’s most complex and sought-after wines.

Designed for experienced wine enthusiasts and Champagne lovers, this advanced tasting will delve into topics such as dosage, lees aging, village classification, and the evolving landscape of modern Champagne.

Guests will enjoy a complimentary seasonal cocktail, passed hors d’œuvres, and a petit sweet to end the seated 1.5-hour tasting experience.

Whether you’re looking to deepen your understanding of the region or simply enjoy some extraordinary wines during the festive season, this annual tasting offers a rare opportunity to explore Champagne in depth.

*Doors at 6:00 pm for a welcome cocktail. Tasting at 6:30 pm. Please enter via 54 W Chicago. Please kindly indicate any dietary restrictions when registering. Tickets are non-refundable after Wednesday, December 9—*merci pour votre compréhension.

About the Sommelière

Alicia Barrett

Alicia Barrett is driven by a passion for crafting exceptional experiences through thoughtful, immersive wine education. With a background that bridges hospitality, retail, and nonprofit leadership, she brings a unique blend of business acumen and teaching expertise to the wine world.

Her journey began with a transformative trip to Burgundy that sparked a lifelong passion for wine and inspired her to pursue formal training at the global headquarters of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) in London. After returning to the United States, Alicia worked as a sommelier at the InterContinental Hotel Chicago and in fine wine retail while earning her WSET Diploma in 2020, a distinction held by just over 10,000 individuals worldwide.

As Head of Wine Education for Binny’s Beverage Depot, the Midwest’s largest wine and spirits retailer, Alicia spent six years developing one of the country’s most comprehensive retail wine education programs. She trained nearly 2,000 employees across 45 stores, elevating product knowledge, service standards, and sales performance across the company. Alicia also served as a WSET Instructor for the American Wine School. Her work has taken her around the world, collaborating with winemakers and trade professionals to design engaging, accessible, and commercially relevant wine education experiences. 

Presently, she is the Chicago-based educator for the U.S. Champagne Bureau training sommeliers, trade professionals and hospitality students at DePaul University on behalf of the region. She has founded her own company, Wine Connection, which specializes in bespoke wine tastings for corporate and non-profit clients.

Getting Here

The Alliance Française de Chicago is one block from the CTA Red line stop at Chicago Ave. Best bus routes are the 22 on Clark St and the 66 on Chicago Ave. A Divvy station is located in front of the 54 W Chicago Ave entrance.

Parking Information

$10 for 12 hours at 100 W Chestnut St. Validation is available at reception.

Please be advised that students, members, and attendees at cultural events or programs may be photographed, and these images may be used for marketing purposes.