Champagne Salon makes just one wine: a Blanc de Blancs of pure Chardonnay from the grand cru village of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, released only in years the house judges good enough. That makes Salon one of the most sought-after names in all of Champagne. Here you will find Salon Champagne in vintages from 1985 and 1997 through to 2013 and 2015.
Salon Champagne: the story of Eugène-Aimé Salon and Le Mesnil
Behind the name is Eugène-Aimé Salon, a Paris furrier with roots in the countryside around Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. He made his first Champagne in 1905, purely for himself and his friends. His idea was simple and radical for its time: a Champagne from one grape, one village and one year, with no reserve wines. The first vintage sold commercially was 1921, and in the 1920s Salon became the house Champagne at Maxim's in Paris.
Salon died in 1943 and the house changed hands several times after that. Since the late 1980s it has belonged to the Laurent-Perrier group, alongside its neighbour Delamotte in the same village. The style has never changed: there is still only one wine.
One grape, one cru, one vintage: how Salon Blanc de Blancs is made
The grapes are exclusively Chardonnay from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger in the Côte des Blancs. The house owns only one hectare itself, the Jardin de Salon, replanted in 2002. The rest comes from nineteen small parcels in the village, which Salon's own team tends closely. Until after 1976 fruit from the Clos du Mesnil also went into the blend, but that walled vineyard had been bought by Champagne Krug in 1971.
Only the first pressing is used. The wine ferments and ages in stainless steel, and malolactic fermentation is blocked to keep the high, pure acidity of the chalk. The bottles then rest for around ten years on average in the cellar before disgorgement with a low dosage. The result is a taut, mineral and very long-lived Champagne, and one of the clearest examples of what Blanc de Blancs Champagne can be.
Salon vintages: 1985, 1997, 2002 magnum, 2008, 2013 and 2015
Salon is declared only in great years, and fewer than 50 vintages have been made since 1905. Even in a good year production tops out at around 60,000 bottles. In years when Salon is not made, the grapes go to Delamotte.
Salon 1985 is a mature classic, part of which was held back in the cellar until the millennium. Salon 1997 also has decades of development behind it. Salon 2002 is rated by many critics among the strongest vintages of recent decades, and here it comes in magnum. Salon 2008 was the smallest harvest in the house's history and was released only in magnum, around 8,000 in total, here in Oenothèque collector's cases. Salon 2013, also listed as Salon S Le Mesnil or Cuvée S, is the 44th vintage, and Salon 2015 the 45th, a young wine with ageing potential of more than fifteen years.
Salon Champagne FAQ
Why is Salon Champagne so rare?
Because the house makes only one wine, from only one village, and only in years when the quality is there. Many years never become Salon, and even in good years the quantity is small. On top of that, each vintage spends around ten years in the cellar before it is released.
What is the difference between Salon and Delamotte?
The two houses sit side by side in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and share the same owner. Delamotte makes a broader range every year. Salon makes only its single vintage Blanc de Blancs, and in years without Salon the grapes go to Delamotte. This page shows Salon only.
How long can you keep Salon?
Salon is built for long ageing. The bottles have already spent around ten years in the cellar on release, and a great vintage can keep developing for decades, especially in magnum.
Does Salon use reserve wines?
No. Every bottle comes from a single vintage, with no reserve wines. Whether it is listed as Salon Le Mesnil, Salon S or Cuvée S, it is the same Blanc de Blancs from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger.