Champagne expert receives top honour

Swedish champagne expert Richard Juhlin has been bestowed with France’s highest honour, the Legion d’Honneur – an award established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802.

Richard Juhlin is considered by some to be the Parker of Champagne

Juhlin was named Chevalier of the Legion of Honour by decree of the President of the French Republic, François Hollande last week and was officially awarded the honour by the Ambassador of France in Sweden, Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, in a ceremony at the Residence of France in Stockholm on 6 March.

Jean-Pierre Lacroix, ambassador of France in Sweden, said: “By identifying more than 8,000 wines from Champagne, Richard Juhlin has established itself as one of the very best connoisseurs of champagne in the world and one of the most influential promoters of the French savoir-faire.

“His outstanding work carried out with determination for over 20 years has greatly contributed to the spread of Champagne in Sweden, but also in promoting the Champagne-Ardenne region here. Richard Juhlin naming Chevalier of the Legion d’Honneur, the French authorities wanted to pay tribute to his work and passion to promote champagne in Sweden “

During his twenty year career Richard Juhlin has tasted more than 8,000 champagnes, for which he holds the world record, devoting much of his time to the promotion of the wines of Champagne in Sweden and around the world, and founded the champagneclub.com.

Mr Juhlin is the author of several reference books including A scent of Champagne: 8,000 champagnes tasted (2013), The Champagne Guide (2008) and also writes for several magazines including Spectacle du Monde, La Revue de Champagne, Wine International and Fine Wine.