Chivalric rankChevalier
Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne
Champagne · Culture · Stories
Mate HajduBirdcageMate
Champagne as culture. Terroir, vintages and personal stories.
Champagne expertise, culture and personal stories through the eyes of Mate Hajdu.
Champagne•Terroir•Vintages•Culture•Gastronomy•Travel•Champagne•Terroir•Vintages•Culture•Gastronomy•Travel•
01 · Mate Hajdu
Behind the BirdcageMate name
Champagne as
culture.
For me, Champagne is far more than a wine: it is landscape, history, people and culture — everything that ultimately meets in a single glass.
Not merely a wine.A story written by the land, time and people.
I · Passion and knowledge
A world worth discovering up close.
As a dedicated Champagne specialist, writer, communicator and educator based in Budapest, Hungary, I am passionate about the intricate world of Champagne. My journey in this remarkable field is supported by rigorous qualifications, including the Champagne Master Level from the Wine Scholar Guild and the Champagne MOOC course from the Comité Champagne.
…champagne only comes from Champagne…
II · Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne
Tradition, community and an honour bestowed.
I am honoured to be a Chevalier of the Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne, the esteemed guild of Champagne wines founded in 1656. This distinction strengthens my commitment to sharing the elegance, sophistication and diversity of Champagne with a broader audience.
Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne
Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne
The more I learn about Champagne, the more clearly I see how much remains to be discovered. Perhaps that is its greatest beauty: there is always another story, another perspective and another glass to bring us closer.
III · Knowledge shared
To learn, to return, then to share.
Through engaging seminars and tastings, insightful articles and education about the Champagne region and its remarkable wines, I strive to cultivate a deeper appreciation for this unique world. Continuous learning is equally important to me: I return to Champagne regularly, deepening my knowledge through personal encounters, cellar visits and tastings, and refining my understanding of this ever-evolving region.
IV · Encounters in Champagne
The people behindthe glass.
Florence Boubée
Xavier Berdin
Michel Parisot
Frédéric Panaïotis
Amine Ghanem
Lucie Pereyre de Nonancourt
Émilien Boutillat
Joëlle Weiss
Manuel Réman
Didier Mariotti
Mathilde Margaine
Frédéric Panaïotis
Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon
Guillaume Duval
Émilien Erard
Didier Mariotti
Frédéric Panaïotis
Xavier Berdin
Cyril Brun
Lucie Pereyre de Nonancourt
Émilien Boutillat
Frédéric Panaïotis
Joëlle Weiss
Frédéric Panaïotis
Émilien Boutillat
Didier Mariotti
Émilien Boutillat
Cyril Brun
Frédéric Panaïotis
Émilien Boutillat
Émilien Boutillat
I firmly believe that the more we learn about Champagne, the more we recognise the vastness of the knowledge still waiting to be explored. Join me on this journey on Instagram as well: @birdcage_mate.
02 · Professional background
Honour and qualifications
Knowledge, practice,
recognition.
International qualifications and a chivalric distinction recognising a commitment to the culture of Champagne.
Chivalric rank
International qualificationChampagne Master-Level
Wine Scholar Guild
Official regional courseChampagne MOOC
Comité Champagne
Professional wine qualificationWSET
Wine & Spirit Education Trust