Champagne Salon vertical: A retrospective

To mark the recent release of the eagerly awaited 2008 vintage – a vintage that gave cold sweats to grape growers but turned out to be one of the greatest of the past 10 years – Didier Depond wished to present some other vintages of Salon, including ones that will be part of the special Oenothèque case that will comprise one magnum from 2008 and two bottles each from the 2007, 2006 and 2004 vintages. Of all the grandes maisons in the Champagne region , the house of Salon is undoubtedly the most singular, and quite literally so. Located in the heart of the Côte des Blancs in the grand cru village of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, this Champagne house was founded to satisfy the pleasure of a single man, Eugène-Aimé Salon, with the goal of producing a single Champagne, a blanc de blancs made with Chardonnay grapes from a single terroir, and from a single vintage. In other words, a truly exceptional wine. [subscriber-content]Hailing from the Champagne region himself, Eugène-Aimé Salon, born in 1867, made his fortune by selling and exporting furs all over the world from his base in Paris. His acquired wealth allowed him to follow the advice of his brother-in-law, a chef de cave in the region, and purchase a small, well-exposed plot of vines in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, beautifully situated mid-slope, close to the village church.As a passionate gourmet, his goal was to produce a Champagne aged for a number of years on its lees before bottling, and destined to be consumed only by Salon himself and his entourage of friends and business associates. The selection of grapes was to be so strict that it would only be produced in the finest vintages.Pleased with the success of his first vintage, the 1905, he decided in 1920 to formally found the house of Salon to satisfy a demanding clientele looking for a fine Champagne. Salon soon became the house Champagne at Maxim’s, the Paris restaurant famous for its turn-of-the-century art nouveau décor and fashionable clientele, and where Eugène-Aimé himself was a habitué. After Eugène-Aimé’s death in 1943, his tiny Champagne house passed into the hands of his sister’s family before being acquired in 1963 by the Dubonnet-Cinzano group, makers of vermouth, and operated under the umbrella of another Champagne house, Besserat de Bellefon, until the whole group was in turn absorbed in 1976 by the Pernod Ricard drinks behemoth. In 1988, Bernard de Nonancourt, one of the most respected men in Champagne, purchased the house of Delamotte, also based in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger before buying Salon from Pernod-Ricard and making it the sister-estate to Delamotte, both belonging to the Laurent-Perrier group, owned by the de Nonacourt family since 1938. The contemporary story of this singular Champagne has been written by the two chefs de cave of Laurent-Perrier, Alain Terrier followed by Michel Fauconnet but also by Didier Depond, whose whole career has been with the Laurent-Perrier group, culminating with his being named president of both Salon and Delamotte in 1997. Under his impetus, while the singular tradition of the house has been perpetuated, Salon has become an even more iconic name in the world of Champagne. The house still produces only one Champagne: Cuvée S. The grapes for it come from the house’s own vines, the one-hectare Jardin Salon, as well as from 19 other plots selected from the start by Eugène-Aimé Salon. This is a remarkable case of loyalty that does honour both to the house and to the family growers who have collaborated for almost 100 years. To date, only the following vintages have been released: 1905, 1909, 1911, 1914, 1921, 1925, 1928, 1934, 1937, 1942, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1959, 1961, 1964, 1966, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1976, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008. 2012 and 2013 are still awaiting release but have been officially declared, while for the other vintages still in progress, the decision has not yet been made. According to Didier Depond, it would seem that the exceptionally fine 2019 vintage has all the characteristics to qualify for the production of a Champagne Salon. Tasting a Salon Champagne is always a moment of great emotion. With its power and its crystalline purity, it perfectly expresses the type of Champagnes produced in the village of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. What’s more, the long vinification period on the lees for the Cuvée S leads to aromatic complexity that is further enhanced by cellar ageing lasting 10 years. The 2007 vintage is impressively dense, with the potential to age well over the next 30 years or so. The 2006 is more classic in style and has lively tension on the mid-palate, but it may be a bit less ageworthy than usual for Salon. The 2004 has perfect balance and superb freshness, along with saline and iodine-tinged flavours. The 2002 is, in my view, one of the greatest Salons of the 2000s. The 1997 has reached the full splendor of its apogee. The 1996, just beginning to open, is now on the cusp of plenitude with a limestone-driven character that leaves one speechless. The 1990, also at its apogee, has a more suave style and the sumptuous aromatics of a beautifully aged Champagne. [/subscriber-content] Tasting Champagne Salon Cuvée S Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs [wine-collection] You might also like: Insider guide to Champagne Salon & Delamotte Best Champagnes of 2019 tasted by our experts

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Champagne Salon vertical: A retrospective

Tasting Champagne Salon Cuvée S Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs

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