This legendary Champagne, only produced in exceptional years, comes from the village of Le Mesnil in the Côte des Blancs. It is made from 100% Chardonnay and aged for many years before release. Its minerality, concentration and beautiful fruit are still astonishingly young and deserve further aging. Drink from 2020. (Cellar Selection)
A year marked by frequent changes in weather, ranging from sunny conditions in June and July, a cool August and then a return to sunny weather in September. The vintage benefited from the slow-ripening conditions afforded by the late season. The supremely elegant nose has a dazzling array of scents ranging from herbs, spices, and flowers to pineapple and pear. The attack is power-driven, but a backbone of racy acidity brings vivacity and propels the wine to a weightless, airy finish. Not as dense as many Salon Champagnes, but this remains a singular and impeccably elegant vintage. Best to be patient for another 15 years.
Such an impressive wine for the detail in every respect. The nose delivers fresh lemon and grapefruit peel, together with white, stony minerals and very, very fresh and light pastry notes. Some grilled hazelnuts, too. The palate is super fine, supple and crisp with attractive, dry, salty minerals on the finish that holds super long, fine and focused. Elegant citrus and light brioche to close. Drink or hold.
This latest release of Salon announces itself with energy and leaves with freshness. It comes from a vintage marked by a cool, cloudy August that delayed ripening; after the vines recovered in September, they yielded this delicate chardonnay, completely saturated with flavor. It comes from 20 parcels in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, a selection established by the founder, Aime Salon, in the early 1900s, including one estate parcel of 2.5 acres. Other than exclaiming on the wine’s delicious flavors, our panel was seduced by its texture, describing it in variations of silk, satin or chalk and velvet whiteness. It has a presence-a remarkable infusion of chalk soil-that sets it apart.
The 2007 Brut Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil is showing very well, unwinding in the glass with scents of citrus pith, smoke, crisp green apple, Anjou pear, white flowers and subtle hints of fresh herbs. Medium to full-bodied, pillowy and incisive, it's fine-boned and precise, with a bright spine of acidity, an elegantly fleshy core of fruit and a pretty, pinpoint mousse. Like the other vintages of Salon reviewed here, this bottle was disgorged in January 2019.
The 2007 Salon is gorgeous. Weightless, delicate and understated, the 2007 is all class. Today, the 2007 reminds me of the 2004 in its bright, citrus and floral-infused profile, but with a bit more creaminess, mid-palate depth and softer contours, all of which will make the 2007 easy to drink with minimal cellaring. Next to the 2006, the 2007 is quite a bit fresher and more delineated, with none of exuberance, power of tropically-leaning overtones found in its younger sibling. At this stage, the 2007 is a bit inward and closed in on itself. Then again, it is Salon. This is another terrific showing from Salon and the team headed by President Didier Depond. Dosage is 5 grams per liter.
Lightly toasty and fresh, featuring rich notes of peach tart and pastry cream, accented by hints of pink grapefruit pith, chalk and Marcona almond. Delicate and finely knit, with citrusy acidity driving the racy finish. Drink now through 2024. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 800 cases imported.
A high-toned and ultra-pure nose that reflects notes of green apple, citrus peel, petrol and background notes of baked bread and yeast is now beginning to display some secondary development. The moderately intense middleweight flavors are shaped by an exquisitely fine mousse while delivering very good if not truly superb complexity on the notably saline and dry finish. Salon is virtually always quite refined but the 2007 version is especially so; indeed the word finesse is perfectly apt. For my taste this has arrived at an inflection point where it could be enjoyed now or easily cellared for another decade, perhaps even longer though with that said, I don't see much additional upside development potential.