Arguably the rarest of all fine Champagnes, Salon is the legacy of one man: Eugene-Aimé Salon, a champagne fanatic who devoted his life to creating the quintessential champagne we now know as Salon. Focusing on Chardonnay – in his view the sole grape capable of yielding champagnes of requisite focus and mineral finesse – Eugene Salon scoured the Champagne region for suitable sites, planting his vineyard - the now famous Jardin de Salon – on the deep chalk soils of Le Mesnil, still one of Champagne’s only Grand Cru villages. One wine, one vineyard, one grape: the apparent simplicity of this formula belies the challenges inherent in creating a wine of Salon’s complexity. It is testament to Eugene Salon’s perfectionist vision, that the conditions and traditions he prescribed continue to be upheld in the production of this legendary champagne, made on average only three times per decade.

Champagne Salon – the wine

Salon is an exceptional Champagne, arguably the rarest of all. Located in the celebrated grand cru village of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger in the Côte des Blancs, Salon is made in tiny quantities (5,000 cases per vintage) and only when conditions are absolutely right, a rare occurrence given Champagne’s marginal climate. Since its first vintage in 1905 Champagne Salon has declared just 41 vintages (the most recent being 2008). The 1997 vintage, currently on release, is the 36th vintage to be released. Exceptional complexity, focus and elegance are common to all vintages of Salon. Like all great wines, Salon expresses this inherent identity irrespective of the vagaries of specific vintage conditions.

Salon 1997 - the vintage report

1997 was a capricious vintage, during which growers needed to react swiftly to whatever Mother Nature saw fit to throw next. After a winter and spring of wild temperature extremes, May and June brought heat spikes then biting cold, frosts, heavy rain and a dash of hail; a potent mix that compromised fruit set, reducing the crop. By contrast, July and August were uncommonly dry and hot, promoting balanced, productive canopies ideal for maturing grapes. These beautiful conditions continued into September, sending the grapes careering towards ripeness. While in some areas of Champagne grapes became over-ripe, Le Mesnil’s deep chalk soils and plunging night-time temperatures (sometimes close to zero), preserved Salon’s all-important acidities. Harvest yielded a small crop of highly concentrated, ripe yet supremely balanced fruit.

Salon 1997 - tasting note

Sensual and voluptuous, Salon 1997 offers soft, feminine textures within its fine bone structure. The nose is complex and refined with delicate white blossom notes. The palate is pure and intense yet indescribably light. The fine, smooth mousse carries rich flavours of brioche, vivid green apples and creamy, fleshy hazelnuts. Salon 1997 has been compared to the 1988 and 1982 vintages, both legendary Salon vintages. Like all great Salon vintages, Salon 1997 will permit cellaring for 20 years or more.

Champagne Salon – the people

Eugène-Aimé Salon dedicated much of his life to creating Salon, his ‘dream’ champagne. He spent many years seeking plots capable of yielding the right quality and style of fruit, and shared his first vintage (1905) with family and friends. It was not until 1921 that Champagne Salon became a commercial venture. Eugène-Aimé Salon remained at the helm of Champagne Salon until his death in 1943, when he was succeeded by his nephew.

Bernard de Nonancourt, head of the Laurent-Perrier group and himself a legendary figure in Champagne, purchased Champagne Salon in 1988, realising a lifelong dream in the process. He installed talented protégé Didier Depond at the helm. Born into wine and passionate about the subject, Didier Depond’s passion, energy and vision have proved pivotal to the successes not only of Champagne Salon but also sister-house Champagne Delamotte in recent years.

Michel Fauconnet is the chef de cave at Champagne Salon and responsible for all stages of the winemaking process. He has worked with Champagne Salon and sister house Champagne Delamotte for over 25 years, 20 years of which as assistant to longstanding oenologist Alain Terrier.

Champagne Salon – the place

Champagne Salon is based in the heart of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, one of only 17 grand cru villages in the Champagne region. Le Mesnil has developed a reputation for champagnes of unparalleled structural finesse and full flavour, linked to the depth and moisture content of its chalk soils. Eugène-Aimé Salon created Salon from the grapes of the single-hectare vineyard known as ‘Le Jardin de Salon’as well as a handful of small vineyards parcels in Le Mesnil, which he identified himself.

Champagne Salon – the winemaking philosophy

Salon’s approach runs counter to the norm in Champagne. While most champagne is created on the understanding that blending – of different grape varieties, vintages and areas - will create overall harmony, Salon is the very opposite. A single cuvée from a single vintage, a single village and terroir, and a single grape variety, Salon celebrates the unique and the distinct.
The ultimate Chardonnay specialist, Champagne Salon pioneered the Blanc de Blancs style. Until then champagne had always included Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier for structure and weight, however Eugène-Aimé Salon believed these varieties compromised finesse. He was dogged in his belief that structure could be achieved in champagne via high quality fruit and long ageing.

Salon’s quality and style rests on the combination of high quality Chardonnay grapes, gentle handling at all stages of the winemaking process, and extended ageing in the cellar. Fruit quality is achieved through meticulous work in the vineyard including severe pruning. The grapes are picked and sorted by hand. Pressing takes place in a traditional press used exclusively for Salon, and only the ‘cuvée’ – the finest, purest first-pressed juice - goes forward to the final Salon blend. Initial fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks where temperatures are controlled to capture the fresh aromas of the grape. Malolactic fermentation does not take place, as Le Mesnil’s naturally high acidity is considered crucial to Salon’s character. The wine is left to develop on its lees in Salon’s chalk cellars for an average of 10 years, though sometimes up to 14 years. The ageing process is transformative. Over time the wine develops its fine mousse, while its acidity and fruit meld and come into focus. Each bottle of Salon is riddled by hand.

Photos Credit: Serge Chapuis