Salon 2006 75cl

Description

The Wine:
All Salon is as one, defined in the singular: a single grape, Chardonnay; a single terroir, the Cote des Blancs, a single ‘cru’ village, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, a single year, that of its vintage.

And yet each vintage – and not every year can be called a vintage, only the greatest years – is different from any other.

The vagaries of climate, something in the air, that tiny something that can change everything: this is where Salon’s personality is forged.

And Salon 2006 is a great romantic, a lyrical soul, marching to the beat of its own drum. Never mind eleven years spent ageing in the cool silence of the cellars in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Salon 2006 surges forth unbridled, with the spirit of youthful rebellion. Just imagine the promise of the years ahead!

The Vintage:
August was horrid, cold and rainy, after the perfect sunshine and warmth of June and July. But in the end it was all a false alert, the fear came to nothing, no disease problems.

September arrived and set fair, with cool mornings and glorious days that continued throughout harvest, up to 2nd October: the grapes reached optimum ripeness, giving musts with magnificent sugar levels balanced by fine acidities, a hallmark of the vintage. Yields? Neither too big nor too small.

The result: Salon 2006, a great vintage with a tremendous future ahead.

Varietals:
Chardonnay 100%

Serving:
Taste it and drink it just cool, between 13 and 15 degrees.

Tasting Notes:
First of all, just wait.

Once Salon 2006 has been uncorked, leave it a little while, to breathe, to open out.

Then, just look at it: its shimmering golden colour, glinting silver and green. The never ending bubbles, so tiny, setting free the familiar betwitching scents of Salon in its first flush. Notes of white flowers, citrus zest, lightly toasted brioche. Then the glass fills magically with autumnal tones, fresh hazelnuts, praline, dried apricot, ripe yellow fruits.

A romantic of the highest order, Salon 2006 embodies the carefree spirit of youth, tempered by experience.
And there lies its true enigma and charm. To know restraint but be generous, to combine lightness with solidity.

This sense of duality is confirmed in the impeccable palate structure – it is all in the education of course.

Simultaneously rich and incisive, with the fine linear acidity to permit cellaring for 30 years, Salon 2006 has a long future ahead.

Food Pairings:
Matching Salon 2006 to food is a sensual delight: from diaphanous slices of Iberico ham – a brilliant pairing – to an ultra-dark chocolate tart, truffled mash, or even sublime truffled eggs, a carpaccio of tuna, all classic favourites.

Background Information:
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.

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.

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.

Headed by Aimé Salon until his death in 1943, the house was then left to his nephew. In 1988, Champagne Laurent-Perrier, a family-owned company, became the majority shareholder of Champagne Salon. Today, the house of Salon, along with its ancient neighbour and sister, Champagne Delamotte (the fifth oldest Champagne house, founded in 1760) are directed by one man, Didier Depond