Salon Blanc de Blancs le Mesnil-Sur-Oger 1996

I love champagne a lot, and Salon is my personal star. This super complex laser high acid wine when they are young, perfect with hot asian food or some nice fat cheese. My best vintage is from 1964 in 1981, it was not even expensive. General with all Champagne, let them take the air for 2-4 hours, they need it for the balance of the flavors. Expensive, yes but in my opinion it´s worth the money.
Salon is rare and unique only 37 vintage in one century i think, and
you lives only one.......

April 2008

Wine Enthusiast rating: 97

Wouldn't it be lovely if we could drink Salon Le Mesnil every day? This is an incredibly beautiful, sophisticated, lavishly appointed bubbly with an exquisite blend of aged yeast notes smelling of lightly toasted brioche layered atop scents of vanilla, Meyer lemon, chalk and minerals all in the most seamless and creamy of fashions. Its mousse is smooth but energetic and comes with appropriately pinpoint-sized bubbles. Sporting all the finesse that Blanc de Blancs can manage yet rewardingly deep and rich in flavor, this wine is easily the most impressive bottling in this go-round of world-class read more...bubblies. -Connoisseurs' Guide The 1996 Salon is a pale yellow color with a touch of green. It is clear and lively, with fine, persistent bubbles and a stunning bouquet. Initially, the nose offers hints of green apple, which soon develop into lemon and grapefruit combined with pear and kiwi notes. The wine is complex and refreshing on the palate, displaying a burst of minerality. This is a well-made, rich, powerful Champagne, all-encompassing yet subtle, with contained strength. Serving Suggestions According to Didier Depond, Salon should be served in a tulip-shaped glass instead of a traditional champagne flute. Because of the richness and complexity of its aromas, and its exceptional, lingering finish, we've found that Salon can be drunk in the same way as a great wine. This style of glass allows the wine to breathe more efficiently. Vineyard Profile Salon uses only grapes from severely pruned vines that are at least 40-years-old and grown on mid-slopes. All of the fruit is picked and sorted by hand. Winemaking Pressing is carried out with a traditional press used solely for Salon. Only the cuvee, or first pressing, is used for its wine. The cuvee is the lightest, purest and ripest juice that contains the highest amount of acid. The first fermentation occurs in a stainless steel tank, where the temperature is controlled and freshness preserved. To that end, the wine does not see any oak, nor does it go through malolactic fermentation. Aging takes place in Salon's chalk cellars for 8-10 years. The slow marriage of acidity and fruit that takes place over time gives Salon its signature elegance, finesse, balance and exceptional depth, as well as a fine, persistent mousse. Riddling is carried out manually, and because the bottle has an embossed relief (the word Salon) at the point where the bottle begins to taper toward the neck, a special technique is required to prevent sediment collecting in the lines of the relief. The bottle starts out with the embossed relief at the 12 o'clock position. From that point, it is riddled left to right, then right to left, until the sediment is trapped at the top of the neck of the bottle. The wine is hand-disgorged only when an order is received.    (hide)

The Wine News rating: 97

Rating: 97/100 - As reviewed by Wine Enthusiast

No written review

April 2008