Ian Leamon — Winemaker, Importer, Champagne Insider
Ian Leamon's love of champagne began in December 1978 with a bottle of Laurent Perrier NV. What followed was a lifelong journey into one of the world's most complex and captivating wine regions — a journey that has now spanned almost five decades.
In 1985, Ian travelled to the village of Bouzy to work the vintage at Veuve Clicquot. It was an experience that forged deep and lasting relationships with the region and its people — relationships that continue to open doors for Champagne Connection guests to this day.
In 2007, Ian returned to Champagne to work a second vintage, this time with the Loriot family at Joseph Loriot-Pagel in the village of Festigny in the Vallée de la Marne — strengthening yet another family connection that remains central to the tours today.
As founder of Château Leamon in Bendigo, Victoria, and of Champagne Connection, Ian brings a winemaker's eye and a genuine insider's access to every tour he leads. He has visited Champagne on an annual basis since 2000, and his knowledge of the region — its history, its families, its wines — is unmatched among Australian tour operators.
Guests consistently describe Ian's tours as the experience of a lifetime: an opportunity to see Champagne not as a tourist, but as a trusted friend of the families who make it.