not blind It starts to open now. Some honey notes and milk chocolate. Fresh. Same level as the Krug Clos d'Ambonnay 96 we had before. But completely different champagnes. 97
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Lunch at Noizé: Mid straw. Not many bubbles, made slightly worse by a detergent-tainted glass. Gains more energy and aroma when decanted into a different glass. Nicely rich now, the sharp cut of its youth transformed to a vanilla crème pat richness of middle aged chardonnay. A mineral line with some tang. Stylistically this is essentially pettilant white burgundy — B de M Corton Charlemagne from a ripe vintage. Twelve years on from my last encounter, and obviously the wine has evolved, become richer and less vibrant, but maybe lost some of its energy too. ****
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Another magnificent experience. Still very bright and clean with plenty of lively effervescence and brightness. Well defined and wonderful depth of fruit and stony vibrancy. Likely at peak, but should live on for at least another decade. Perfect wine for a perfect evening.
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Burgundy For Lunch Bunch Holiday Event 2023 (Phoenix, AZ USA): Older than wine served before it (which turned out to be 2012 Salon), some oxidation and nuttiness. Still has ample fruit, and my best guess was 2000 vintage. In the end good if not great. I think I just don't "get" Salon, I'm never as thrilled with it as everyone else seems to be. The white Burgundy that followed was far more impressive to me than either vintage of Salon.
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In Magnum. Perhaps the star of the show for me on this particular afternoon. An incredibly focused and mineral wine. Striking acid profile and a rather intriguing saline component (think oysters and lemon).
The only shortcoming of this for my palate was that the wine was rather lacking when it came to a purity for fruit and chardonnay richness. I heard from others that it improved the next day with air.
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Houze's Wedding; 12/9/2023-12/10/2023: Magnum OWC. High acidity with plenty of white fruit, less sweet and more focused than the 99 on the side, great energy if still way too young. Lots of oyster, salinity, lime oil, citrus peel, vanilla brioche lightly toasted, and aged cheese. Barely any older since last tasted out of bottle three years ago, and much better on the second day, lightly caressing the palate with insanely crisp impression, so much drive, so many points it hits on the tongue, then so long. Certainly the best rendition of such vintage acidity with a lighter style. Perhaps flawless. 97-99
P.S. My Champagne of the Year in 2023!
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50th Birthday Bash: An absolute treat to taste this side by side with the '95 Krug. This is in stark contrast to the Krug since it is a Blanc de Blancs. Incredible freshness and acidity with an almost creamy texture and tiny, TINY bubbles. Loved it.
PnP. Absolutely spot on tonight. A bit reserved on initial pour, but after about 30 minutes the second glass was just singing until the final sip 2 hours later. Nose is fresh and inviting. Layer upon layer of depth on the palate belies its age. Finishes with that zip of acidity. Everything is in balance. Drinking at peak but no reason to hurry.
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Wow wine! Drank at birthday dinner with family. Real gold bar color, hinting at its age. Nose was enticing and developed over the course of the bottle. Creamy, smooth and delicious. Still a looker and still hiding its age a little. Maturity started to show a bit- in the good way- decade’s to go. What a pleasure to drink and with great company!
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My favorite in a vertical that included the 02, 07, and 12. As my daughter said, it seemed to have the best qualities of all three of those vintages, some exotic notes like the 12, the freshness of the 07, and some development of the 02. The bracing acidity from 10 years ago is tamer and provides great lift, and the fruit continues to add depth and character
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A sensational bottle that had it all -- rich dense fruit, lively fresh energy, and a long precise and flavorful finish. A totally complete and at-peak Champagne.
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blind I had no clue. But it was phantastic. First it shows some evolution. Some roasted aromas, banana split and waffles. The acidity starts to get a bit tamed now. Still fresh. At least one more decade to reach his peak. 97-98
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Richebourg and Meursault: PnP. So beautiful and ethereal. I was worried that it would be shut down like the bottle we had last fall, but this was surprisingly open and continued to open up with more air. So much class and structure while being airy and lifted. Completely outshined the Cristal tonight.
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Some Bordeaux (Chicago, IL): Still primordially young for a 1996 champagne, though there are very nascent secondary notes starting to emerge on the palate. Dense and concentrated, lots of minerality, plenty of orchard fruit, and very balanced acidity (high, but counterweighted by all the stuffing on the palate). An excellent showing of an excellent wine -- it's clear this has lots and lots of aging potential still, though for my palate this is drinking splendidly already.
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After all these years finally I experience a bottle of '96 Salon that's ready to drink aaaaaaand it's a little bit past it, doesn't seem like the cork did its job here. The bubbles are kinda listless and the fruit showing some nice mature-Salon elements like lemon jam but there are also aspects to it that feel a little stale.
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blind Starting to show his grace finally. The acidity looks like restrained, but still present. Lemon tarte, biscuit, chalky and with great precision in the finish. 97
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Second bottle from OWC purchased on release, consumed one year after first bottle. Possibly biased by context of being served by itself where the first bottle was in a pack of 2008s. Bias aside, this poured more yellow-gold than the first bottle and certainly seemed much fresher throughout with more orchard fruit, floral, and citrus aromas and flavors than the more mature profile of the first bottle. I will chalk it up to bottle variation. Both bottles were fantastic, but this one was fantastic-er with plenty of structure and fruit to age on. Worth the wait and time to enjoy. Drink at leisure.
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M&PD Tasting: California Cabernet (Seattle, WA, USA): At first this showed the barest hint of honey on the nose maybe hinting at a little oxidation. However this quickly exploded in the glass. This is about as clean, lacy, delicate and precise as I can imagine a Champagne being. Loaded with funky minerals and a salty finish, just pure elegance in a glass.
Rich, lactic and blanched almond. Density of lemon and yellow apple. It’s precise and intense, Fresh and fully expressive but without showing any signs of development. First peak for sure. Perfect with mentaiko spaghetti
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Mature colour and seems more advanced than the previous bottle. On first take it is very Krugesque/oxidative and with traces of preserved walnuts, which I like! With time in the glass it fined down to display its true self. With air it became a powerful, mid-mature and freshly structured classic more toward an utterly classic BdeB champagne. Quite a transformation. Thank you Greg.
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La Tache and '96 Champagne (Atlanta): Searing acidity. Really on point, but does calm down with some air. The fruit is there, but this tastes painfully young. Stock up while you can, but don't open for at least another 10 years.
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Started with 3 bottles. Drank one in 2015 - gave it a 99, hoping to save the 100 for the next bottle in a few years. Best champagne I've ever had.
Today's bottle - 98; I think it's faded a bit in the last several years. Drank with oysters and caviar. Properly stored in Vinotemp.
Many recent reviews says this has years left. I dunno. My last bottle will be New Years Eve. I've lost too many great champers (Bollinger RD's) keeping them cellared for too long. I'd drink up.
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Great intensity and complexity for this powerful, high-acid Champagne which shows ripe fruit and some aged notes of grilled nuts and caramel. Perhaps a slightly more advanced bottle than the last I tasted but a joy to drink nonetheless.
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I was an outlier in that I preferred the 02 to this 96. While the power and richness combined with precision cannot be denied, I found the fruit was starting to show some age and earthiness. Impressive bottle, but I'll take the youthful expression of the 02.
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Sunday Salon (Chicago, IL): Hands down the wine of the flight, even if I felt that the 2002 was encroaching a bit on this vintage's glory. A phenomenal bottle of champagne, and probably one of the best bottles of champagne that has been made in my lifetime so far. This really has it all. It kicks the concentration and intensity up to max -- it's a wine that's almost painful to drink quickly because of it. Mature, with developed secondary characteristics but still with plenty of exciting, primary acidity. It's really the complete package. With regards to bottle variation, the bottle today was likely sitting around my average.
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The Somm and I enjoyed the Salon for 3 hours, while others went with the Burgundy & Rioja bottles. My backup bottle was the 2008 Dom Perignon, we opened it as well. It's in a beautiful spot, we enjoyed it along side the Salon. Though it went quickly, the Salon remained in the glass.
My last glass, lasted 2 hours, and as the night was extended more nuances showed, coffee, cheese rind, hazelnuts, caramel, almond skin, bright acidity, lasting finish.
The Salon was amazing, powerful and elegant. I'll hold onto my last bottle for another 10 years.
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It’s obviously lost some of that steely intensity as its given up its linear focused citric and white fruit base but its gained in width and body. The fruit profile gears toward more yellow fruit now with a fine mousse and more textured elegance with gentle lapping waves of mineral and fruit that continue long after the sip. While not as exuberant as it was in its youth, it still shows mostly primary notes which shows how much of a life it has ahead of it. Still at the head of its class as one of the great grand marquee bottlings made.
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Really fantastic right now for my taste. Drank over 3 hours and was best at the end. Plenty of time left, especially if you prefer older champagne, but excellent right now if you prefer young-ish.
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Bordeaux night with Friends (Rue St Mark): This is a champagne that always wows me and this bottle was no different. I'm not sure it totally deserves the price point it's at now, but it certainly is one of the best and this is one of the best ever years. A wine that has been approachable for a decade but isn't going anywhere any time soon. The cork was the most difficult I've ever seen for a champagne and we ended up using a true corkscrew on it but we won and it came out. A hint subdued in the beginning but that was very quick, then it was opening and expanding and more of the vanilla bean and maybe just a hint of the lemon peel and a bit of toasty side and really wonderful. A super treat to get to check in as it's been some years and I expect it to be many more before we're drinking it again.
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Initially the Salon 1996 is quite closely knit with searing acidity but at the same time displays a creamy, complex character. Green, crisp apples, lemon and some chalk. Gradually opens up, revealing gorgeous white and yellow fruit and a light touch of coffe, mint and unripe almonds. Gains complexity and depth over several hours. On the palate fine mousse and teeth-etching acidity that initially dominates but over time softens and integrates into an intense but exquisitly balanced overall sensual experience. The finish is more or less unending with lemon and cream intermingling. The profile is elegance, elegance and more elegance, with a good drollop of intensity and complexity added. This is still amazingly youthfull for a wine 26 years old, and while drinking on the highest level now, I still think this has more to give with an additional 4-8 years in the cellar. This unrealised potential is also the reason this gets 98+ points tonight, and not 99-100. I have to hold something back for next time around.
Drank alonside the 1996 Comtes de Champagne and, while very different in style( charm and sex vs regality and elegance) they raced along basically side by side most of the evening. After 6+ hours the Salon managed to get ahead by the slimmest of slim margins.
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This has got to be one of the best Champagnes made in the last 30 years. This bottle is truly close to the pinnacle and feels a little more youthful than a few other recent experiences the last few years. The nose has a hint of brioche sweetness, orchard fruit, and the suggestion of taut acidity on the palate, which of course is indeed the case. Ridiculously youthful still, this drinks very much in line with what you might expect a 2008 to drink like. The bright, chardonnay acidity is here in spades, and there are almost no secondary characteristics developed yet. A legend.
Buttery nose, lemony, chalk. Some nutty notes with aeration. What strikes me is the palate presence. Acidity in balance. One feels a complete spheric underlying vin clair. Dosage is well inegrated by now though still feels on the high side vs more recent standards of winemaking. Good but market price makes no sense for me outside of the trophy element.
Took some time to open. Very fine and delineated. Subtle nose of brioche, minerals and lemon, then with time an overt buttery and caramel nose (definitely Dosage >5) reminiscent of the 2006 Diebolt-Vallois Fleur de Passion. Fresh and elegant, lively mousse for the age. A bit too Chabliiesque on the palate. Good for sure, but like Petrus in Pomerol, Salon ins an enigma where it is hard to understand why there is such a price gap to the other top neighbors. There are many equally good BdB on the market for ¼ of the price.
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Lafite Rothschild vertical (Taberna del Alabardero, Washington D.C.): Beautifully mature yet focused nose displaying perfectly ripe yellow fruit, apple, baked apple, lemon curd, honey, light caramel, brioche, white pepper and crushed rocks. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of decadent yet pure yellow fruit, very fine generous mousse, sweet and generous but also displaying excellent precision and detail, bright acidity, strong limestone mineral, and a long concentrated sweet yellow fruit driven finish with honey at the end. This is drinking beautifully but I seem to prefer the 96 CDC in the past five years.
Wow! Beautiful nose with citrus, brioche, and chamomile flavors. The palate is in perfect balanced with great acidity, lemon notes, and more mineral / crushed rocks leaning flavors. Extremely long finish. This is super deep and complex and every sip is intriguing. Absolutely outstanding wine, the best bottle of Champagne I've had...
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Brilliant, precise and subtly complex. My go-to favorite champagne in my favorite vintage. This was just shining. Can’t imagine it being any better in the future.
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KYD #2.1: Profound and very young wine packed with green apple flavor and some grapefruit bitterness in mid-palate and aftertaste. It does have a hint of age with some caramel coming through in the middle but the general profile is of a very young wine. There is so much elegance but also a lot of flavor depth with an an almost extreme and vibrant acidity. An absolutely beautiful and stunning wine. What an amazing treat to be able to taste such a wine when it is has opened up so nicely! Stunning!
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Amber-gold color. Less abundant bead and the color were clear evidence of the age of this wine. Aromas of toasted hazelnut, yellow flowers, honey, peach. Palate is rich with hazelnut brittle, custard, lemon meringue, brown butter, and tarte tatin all showing up. Worth the wait and time to enjoy this one at leisure.
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Clear golden in colour. Notes of brioche, honey and apple. Not allot of bubbles. Drinking nicely. Have not had allot of older champagne. So very different than a younger champagne.
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Excellent precision and cut with penetratingly intense sweet sour citrus juice. Fine bubbles and mineralogy. Auto tingly fresh and tangy. With a long Finding. Wow
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blind a perfect nose. lemon cest, milk chocolate. Great acidity that I guessed 1996 right but I thought more PN and not a BdB (Cristal Vinotheque or VVF). Nice stage now with finally some aging signs. Precise but powerful finish, lasting for over an half hour. 98
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not blind Drank it just before the 1996. This one is really good and close to his peak. Still lemon notes but also some exotic fruits and roasted aromas but not the length and concentration of the 1996. The acidity of the 1996 gives unbelievable length and freshness. 1997 should be drunk nowadays and the 96 is for the next 3 decades. It opened up a little bit compared two years ago. Some depth giving secondary notes fight with the brilliant acidity. Getting balanced. 98
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A lost Friday afternoon gathering – how to semi cheat in a blind tasting (Black Salt, Washington DC): Expressive nose displaying concentrated yellow fruit, fresh apple, baked apple, pear, lemon curd, light caramel, white flower, oyster shell, burnt sugar and crushed rocks. Exceptional concentration, layers upon layers of perfectly ripe pure yellow fruit, rich and oily yet incredibly focused and precise, bright acidity, strong limestone mineral, and a long concentrated pure yellow fruit driven finish with oyster shell at the end. This is perfectly mature yet pure and energetic example. It beautifully evolves in the glass. Exceptional showing.
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Deep, intense, youthful. A powerful Champagne with great breed and class and just beginning to show some secondary's but this should be held much longer in the cellar. 95+
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I had unloaded this bottle to the wine shop because all my other ‘96 Salons were disappointingly dull. Not this one. One of only two in the group to display any real style and originality. The slight note of oxidation is not too distracting and even adds a bit of welcome complexity. Nevertheless there is a certain lack of clarity and focus I would expect in a luxe champagne in what should be its glory days.
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A very fine champagne for sure this Salon 1996. Had as an aperitif and it felt still painfully young like a coiled spring. Very high acidity, extremely racy. While certainly no disappointing (unlike quite a few Salons I had in the past) it to me doesn't live up to the price tag as to my palate I actually prefer the DP 96 standard release for example. It would however be tremendous fun to try this Salon again in around 10-20 years and see where it has gone. 95 with upside.
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A lost Friday afternoon gathering – Champagne and Burgundy (Blacksalt, Washington DC): Perfectly mature yet energetic nose displaying perfectly ripe yellow fruit, baked apple, a hint of orange peel, lemon curd, honey, caramel, white flower, white pepper, burnt sugar and crushed rocks. Excellent concentration, very finely layered ripe yellow fruit, rich yet pure and precise, perfect balance, fine generous mousse, bright acidity, strong mineral and a long perfectly ripe yellow fruit driven finish with honey and crème brulee at the end. This is a beautifully mature example that is drinking well. This is a perfectly mature yet fresh and energetic example. The 96 Salon seems to be entering the maturity.
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Sunday heaters (Chicago, IL): Got to this relatively late, and I was told this was a lot tighter initially when it was opened. Still a phenomenal bottle of champagne with lots of chew and plenty of stuffing. My taste of this bottle just didn't feel as put-together and integrated as I remember from a few years back. I will likely revisit this in the next month or so.
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A fine, taut Champagne with oodles of depth but also some strange caramel and vegetal flavors. The finish is long and complex with palate-staining intensity and white mineral notes. The structure suggests more time is needed but the mature flavors suggest something else. The bottle seemed quite sound so not sure what to make of it. 91?
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Medium yellow color. Expressive nose of green apples and lemon oil. Medium to full bodied, ripe and balanced, feels linear and yet packed with stuffing, finishes brisk and cleanly without feeling overly acidic. Over time, faint honey and more apple and biscuit tones. Really fine and elegant
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Heidi's Gang: Back in Saddle Again (The Kenwood, Mpls, MN): Medium plus deep golden color. Drank a glass over an hour. When someone says that a Champagne is vinous, this what they mean. Ripe golden apple and pear, wet stones, round yet crisp, voluminous on the palate with layer uppn layer of density and minerality. Very elegant for the depth and intensity. Showing more maturity and some oxidative charater; there's lots of lemon oil and almond extract on the long mineral laden finish.
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Same btl as Brad E. Not a wine I'm lucky to find in my glass very often! Loved it! Thanks Brad! My prior experience with the killer '96 was in 2015. This remains a complete head turner and best in class champagne. Racy mouthcoating flavors of orange rind, grapefruit, ginger, apple, lime & drenching minerality. Vibrant, complex & intense as it echoes on your tongue. Still one of my best all round Champagne experiences, ever. Later noticed just a trace of oxidation that many will be completely ok with. For my palate, I might take that as a friendly reminder to drink up sooner than others might. Excellent stuff! Hope every champagne lover gets a chance to enjoy one of these someday! 97+
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The first indoor gathering since Covid (Clarity - Vienna, Virginia): Really tight cork that had to be broken and pulled out using a corkscrew. Very fresh example but strangely shy fine bubbles. Still showing apple, pear and fresh lime. There is also a hint of honey and cinnamon at the end. As usual, very precise showing strong mineral and bright acidity. Hoping for a bit more bubbles
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Lemon, yellow apple, seashell minerality, much lighter and less carbonation than previous bottles I've had of this. Still an amazing wine even with the bottle variation.
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My first Salon and maybe the most complex wine I’ve ever had. Electric bubbles, pear, citrus, vanilla, chalk, and on and on. Every sip highlighted another note on the nose and palate. Massive length. Some toast, white flowers, and a red fruit note. Not in my pricepoint but I’d be tempted for a really special occassion. Tasted with wine geeks that were speechless and novices that couldn’t stop talking about it!
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From a case bought in 2007 and stored at 6-8C since then. Magic. Insanely young, primary and pure. Made a Krug '96 earlier in the week look developed and heavy. This wine really is champagne for burgundy purists - power without weight. Bit a bummer the price where it is but good bottles of this are the real deal.
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Best of the best: Frisk doft av citrus, lite kola, krita, knäck och brioche. Oerhört pigg och frisk i munnen, börjar få mognadstoner men känns fortfarande ung. Väldigt linjär och precis och växer mycket efter tid i glaset och när temperaturen stigit. Verkligen en champagne som inte är för alla, men för mig som gillar mogen bdb är den otrolig.
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The 96 KCM is better with beluga, as its cut is a touch sharper.
And the 96 KV is the toasted nut/richness champ of the bunch... so, along with being most affordable, it’s a great aperitif and the best of these with chocolate/dessert.
But the 96S, under 8 bills per unit, is the star, IMO.
It’s the most difficult of these Champs to find fresh, however, and I might switch the 1996 Salon to “magnum only” status shortly. I admit that the Krug Mesnil’s price is distracting.
98-99 pts
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There's still a green tinge to this simply perfect Champagne. Fresh aromas of lemon butter, lime brulee and chalk. It is rich and penetrating, with superb acid line. Length is superb.
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I've never had a bottle of Salon that disappoints. Second time I've had this vintage - such beautiful champagne. Compact bubbles and a crispness that belies its age. A real treat.
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Green apple explosion. A fresher and more lively example than the bottle last week. Immensely rich flavours and laser precision and acidity. Tons of stuffing, apple, honeydew melon, brioche, cinnamon. Staying power and unending finish. Good bottles of this are among the greatest things in Champagne.
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At first this is bright, fresh, youthful and has loads of acid and green and yellow citrus. More green apple than toast up front. This bottle started to show a little more red apple and developed flavours than the freshest laser-like examples of this wine usually do. Often I feel I am drinking these too young but this was in a good window of development. Some nice nuttiness and still has good richness. A 93-94 showing but capable of 96.
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SLDS New Year #2: Off the charts good. Still fresh and rich but with layers of honeyed development starting to mix in. Pear, orange, smoke, incredible lifted florals. Amazing acidity and length. Stunning bottle that has to be near a youthful peak.
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When young this had a laser-like clarity than has now softened just a bit. What it lost in precision it has gained in this vanilla-brioche breadiness; however, it is still light on its feet with citrus and green apples dancing around. Just brilliant, the best 1996 I've had to date.
Served with sweet & sour pork ribs, stirfried broccoli in oyster sauce, and dougan with peppers.
Happy New Year!
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As good as it gets and lives up to expectations. Lively and still fresh and was the wine of the night by a few. More bready than mineral with brioche and toasty notes. The fruit was peach and citrus and very rounded and elegant. Polished.
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A bit of a disappointment, unfortunately - somewhat underwhelming on the nose and more particularly on the palate. On opening (an exercise in itself given the cork refused to budge) it had a promising nose of citrus, peach, a bit of flint and some smoke but it really didn't go anywhere from there and the palate, while pleasant enough, was nothing more than fine. No depth, no fireworks, no profundity. I'm sensing a bit of a pattern in my limited experience with this, which is a shame as a bottle of the 1990 may be the best champagne I've ever had and I've been waiting for the 96 to deliver similarly but so far to no avail.
Medium straw with a fine mousse. At once rich and electric, tense and galvanizing, with laser-like acidity framing flavors of toasted cashews, brioche, bitter lemon, and chalk. Well-stored bottles are years away from peaking and perhaps have decades of life left. Awesome.
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Very interesting as this shows a certain richness rather than the usual ultra-sharp acidity on the nose. Toasted nuts, brioche, white flowers, passionfruit. Great layers of energy underneath, with purity and sharp precision on the palate. Need longer time. 95
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Was celebrating a friend birthday, and one of the treats was a 1996 Salon. We decide to go blind with 2002 Dom P2, 1996 Salon and 2012 Boërl & Kroff Champagne "B", around 7 people who had tasted and we ranked it based on our preference.
My preference blinded was 1) 2002 Dom P2, 2) 1996 Salon and 3) 2012 Boërl & Kroff Champagne "B". Almost everyone has chosen 2002 Dom P2 blind as their favourite, and we all thought that our favourite should be 1996 Salon. When the result was released, we were all shocked. Our favourite turns out to be 2002 Dom P2, while in second place majority chosen 1996 Salon. What a shocker!
2002 Dom P2 exhibit pronounced nose with caramel, toast, cream, oak, slight deliberate 'oxidative' style - not sure how to describe. Deep lemon in colour.
1996 Salon exhibit medium nose with bread, biscuit, toast, moose, gunpowder. Medium lemon in colour and with high acidity. Seems to be closed for the nose as compared to the palate.
2012 Boërl & Kroff Champagne "B". Second label of the world most expensive champagne exhibit medium lemon pink colour. Not sure if pink its the right colour, but I did see some off lemon colour. Medium+ nose intensity with mineral, biscuit, bread, lemon and grapefruit. Still very youthful and I guess not be consumed now actually.
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Fantastiskt att få prova denna igen. Vilken fantastik mousse, gräddig och underbara kola toner. Fullständig världsklass och ändå bättre än sist jag provade denna. 98-99
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(Blind tasting BYO) Medium-fullish, fullish nose of great complexity. Very, very deep. Ripe yellow apple, citrus, toast, hazelnuts and mineral in absolute harmony, each of great intensity and intermingling in layers. Fullish, rich and very elegant at the same time. Pure citrus fruit, ripe yellow apple and very toasty tertiary notes. Lovely nuttiness. Both rich and austere. Structure. Majestic and very good grip. Intensity, concentration, complexity all on high, perfectly mature levels. In many ways a perfect bottle, and one of the very best champagnes I've tasted.
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A fun gathering at L'Auberge Chez Francois (L'Auberge Chez Francois, Great Falls, VA): Ideally stored bottle. Medium expressive nose displaying very ripe yellow fruit, baked apple, granny smith, peach, crème brulee, sweet spices and smoke. Very good concentration, packed ripe yellow fruit, medium generous fine mousse, rich but lacking focus, bright acidity, medium mineral, and a medium long finish with baked apple at the end. This bottle is a bit more advanced than usual which is strange.
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Drank side by side with 1996 Dom perignon Oenotheque. What a contrast in style. The Salon showed minerality, balanced acidity and citrus notes while the DP was more youthful and richer/powerful. Found more complexity in the Salon but both very good ++ 95
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Bouquet and profile of espresso, unsweetened coco powder, carob, citrus, and minerals. High acid, evocative mouthfeel, luxurious finish, without quit.
A top three Champagne to this palate, and the best Blanc de Blancs, with no close second. Mind-bending youth an vivacity for its 24 years. The wine's range and depth know no limits. Indeed, this bottle gave every impression of lasting another two, or three, decades.
Only the 1996 Krug Vintage Brut stands above it, and I might part with a few bills to taste the two side by side. This vintage lives up to, perhaps exceeds, its hype. 98-99.
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Not hitting anywhere close to its pedigree tonight yet the provenance has no issue. Got crushed by a phenomenal Krug NV. Green apple, citrus and stone fruit. Quite restrained on palate like most 96 champagne which is more a miss than magic.
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Third btl of a 6 pack and its three times as fine as the first. Bursting with tertiary aromas and flavors. Mature and sophisticated on the palette, aging very well and drinking extremely beautifully now! I have paired it with food in the past but now it’s evolving into drink alone territory! What a wonderful wine, wow!
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Wow. This destroyed the Krug 96 which I had side by side and is usually my favorite champagne. Light gold. Looks like a 2006, so fresh with an amazing lemon citrus, mineral and floral nose. So exciting to drink, the balance and tension is something to behold. Unanimous winner of the champagne flight. Absolutely stunning and still upside!
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Fin gyllengul färg, initialt lite blyg på näsan men öppnade upp sig snabbt. Ung och fräsch med massor av frukt (grapefrukt, apelsin, mandarin). Lite autolytisk karaktär också. Bra syra och längd.
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It is not that often that I literally feel the urge to publish a tasting note, but this wine is just to die for. Easily one of the most beautiful wines I have ever tasted. My second bottle. The color alone is of a quality and beautiful golden yellow that displays nothing but "You are about to indulge a majestic wine". The bubbles are aristocratic, serious. The wine has a great depth, brilliance & quality & sophistication that make this instantly addictive. The after taste lasts over a minute and continuing. And although I am not necessarily a big Champagne addict, sometimes wines are just perfect. This is one them: if you want to understand what Champagne is at its very best, here it is. This is an experience, if not an event. And yes, the price is steep, very steep, but.... it is worth it. Now in the perfect drinking window, at its peak, albeit a long one no doubt. But I should add: don't make the mistake of drinking this without letting it breath (it deserves proper prep): Open the bottle several hours in advance, and easily up to 12 hours, with the cork back in, it is eternal joy! The second day it showed even more heavenly!
Still very young and tight and needs time to give away its magic. Straw yellow colour and very fine bubbles + mousse. Initially very closed with high acidity ruling. Citrus and red apples dominating. After some time comes the toastiness, brioche and minerality. Very long aftertaste but also too young still.
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Youngest of an impressive champagne flight, 66 DP, 75 DP Oenotheque, 85 Krug, 88 DP P3 (corked), 90 DP (mag), and 96 Salon to start a Crab feast at Wu’s.
This is a truly impressive young champagne, youthful light yellow color, fine bubbles, bright acidity, fantastic balance, layers and layers of white fruit, hints of green apple, a light chalkiness, both weightless and intense at the same time. I am relatively new to champagne but this is the fourth time I have had this over the last decade and each bottle has set a very high bar indeed. Just delicious.
Although I have only had the 2008 Cristal once, in MHO it is younger and will be just as memorable in a decade.
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Beautifully mature yet youthful nose displaying sweet yellow fruit with a hint of white, lemon curd, pineapple, granny smith, honey, cinnamon, white pepper, a hint of cream brulee and crushed rock. Exceptional precision, layers upon layers of concentrated sweet yellow fruit, rich yet beautifully detailed and perfectly precise, bright acidity, strong limestone mineral and a long sweet yellow fruit driven finish with a hint of white pepper and honey at the end. Although still remains very youthful, it is drinking incredibly well.
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Grands-Echézeaux Dinner (Summer Pavilion, Ritz Carlton, Singapore): Wow - still a long way away from peak, but this was absolutely lovely. The nose was pure Salon, with sleek, alluring aromas of red apples laced with flinty, stony minerality, and just that shade of yeastiness coming out at the edges. The palate was bursting with strength and energy, with a spine of juicy, lemony acidity racing its way through snappy flavours of red apples and some white fruit, all this still carried on a bed on fine, vigorous mousse, into a finish that had a lovely flint and mineral length to it. Sleek, polished, and full of sinewy tension and effortless strength - this showed a lot youthfully than the bottle I had a couple of years ago (which had the benefit of double-decanting and a couple of hours of air). This bottle seemed to be just about coming out from its awkward adolescence at the moment. All still quite tight then, but this is a superlative wine in the making. I would easily lay this aside for another 6-8 years on this showing.
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A wine with resounding brilliance, a crescendo at the very beginning of illustrious tasting line-up. Wild honeysuckle and key lime. Bubbles that make you laugh. A rose-colored glasses kind of wine.
At Sumi Restaurant, Noosa Junction. This bottle of Salon was in perfect shape with just a touch of pale gold colour, fine vigorous bead and a terrific nose of green apple, lemon zest, freshly cut pears, nougat and a touch of honey. The palate is young and zesty with plenty of grip completed with touches of nougat and honey. There is plenty of length and a supreme elegance that makes this far too drinkable ! Chevalier with bubbles !
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Holiday dinner with friends at French Embassy, Washington D.C. (Petit Bouchon Restaurant, French Embassy): And then came one of the wines of the night and for me the wine of the night. Thank you David for bring the now rather legendary 1996 Salon Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil*. So laser like, with focus but still tasting like a baby! At the same time a pleasing creaminess, like a super high end, home made French butter, finishing with zest and lift, candied red apple freshness. The finish lasted for something like a minute. As we sipped through it (it was gone also rather quickly), the finesse and depth became more evident with just a tiny suggestion of hazelnut to show its age, but really just a smidgeon. "Such precision and laser focus, but bursting with flavor," remarked Chris. Indeed.
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Tasted blind, this bottle was very much like my last bottle but with a bit more effervescence. It was light but with with great acidity and length. This will evolve a bit but I doubt it will be more powerful. Drink over the next 10 years.
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Drank my last bottle on my birthday. So sad to see it go. Probably my favorite champagne from my favorite vintage. Very nice recent notes by DCWino if you want more details on the flavor profile, but this time I just preferred to enjoy and not think about it too much.
The second Viking dinner (Undisclosed location then Morton's at Reston town center): Initially, a bit cold and coiled. With air and as gets warmer, expressive nose displaying ripe dense yellow fruit, lemon curd, granny smith, cool mountain stream, candied ginger, light caramel, honey and limestone. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of concentrated sweet yellow fruit, generous fine mousse, rich yet very focused, bright acidity and strong limestone mineral, and a seamless long concentrated yellow fruit driven finish. This bottle is drinking beautifully in a youthful way.
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Just a hint of mushroom from the cork and some baked apple notes that you don't tend to see in the better bottles of this usually fabulous Champagne. It still has the intense citrus and richness of fruit and super-fine bead and creamy mousse. Sadly, just a touch of oxidation planes off all the detail.
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A fantastic, lifted nose with a touch of honey, white flowers, apple and lemon. Laser cut and a little chalky on the palate. Brilliant and gossamer having a weightless structure.. Filigree fine, effortlessly beautiful, precise, weightless graceful wine of incredibly beauty. One of the best Champagnes I have had. Drinking wonderfully. Wow
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Intense, extremely concentrated - and I agree with other tasters, that this actually not very Chardonnay-like, a tight fist, vibrant, opens only slowly - a much younger showing than the last time I tasted this. #AOC
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Tasted blind but the bottle shape underneath the sleeve revealed the it was a Salon due to its distinctive bottle shape – A concentrated array of ultra-ripe citrus and orchard fruits, showing the singularity of purity. 100% Chardonnay from 11ha vineyard in Mesnil sur Oger. No oak or malolactic fermentation (except in 1988). Bright lemons with sheer intensity. Full bodied with lots of tension. Razor sharp acidity with hints of maturing dried fruit and nutty aromas, this Salon is in its drinking window. The ripeness, intensity and slightly maturing nose suggest it was from 1996. Salon 1996? (94/100)
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Dinner at Nico Osteria: As usual this is a showstopper. Adrian is right that it's impossible to imagine this being any better, or asking anything more from this. Such depth and power conveyed with amazing energy and focus, the fruit's still youthful and very fresh but now augmented by some more mature savouriness, and the whole package is absolutely compelling.
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Dinner at Nico Osteria (Chicago, IL): It's been eight years since I've had this and boy has it developed into something really, really good. Just incredibly intense and powerful, tons of chalk, lots of fruit, so balanced with the acidity and minerality. There's still some effervescence that's there, but it's certainly not the star of the show. The fruit here is layered and complex, rich and dense, with a sappiness that isn't overbearing, and there's really no way to see how this could be better. For my palate, this is at peak now and while there's no risk of this fading in the next few years, I'm going to be super happy opening more of these soon.
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Easily in my top 5 of all-time Champagne possibly top 3?! The vibrancy and explosiveness of the vintage shines through this BdB like #kb24 in his prime! This Champagne is anything but typical...so powerful, unavoidable, invincible! ‘96 Salon is SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE!
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This was opened with great anticipation. Served just after the ‘96 Comte’s BdB and that did this wine no favors. It was like this was a well aged Blanc de Blanc from an “ok” producer. This was purchased from a store with a temp & humidity controlled wine room for “special” wines. Everyone that tasted this opted to drink something else after their first sip. We tried saving it and trying it 2 hours later and that did no good...the next morning, it was still “just ok”. Such a let-down. I’m never buying Salon again. However, I will be going as deep on Taittinger Comtes as I can afford to go. That wine was freaking epic!
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Not much has changed in ten years -- this is one of the best wines I've ever had and probably the greatest Champagne I've ever drunk. It is remarkable and youthful, even at age 23! Modest yellow color, with stunning aromatics reminiscent of white Burgundy: stony, green apple, and an oyster shell quality. But that's mixed with surprisingly restrained-yet-bold toasty notes. There is just an elegant fullness about the bouquet that completely takes over your senses. In the mouth, the Salon 1996 is an exercise of power and finesse. The fruit is out front, hammering the palate, and the acidity is powerful. At the same time, there is an improbably light balance about this wine. The bubbles are tiny and caressing on the palate. It's really difficult to express in words how complete this wine is. And the finish? Feels eternal, especially when you couple the lifetime of memories this wine will supply. A+
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Pale yellow to gold colour. Takes a lot of coaxing. Still so young but everything is in excellent balance. Some intense sweetness came with air but otherwise refused to come out and play at this stage.
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A close to perfect wine. Complexity, freshness, length: all there. Absolutely no hurry to drink, this still appears young, also after almost 2 hours in an open bottle.
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Fallen apples here, could have guessed vin nature; "do they make sparkling wine in Jura," AD asked, and I understand the question. It has the firmness and greatness of the vintage. Still young, though with slightly oxidative notes ... #Enomania#Henrik&Musse
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I didn't want to think it was great given the price, but it is. On the nose, lots of toasty rich bread - buttered ritz crackers, brioche; toasted nuts, amaretto; lemon curd; thomas says toasted ginger. On the palate, smooth and rich, the acid doesn't hit until the end - high acid that lingers a long time. This had only medium bubbles left when opened, they quickly dissipated. Drink fast once open!
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The greatest Champagne I have had was a magnum of 1964 Salon enjoyed by four over dinner in the mid 1980's, so I was blown away by the opportunity to try this "unicorn" wine at a similar age. Light yellow in colour and with a chalky, malty-mealy BdeB bouquet with the piquancy of GC WB, minus the oak. It is missing the distinctive preserved walnuts, richness and power of the 1964, but this wine is still developing. Chalky dry palate, a mousse of ridiculously small bubbles, slowly developing flavours and with a long, long acid tinged finish. Seriously dry and developing superbly. An archetype blanc de blancs.
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We decided to host a Les Mesnil semi blind tasting, with champagnes from Salon (1996), Selosse (Carelles), Pierre Peters (2002 Les Chetillons Oenotheque) and Doquet (unfortunately it turned out the Doquet we had is not his Les mesnil, but the 100% blanc de Blancs from Coligny, 10mins south of Les Mesnil). Interestingly, during the semi blind tasting, four of us were all quite certain which glass was Selosse, while the other three were rather confusing and created divergence in opinions
For Selosse Carelles (disgorged in 2015), it just really stood out for the chalkiness and smokiness on the palate yet intriguing with that oxidative touch, acidity was at higher tone (precise but not overwhelming); fruits and minerals were also very generous, it really got that Selosse uniqueness that everyone immediately guessed the glass. Love the wine The other three bottles were rather confusing and our guesses were all over the place, which was a bit surprising to us - as big champagne lovers, we thought we can easily guess the Salon. It turned out Salon 1996 that night was probably slightly off, with some funkiness on the nose initially and much more mature than I would expect for a 96 salon. The funk did blow off with time, and got good weight and acidity on the palate, but certainly not the Salon I was expecting for, a disappointing bottle. Pierre Peters 2002 Les Chetillons Oenotheque was very fresh and seemed still young (I actually guessed this was Salon initially), with white flowers, light honey, raw almond, and steely minerality on both nose and palate; this wine can certainly still age a few more years before enjoying, a nice bottle. Doquet has been on my purchase radar for a while and so far the experience has been great, for all the bottles i consumed past four years they all delivered very well, very expressive, structured and mineral with power and grace at the same time, acidity was slightly high-tone but was quite my style.
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Boisson Vadot White Wines & A Mix of Old Red Burgundy (Paradise Valley, AZ USA): Served blind, one of the tasters trying to decipher it said "Well it can't be Salon. And it's definitely not '96." Ah, the brutality of blind tasting... To his point, this came across as more accessible than many '96's. It's a beautiful Champagne, with pear, mineral, and yeast. Succulent and tense, this was unanimously loved at the table today.
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Bright yellow color. Super complex and bright nose of lemon, Japanese ginger, chamomile, bee’s wax, and mint. Quite high, mouthwatering acidity emerging on the palate followed by flavors of meyer lemon, minerals, and citrus. Very creamy mouthfeel. Super long, lingering finish (possibly the longest finish I’ve ever experienced in a wine). Simply outstanding, this wine has it all. It still tastes quite young, would never have guessed it’s 23 years old... Wow!
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My wine of the night from a side by side pouring of 11 champagnes ranging in price from $100 to $700 and from 1995 to 2011 in vintage. Overwhelmingly the most powerful, concentrated, lush, layered, rich, smooth, and balanced, that improved the most from sitting in the glass. Overall, a magnificent experience of how great a wine Champagne can be, from what is arguably one the greatest Champagne vintages in the last century.
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Well, this wine disappointed me. Not that it is not a fine wine, but for what the price tag is on these I really wanted more. Bested by an 08 and 96 Dom as well as 02 and 07 Cristal drank the same evening (NYE). Nice nose, very young still on the palate, maybe if this had been opened longer or maybe another decade in the cellar transforms this into something special, but as I’m sitting on almost a case and a half, I’m tempted to sell soome off given the price has doubled since I bought it on release. Just not enough excitement at $450/500/bottle IMHO.
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Helblint Färgen är mörkare rapsoljefärgad i tonen.
Doften – det första jag sa var ”oj! – Det här är någonting verkligt speciellt, eller hur?”. Det här är något stort! Otroligt lyxigt i doften från första sniffen – till sista slattarna för kvällen sisådär 10-11 timmar efter den första sniffen (jo, flaskorna stod i kylen när vi inte nallade av dem – men den här kakan ville man verkligen både äta upp och ha kvar!!!). Något mer empiriskt då – Smörkolaton! Smält smör (80%-igt såklart), sommarhonung, ringblomma (orange) samt rapsblommor lite där bakom.
Lite senare kommer än mer av allt som redan nämnts. Än tydligare. Plus lite härligt nyrostad fet kaffeton och smöriga popcorn. Än lite senare framträder redan nämnda kafffeton ytterligare.
Smaken då – Smörig, lätt och fint syrliga äpplen, gräddig mousse, lätt touch av grillad väl mogen citron och röd rabarber.
Jag skrev inte mer men ”tjatade” om det här glaset, nummer 4, hela kvällen, och lovade dyrt och heligt att sätta allt jag äger och har på att det här var något riktigt, riktigt bra! Vad? Ingen aning sådär rakt upp och ner. Borde betyda att jag aldrig druckit det…
Jag tror att den här flaskan, om den inte fått sätta korken till i slutet av nådens år 2018, hade kunnat nå upp till 100 poäng från mig, om jag hade fått den om fem år. Jag kan verkligen inte begära speciellt mycket mer av en flaska Champagne. Sagolikt!
98 poäng, som sagt.
En fantastisk upplevelse. Och någonstans blir jag ändå alltid extra, extra glad när det som ”sägs vara så stort, pompöst, omtalat, eftertraktat, etiketts-aktigt” osv ändå, för mig, (ofta gång på gång) visar att det finns en stor anledning till det. Det här var så otroligt bra!
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What a powerhouse of freshness and citrus. The acidity is overwhelming in my opinion. But giving it a good amount of air through the mouth you can feel the underlying fruit. But in my mind this wine is not yet open for business. The acidity is too much still. Good and persistent mousse fortunately.
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Badly oxidized. I bought 6 many years ago and stored them in the cellar. Hopefully just a bad bottle. I will have to try one of my remaining 4 sooner. Hopefully the remaining are not damaged
Energetic, great tension on palate, so fine and precise and lingering. Can't ask for more, except if fortunate enough to wait for it to evolve and drink again. 99+
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Nothing except turpinol and molten rock —- and yes, perhaps the 96 KcM, as yet untasted— cuts thru variegated palate impediments, (physical and emotional both), so well as the 1996 Salon.
A small clutch of 96 Krug Neil has been obtained. On verra— et tout suite, je suppose.
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Eric's visit to DC - Champagne, White Burgundy, Rhone, Piedmont and etc. (Officina - Washington D.C.): Expressive energetic nose displaying lemon curd, granny smith, white flowers, honey, beeswax, candied ginger, white pepper and limestone. There is a hint of apple peel which is a slight distraction. Excellent concentration, concentrated ripe yet pure yellow fruit, fine generous mousse, bright acidity, good limestone mineral and a long sweet yellow fruit and white pepper driven finish. Although coming from the same batch, not as youthful as the last bottle. Nevertheless, it is really enjoyable.
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Sheer perfection. A very fine nose of pure white peach, mineral, lemon and freshly baked bread. It is complex and full, with great intensity and supreme balance. A line of exquisite acidity carries the long finish.
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Absolutely superb - fresh, mineral, saline, lemon but also luscious with brioche and cream. What a fine mousse. Superb presence in the mouth. Really fabulous. 95-96 with the potential to improve even from there.
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2001 vs 2002 DRC tasting with a few others; 10/20/2018-10/21/2018 (Marcel's by Robert Wiedmaier, DC and Bryan's house): One of the best showings. Incredibly energetic nose displaying intense white and yellow fruit, pineapple, fresh apple juice, white peach, honey, white flowers, white pepper, spicy spices, cool mountain stream and crushed rocks. Perfectly balanced youthful palate, concentrated intense pure yellow and white fruit, abundant very fine mousse, exceptional energy and freshness, bright acidity, strong limestone mineral and a long intense finish with honey and limestone mineral at the end. Absolutely memorable showing, displaying richness and complexity while retaining youthful energy, purity and freshness. Incredibly showing.
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1996 Salon is always good. High toned lemon acidity and linear focus. Perfection if you love Blancs de Blancs. A perfect foil to the richness and power of krug.
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Dinner at Mad Cap, St Anselmo. From 750ml. Purchased on release
A beautiful energetic wine with real depth and good cut. Tremendous length on the focused finish. It’s been a few years since my last chance to taste a Salon. These are superb wines even if prohibitively expensive these days.
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Complex aromatics of lemon, white peach, chalk, custard apple and spice. It is rich, intense and beautifully balanced. A Champagne of such elegance and authority. Brilliant!
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Annual Chicago winos visit - Champagne, DRC, Yquem, SQN and etc. (The Grill Room at the Rosewood DC): Slightly coiled and restrained nose displaying lemon curd, baked apple, honey, smoke, biscotti and limestone mineral. Very precise and focused palate, sweet rich yellow fruit driven palate impression, generous fine mousse, bright acidity, strong mineral presence and a long baked apple and lemon curd driven finish. This seems a bit tight. I wonder if the 96 Salon is shutting down again and morphing into the next stage of development, gaining more tertiary and oxidative notes like the 88. For my palate, I like how the youthful examples of the 96 Salon have been drinking for the past few years. As much as I appreciate and enjoy the 88, I prefer a very little oxidative note in Salon.
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Beautiful nose and crisp flavors of apple, lemon, tart pear and some mild vanilla with some slight oxidative qualities at the end of the palate. Still young and vibrant - a very nice wine
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Charleston Offlineorama IV; 9/27/2018-10/1/2018 (Charleston, NC (various locations)): Kicking off Burg Thurs dinner with the a real beauty here!! The nose on this is really singing with lemony fruit and hints of vanilla. Bright lemony acidity, some meyer lemon rind and then the layers unfold across the palate, chalk and minerals, a hint of bread dough and that sneaky vanilla note coming through on the finish. Paired with Sea Scallop with Shellfish Cream and a 62degree Quail Egg with Oestra Caviar (damn S1 is a fine chef!) Followed by a deconstructed Arancini Cacio e Pepe with Carolina Gold Rice & Fried Baby Sage. Two remarkable pairings with a killer wine.
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Charleston IV - Return of the Collectible; 9/27/2018-9/30/2018 (Charleston, SC (various locations)): This was in the super yum category. Interesting the amount of bottle variation in these. I'm not sure that the first one I had wasn't actually the best in terms of cleanness and crispness and that wonderful vanilla flavor that I appreciate. This was more oxidized than in the past. Had a bit of a bite to it (in a good way, added interest). Definitely get some meyer lemon and lemon peel in general. Tasty wine.
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So this is now technically 22 years old I guess but it tastes like it could have been bottled yesterday. Tasty lemony fruit aaaaaaaand that's the extent of my note. Beginning to suspect multiple generations might die waiting for this to mature.
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A lazy Sunday afternoon gathering - Champagne and DRC (Eddie V's - Tysons Corner, VA): Incredibly youthful and energetic nose displaying citrus, fresh apple juice, canned pear, white flowers, white pepper, honey and wet stone. Exceptional concentration, pure, intense and energetic white fruit driven palate impression, very fine abundant mousse, bright acidity, strong limestone mineral and an incredible long finish with a hint of honey and pepper at the end. This particular bottle is drinking so youthfully that it retains the perfect precision yet also displays intense pure white fruit. Absolutely gorgeous youthful example.
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World's Greatest, Hong Kong - Night II (Garden Suite, Peninsula Hotel): Fresh, vibrant, youthful, high acid. Laser beam focus, tension, and power. All citrus tonight, no brioche or toast yet here. Very good, but in this flight along with the '69 and '71 this is all about energy. Chiseled chalk minerality.
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Fiftieth Birthday Dinner with 1968 Riojas and Other Treats (San Francisco): Medium yellow, transient fine mousse. Lemon cream. Medium weight, clean citrus, bracing acidity, just the barest hint of caramel, and a long mineral finish. Vivacious and intense. A great Champagne that is just edging into a phase of maturity flavors after 22 years.
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Edward's treat for Aveling's graduation. The wine pours a dark, brooding golden color with slick long legs. Bubbles are barely present now given the age. Though the champagne is tired, the vivacity on the wine is remarkable. Nose of apricots, brioche, lemon zest, white flowers and plastics dominate, along with some smoky and slight burnt oak notes. On the palate, the wine is voluptuous but barely an ounce of fat. Super acidity and extremely generous amount of minerals line the core to maintain that balance. It is so forceful yet so effortless and so graceful at the same time. Angular yet structured, restrained yet generous, this body screams of class. The acidity really helps define the structure. And then the tertiary notes of brioche, honey and lemon oils hit. It is a cataclysm of acids, minerals, and generous honeyed, toasty and nutty notes. The finish is super long as the wine ends in a smoky, honeyed finish. The balance, and more importantly the power, is incredible. This is simply mindbogglingly delicious now. But damn, I cannot imagine what beast this would become in the years to come.
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Brother Jeff's visit to DC - Mostly Bordeaux (The Grill Room at the Rosewood DC): This particular bottle shows a hint of oxidative note/oxidized apple peel. Fully mature nose displaying decadent yellow fruit, apple pie, honey, coriander, sweet spices and crushed rock. Excellent concentration, generous ripe yellow, fine mousse, bright acidity, medium mineral and a long sweet yellow fruit driven finish with coriander seed at the end. Very good but not great showing as it is not as precise and detailed as the best bottles.
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This did not disappoint. Clean with bready and floral aromas. Fine bubbles, crisp, lime, pear, well rounded. The intensity continues to build on the palate. Stunning.
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Pretty much the apotheosis of the term “inner mouth tension.” Just a fantastic wine. Kumquats with molten titanium? Yes: and a bit of fresh steaming baguette.
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Pnp, straw yellow with very fine beads. Very fine nose of toast/bread with ripe apple, pear and lime. Hint of floral too. Very concentrated on palate, sweet and fine acidity wrap the mouth, very smooth and yet refreshing without rough edges. Not the zesty soft drink like bubbles explosion but everything is so finely balanced. Wow !
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Small Champagne and Burgundy gathering (Eddie V's - Tysons Corner, VA): A bit strange cork, extremely tight and difficult to open yet lost elasticity, i.e. not expanding. The stem seems a bit dirty causing a metallic note. In a clean stem, it still lacks the detail and the complexity. Medium expressive nose displaying ripe sweet yellow fruit, smoke, honey, brioche and mineral. Excellent concentration, medium fine mousse, ripe yellow fruit driven palate impression, bright acidity, good mineral presence and a medium long baked apple and smoke driven finish. Although enjoyable not the best showing.
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yello in color , nose had almost lemon drizzle cake smell, vibrant little bubble. in the mouth a razor like acidity but fruit was hanging in there and a long finish, better from this mag (orig release purchase) than last bottle i had (which was a good bottle)
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clean , light yellow , sharp citrus/lemon nose with touch of creme, acidity is high but mellowing a bit. very long finish. mags still a lot of life ahead
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Fireworks for January: plethora of top wines with great friends (Black Salt Restaurant, Washington D.C.): Seems to have just slight hazelnut aspects, at first, but very elegant and refined in approach. Like a fine white Burgundy. Gorgeous density. Really fitting for a lobster. Gorgeous full body. This is worthy of high 90s. Beats the Billecart overall and gets so vinous and mouth filling, yet elegant and refined. Candidate of wine of the evening.
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Some funk at the open - wet dog - that blew off in 10 minutes to reveal a crisp, precise wine. Lemon, citrus, lemon peel, yellow fruits. Great acidity and insane balance. A really fresh and clean wine. And for a 96 the acid/fruit balance is perfect. Great bottle highly enjoyable.
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This is still so vibrant, but the overall impression is more fruit-driven than I remember from last tasting it a couple of years ago. It's starting to develop some apple and pear tones to complement the firm, citric framing that it's always had. The palate a still a touch hard, and the most evidence of age is in a somewhat softened mousse and the fact that the flavors now last through some of the structural components. This is clearly more tame than it was a few years back, and is starting to get to the point where it's enjoyable to drink, versus just immensely impressive, but I doubt I'll touch another of mine for a few years.
[Magnum] Spectacularly bright and fresh nose that features chalky minerality, juicy green and yellow apple, mild saline, almond, lemon citrus zip, and soft toasty brioche. The palate is just an explosion of flavour, an immense mouthful of orchard and citrus fruits wth a warm and toasty mid palate. Great acid propels these rich flavours through a long and ascending finish. Nice balance of buttery Chardonnay and acid. Chalk and slate. Not at all oxidative but totally open. Really surprised by how approachable this is out of magnum; its pleasurable drinking and not unduly tight or screechy. Certainly chiseled and precise, but with a terrific blanc de blancs cream that some recent 750s have been missing. Very happy with this, pretty much ideal drinking... a ringing endorsement of why this champagne deserve a spot on the short list of greatest of modern time?
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What a difference 6 years makes. I initially opened this 6 years ago with the same group and at that time I felt the wine was too acidic. Tonight, next to the 96 Krug this was laser beamed precision and focus. The table was split between this and the 96 Krug as their favorite. I must admit. I was too. Both just outstanding right now.
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Better than the bottle I had last week. Much more silky with an amazing texture and clarity. Super smooth and creamy with lemon, lees and hints of toast. Incredible balance with crispness and freshness. Drinks young and vibrant. Really good bottle tonight.
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Served alongside the 96 Krug Mesnil and decidedly better. While the nose was controlled the flavors are showing more nuance than over the past 1-2 years, with an array of yellow fruits and a complement of nuts. I think this can get even better if it stays on its current course.
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Better bottle that last week in that this was far more approachable with more cream and toast than laser chalk and lemon and citrus fruit. This is easier to drink and is more expressive than tight. Still youthful and technically sound, just more ready somehow. Interesting... and great.
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Loads of acidity. Crisp and sharp. Not as much fruit as the 95 and way more structure. Yellow fruits and drinking pretty young. Not a ton of nuance yet but feel its coming. Primary but very good. Amazing how young this 96 is drinking vs the others.
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Champagne Showdown: 1995 v. 1996 (Atera): This nose is fresh, wet stone, slate, chalk, stone fruit, and lemon lime. Showing young and like a laser beam tonight. On the palate this is equally as vibrant and bright but packs in an amazing wallop of fruit flavours. Chalky minerality. This is obviously amazing drinking, but this this is one of those bottles which strongly suggests this needs a while longer in the bottle to show more development and secondary nuance. Frickin' laser beam.
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As with any champagne from the Cote de Blancs it is crisp, acid, and mineral driven. It is still very young and shows no tertiary flavors what so ever. It is focused, seamless, and spot on. A great young champagne despite it being 21 years old.
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Rich and powerful but with great elegance. It is starting to take on some grilled nuts and toasty development. There’s intense citrus fruit and great mineral line. It is rich and linear, with tangy freshness and fabulous complexity. Length is fantastic. A great, great Champagne.
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Well, clearly there is something wrong with my bottles of this reputed great champagne. Similar to a year ago but even weaker, it resembled water more than wine. Lively mousse suggests storage was good and I don’t detect any TCA or oxidation yet the wine has been stripped of flavor and character. I don’t think time will resurrect it.
Utterly stunning wine. Wow 😮 is best description. 1996 Salon is wine for the century. It is still an infant today. Smell of cotton candy, honey succule and brioche toast. Taste has carmel apple 🍏, belgium waffles, and kiwi 🥝 fruit. Others have said this but at 21yrs of age it’s truly only at half it’s life and if that. It will age effortlessly for 20-25yrs. This is one Blanc to Blanc Champagne every collector should have in the collection. Further when you drink this use Chardonnay glasses not a Champagne flute.
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a superb bottle tonight, to celebrate an 85th birthday; showing noticeable positive evolution since the previous 3 years ago. remarkable bottle, w/considerable upside ahead. 2/6
2/15/19 superb bottle, considerably more expressive than the last one 8 months ago, w/vibrant mousse & perfect equilibrium, modest toast, ginger, pointed acidity that kept each sip fresh, a pleasure to drink (95)
caviar & accompaniments
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1967 Dinner with FV and Friends: Lemon, grapefruit, orange, white flags and pear. Piercing palate, tangy and support youthful still. The length is outrageous with the acidity pulling the fruit forward. Lovely stuff.
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All magnum Produttori dinner at Aromes (Aromes Restaurant, Baltimore): For the past couple of years, the 96 Salon has become sweeter and richer while retaining most of the energy and precision. Energetic nose displaying rich sweet yellow fruit, lemon curd, apple sauce, honey, anise, biscotti, white flowers, crushed white pepper and wet stone. Excellent concentration, rich yellow fruit driven palate impression, bright acidity, good mineral presence and a long sweet finish. Though excellent, It slightly lacks the energy compare to the best examples. It is also overshadowed by the near perfect Krug.
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Wow - what a treat to get to share a bottle of this with good friends - a really special bottle of champagne. The nose on this is lovely and just continues to improve in the glass as it warms up. The palate is bright and lively, while having the yeasty bread dough and toasty characteristics that add so much. Reveals itself in layers and continues to improve with each sip.
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Simply fantastic. Has a gentle whiff of toasty development along with notes of citrus blossom, brioche, lemon and flint. It is so direct in the mouth. There's complexity and richness without excessive weight. It is fresh and energetic with incredible intensity and length. It is one of the greatest Champagnes ever made and still has so much in the tank.
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My favorite champagne I think hands down. Not sure this was quite as 'on' as previous bottles, but it's still really lovely (and partially might have been my taste buds just weren't quite right last night I think). But nice and herbal and vanilla and toast and just very complex and interesting. Paired nicely with some burrata. I enjoyed quite a bit.
Wine Dinner Extravaganza; 4/21/2017-4/22/2017 (Smyth and The Loyalist - Chicago IL): I wondered if this was slightly corked, but somehow it was certainly imperfect - muted and less robust vs any previous bottle. Kevin found a bleu cheese note. Others thought it perhaps oxidized, but I found a persistent wet cardboard note, even if just faintly in the background.
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A tad older than one would expect, slightly oxidized. Quite drinkable and good, just not a pristine bottle. Bit of butterscotch and nutty, some oily character with good acid. Enjoyable, just not great.
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Comprehensive 2000 St Emilion Blind Tasting (The Grill Room at the Rosewood DC): Decadent yet incredibly focused and precise nose displaying lemon curd, granny smith, honey, white pepper, wet stone and anise. Beautifully integrated youthful palate, exceptional precision and balance, beautiful interplay of decadent citrus and fresh/precise granny smith, fine mousse, perfectly amount of acidity, strong presence of mineral and a long energetic finish. It is drinking perfectly in very youthful and energetic way but will improve for a few more decades, gaining additional sweetness and complexity. At the age of twenty, it remains incredibly young, brilliant showing.
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Goddamn! This was, by far, the best bottle I have had up till today of the Salon – 96. Previous bottles has been more unyielding and way grumpier, and so I guess this is now slowly starting to reveal some of it’s real true hidden colors? Such a pure and yet deep and complex nose! Like a fine Le Montrachet almost. Loads of yellow fruit impressions, fine lemons and apples, smoky minerals, almonds, nuts, fresh bread, and loads of more impressions, almost making me dizzy. This is still very primary, but yet extremely likable. Green apples, ripe pears, creamy and chalky ripe citrus fruits; both lemons and grapefruits, in a mixture with more sour and citric citrus fruits. Enormous length with such fine acidity and extremely clean These bottle showed many layers, and kept improving until, way too fast, it was empty. This is the essence of how pure Chardonnay with bubbles shall taste. Just starting to burst out and open up from its long slumber, and will last and grow for decades to come from here. (97 – 99+)
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What do they say about your first time being the best.... this was wonderful but not to the upper, upper, near triple digit lofty heights of the previous times I've had this.
I've yet to try a top notch Montrachet but if they came with bubbles, I bet it would taste like this. Luscious and acidic and sharp at the same time. Hazelnut, crushed rock, Meyer lemon. This tastes of purity.
Thanks to Javachip for sharing.
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Bucket List 3.0 (Sbicca Restaurant, Del Mar, California): Clear light straw color with persistent fine bead. Initial yeastiness leading into a glorious bouquet of bright fresh Meyer lemon, green apple, lemon blossom, fresh croissant, hint of chalk. Similar on the palate, fresh and pure, with laser-like acidity. Seems quite youthful. Racer117 says he will let his other bottle rest for another several years based on tonight's showing. My #1; group's SECOND PLACE in this flight.
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Elegant youthful nose of green apple and citrus with gentle yeasty undertones. Explodes onto the palate with exhilarating effervescent intensity almost reminiscent of sherbet. Incredibly focused (still somewhat closed) and sharp on the palate but somehow perfectly balanced despite the acidity. Overwhelmingly mineral rather than fruity. Sparkles into a long finish of lime and sour apple that goes for a minute. Extraordinary.
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Astonishing. Expansive, exotic nose with jasmine and lychee notes, dominated by bramley apples supported by a savoury yeast structure. This plays a clever trick of being both intensely acidic and yet miraculously well balanced. A vibrant mousse. Very mineral palate of riverbed gravel but some unripened green orchard fruits too. Lengthy biscuit finish. Unforgettable.
[Drunk in Tokyo as aperiftif; out of fridge for 20 minutes; served in white Burgundy glasses.]
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Very extracted as are a lot of the vintage '96 Champagnes, aged or well resolved white Burgundy nose, much more advanced then previous experience with this wine but the friend who brought it said he noticed a lot of bottle variation even from the same case with this wine. Citrus, lemon peel, brioche, toast with impeccable balance.
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Champagne 96 tasting, wine nr3. Best votes (2), Worst votes (4) out of 13. Amazingly young and fresh for a 21 year old wine, needs more cellar time. Rich nose with citrus, minerals, pears and yellow apples. Acidity driven with sharp citrus character, fresh mouthfeel with minerals and hints of meat. 96p
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Dinner with Friends (Salon, Scarecrow, Ducru, Rhys+) (Pine Lake Trout Club): Wow. This is just wonderful and a real wow wine. Pop and pour, it continued to evolve all night long. Showing some signs of maturity but lots of youth as well, this has a long life ahead (wish I had more). Everyone at the table seemed to have a different feature that they found amazing. Light golden in color with a fair amount of tiny bubbles. The nose has some lemon, slight lemon peel/oil, a bit of apricot, slight nutty note and some chalk and minerals. Complex. On the palate, even better. So precise and at the same time so broad. Great acidity but so smooth one hardly notices. Layers of complexity. Flavors of lemons, lemon curd, slight honey, just a hint of mushroom. A finish that lasts forever. I originally scored this 99, because who scores a Champagne a 100, but I changed it. There was nothing to improve about this except the price.
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Another lost Friday afternoon gathering – Provenance, Power of Blind tasting and loving M. Gibourg CV (Charlie Palmer - Washington DC): I have been blessed to drink a lot of the 96 Salon and I consistently rate the wine in the high. Unfortunately, this is not a sound bottle. Still, quite attractive subtle nose displaying lemon curd, baked apple, creme brulee, smoke and white pepper. Subtle palate which is not how this wine should be, and very fine but shy mousse which once again is now how this wine should be. Very balanced but lacking the energy and precision. It is still a very fine Champagne. The 96 Salon is one of the greatest Champagnes… but at some point, this was not kept properly.
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Pob Gala dinner: shares by Thelittlehorse. Brief note: more complex and accessible than the 99 salon. It has precise and sharp yellow fruit with a long finish. It seems like it is entering its drinking window. 93-95
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A zinging knife edge of acidity and salinity supports still tightly wound citrus and chalky flavors with just the beginnings of creaminess. With caviar the wine tastes like a wave of sea water. I will revisit this astounding champagne, clearly above my taste bud's pay grade, in a decade.
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A youthful pale yellow with green edge. Few visible bubbles, an initial nose of crisp chalky minerality, almost like a grand cru Chablis. Later some yeasty brioche notes joined in. Initial sip showed a burst of mousse and a blast of acidity. Perfect balance, firm structure, long finish. Very young but so delicious it will be hard to wait, glad its the first of a 12 pack.
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This is the Rolls Royce of Champagne. We could certainly taste the beauty of this vintage. Still young but within an acceptable window but this will only get better for some time. Wonderful notes of lemon, lime, the beautiful taste for crushed rock. Just a hint of a lovely yeast flovor on the palate and nose but not too much. The finish was incredible went on for a solid 45 seconds. Later on my second glas developed this great creamy texture and flavor. A truly wonderful wine experience!
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Acker BYO Holiday Dinner (Tribeca Grille): Wow - twice in one month! That's special. Still my favorite champagne although I'll say the Cristal gave it a run for its money. Beautiful and bright and vanilla and kindof some sweet notes but with great structure and maybe a hint of slate and apple and just very very very good. It was a great pairing with our first crab course.
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What to say about this exceptional wine. The best champagne I have ever had. Sweet but not too much honey. Doesn't have the acid profile of more youthful champagnes but enough to be in balance. Fantastic
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A private tasting (Restaurant De Ertepeller, Papendrecht. NL): Tasted blind. Light and lively colour, green tinge; light and fresh nose, primary, floral, almost Riesling-like, subtle and fragrant; the palate is elegant and fresh, gentle mousse, silky and harmonious, perfectly integrated acidity, with noticeable bitters on the back palate; layered and complex finish, very good length. Very stylish, almost impossibly young.
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Mind blowing juice! If you have a special occasion that calls for a heart stopping bottle of Champagne, this is the bottle to pop. The bubbles are silk, the acidity delivers the perfect amount of lift, there is a purity of fruit, balanced by fresh baked brioche characteristics and the finish just keeps on going.
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krut, honung, kex och kaffe på doften på detta underbara vin, näsan är nästan perfekt. smaken är nästan svår att besskriva men gräddig är ett ord jag hittar och helt ljuvlig, mogen och så jäkla bra. 97-98
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Golden On the nose: Gunpowder, coffee grounds, biscuit, honey. On the palate: Brilliant balanced acidity when the whole palate is singing in harmony. Honey, gunpowder, lime, coffee, cream and some sherry tones. Wow! 97+ Long lasting finish
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In very good shape, but not so cristal clear as 2 weeks before, but very nice drinkable, pure citrus finish with some limestone, at least 10 more years, 96-97
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Hawaiian Escape; 11/19/2016-11/26/2016 (Kuki'o): Consistently excellent. Big developed nose of rich Chardonnay fruit, honeycomb, and saline. Some reductive sulphur and a trace of smoke. Very creamy at the same time. Such a pleasure to drink right now as there is good maturity already but so much effervescence, energy, and acid to keep this going for a long time. A real classic.
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Ordered off the wine list at Shula's in Chicago (comparatively decent mark-up - in NYC this would have been a >$1k bottle in a restaurant). This was a celebration. To be fair I think we served the bottle a bit on the cold side and I didn't have quite the wow factor I had in the past. The acidity was a bit more biting which made the bubbles a bit less smooth. The softer, vanilla bean flavor still there. Very enjoyable and very good wine this night though. I love the way Salon has such a unique set of flavors and manages to maintain a great deal of complexity while also coming across as a bit softer in the profile (e.g. less brioche and yeasty).
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Wow, the acidity is off the charts here - all about green apple. Mighty intense and sharp. Not sure if I can say it is THAT good, as for me it feels painfully young, but it is very different from all the other Salons in the tasting, that's for sure.
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Pretasting with a small Salon and VVF vertical Tasting (Elystan Street, London): What an austere, minimal champagne, unbelievable young, could be 2012 vintage, comparable to young Rieslings, crispy acidity, refreshing saltieness, fantastic finish, so pure and clean, a perfect Le Mesnil champagne, my 2 years old daughter will have fun in 30 years, much fresher than ten mighty and nutty 96 tasting 10 month ago in a big blind tasting, 98+, maybe 100 from a perfect bottle in a few decades
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Wonderful aromas of baked bread, citrus oil, and wet stones. Amazing depth and well integrated, yet great ying of rich fruit lifted high by the yang of the pretty bristly tension. This has really gained weight from the firm acidic driven wine I recall when first released years ago. Still long way to go and maybe even some upside with even more time. A classic Salon for the ages. Only the 1982 Salon was giving me more pleasure as we drank through 1982, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, and 2002.
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Tight. Comes across as young. Citrus and mineral driven. Some hints of development as the palate opens. Elegant. Strong backbone but will the fruit keep up? Understated elegance is perhaps what this is, but none the less I had been hoping for so much more. 91-93p.
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1996 Champagne: Citrus soda, lime, almost some petrol and rubber, very closed; intense, acid driven wine. Difficult to know where this is heading. Will the fruit open up and overpower the gigantic acidity in this one, or will it slowly faint and become even more astringent?
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Champagnesmaking av 1996 årgangen (Oslo): Som vanlig den mest ungdommelige vinen for kvelden. Friske epler, sitrus, steinmineraler og et lite hint av stilk. Dette er rasepreget Blanc de blancs! Intenst som bare Salon kan. Det kiler helt opp til øra. Bør lagres videre, men hvor ender dette? Blir kanskje i det smaleste laget? Lang og intens finish som biter godt.
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Sushi Taro Dinner: Another excellent showing. Drinking after the Spatlese is a bit challenging initially. Decadent sweet white and yellow fruits, anise, limestone, honey and strong presence of mineral. Excellent concentration, fine mousse, decadent yellow fruit driven palate impression, bright acidity, strong presence of mineral and lovely long finish. This particular bottle seems slightly less precise. Nevertheless, really enjoyable.
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Epic Champagne dinner (Taberna, Bukit Merah): By some distance my favourite of a very strong flight of 1996 vintage Champagnes, including Selosse, Krug and DP. This was still youthful, but boy was it impressive. The nose showed quiet notes of bread, yeast and mineral, some deeply seated white-fruit aromas, and then a hint of more lifted fruit peel and white melon accents at the back of the bouquet. Very nice. It had a lovely palate too - with clean, elegant lines, and a laser-like spine of mineral workng its way through flavours of white fruit kissed with more citrussy lime pip amd lemon juice notes. Past the midpalate and beyond, I got yeast, bread and a hint of white chocolate. There was a quiet sense of power and authority underlying all this, all the way into a long, juicy, minerally finish. Gorgeous stuff that just went on and on in the mouth. What really stood out for me though was the breathless purity and definition of it all, with brilliant acidity, the finest mousse and a beautiful mineral line just glowing amidst an almost crystalline expression. Depth without weight, strength without effort; so focused, so precise - the wine was truly a study in purity and finesse. Still young, but this could well be a perfect champagne in the making.
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Wow. It does not get any better than this. Subtle ginger and a bit of green apple come through the intense minerals. There is also a honeysuckle essence that hopefully will become more evident as this ages. This is wonderful right now and it seems like it will drink well for twenty more years.
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It's time again. But it isn't even ready yet. So young and fresh. Straw yellow in color. So sharp initially in the nose with fresh lemon and lots of acidity. Chalk, hazelnuts, skifer stones. This wine really is very very special Champagne. An acquired taste I would say. I like it alot but my wife has her doubts. This is a razor sharp Champagne and especially in the '96 lot's of acid. It comes together with some good food. Here the fruit becomes more dominant. Citrus again but accompanied by pears, melon and peach. The last glass was however the best which tells me it isn't over yet. My conclusion is that it is a great wine. But it isn't balanced. The acid is still to dominant.
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a great bottle of salon but tough to have with the krug and krug mesnil. i like to have it first, appreciate its lightness and elegance and freshness and then move on to the krugs
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Maybe the best 96 salon I have had. Nothing else I can say that already hasn't been said about this wine. This particular bottle was showing very youthful.
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Decades of Decadence - x6s (Tetsuya's, Sydney, Australia): 1996 Salon is a wine that I have tried a few times now and it has always been immensely impressive. Lime, apple, floral/musk, orange peel and lemon - this is still decidedly primary but also intensely perfumed. The palate is precise, with the cut of razor sharp acidity bending the fruit to its will. Salivating, with superb depth - this is Champagne playing a totally different game to most others.
Many in the group immediately noticed this bottle was a bit flatter than previous bottles they had enjoyed. Not sure if it had to do with the fact that this bottle was not easy to drink...literally. The cork would not come out of the bottle, several of us tried and then eventually we had to saber the bottle open. There was a ton of honey on the nose with hints of vanilla and grapefruit. There was still some bubbles on this, but definitely flatter in the mouth. The honey was very present on the palate as well with orange and lemon. Super tasty, but a tad mature. Perhaps not the best version of this wine, but still showing its weight.
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Annual gathering with Chicago winos in Chicago - Burgs, SQNs and Cult cabs (David Burke's Primehouse): Another incredibly youthful yet perfectly drinking example. Fresh concentrated white fruit, granny smith, citrus, white flowers, wet stone, white pepper and honey. Exceptional concentration, very fine generous mousse, coil sweet white fruit driven palate impression, bright acidity, strong presence of mineral and seamless long clean finish. Excellent showing.
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Crisp, clean, fresh and delicious. This is an amazing aperitif that I love ion its own but pales next to more complex, more mature wines like tonight's DP and last weeks Krug. I think it is young and it will be exciting to follow this over the next 20 years
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Rather disappointing showing for what I hoped would be a very special champagne. It's not bad but unimpressively linear and simple. Very pale, it opened with an intriguing note of spearmint, followed by austere citrus. Almost no toast and it finished abruptly. Could it just be many years short of blossoming?
Crisp, clean, long and delicious. It only got better the longer it was open yet it was totally eclipsed by the 1990 Krug which followed it. Salon is brighter, cleaner, fresher but Krug was like moving from white to red in complexity. always fun
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Fine acids, unripe pear, green apple notes and hints of citrus. Some bottle variation in my recent experience, although none of them yet showing significant complexity. 92-93
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Golden straw. Rich, forward nose of crème brûlée, honey, vanilla, and apple that come together with improbable concentration and intensity to suggest pain perdu. On the palate, incredible depth and complexity, yet beguiling weightlessness, with flavors of caramel and apple. This is an incredible blanc de blancs Champagne; the broad complexity coupled with deep intensity is stunning. This didn't show as well as an earlier bottle, but still a singular wine. Good now and for many years to come.
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The Ultimative 1996 Champagne Tasting with Richard Juhlin (Behrens am Kai in Düsseldorf 1 star restaurant): This was the biggest suprise for me. I was sure I would detect this one, This was not typical Le Mesnil. I had chocolate in the palate and a powerful finish, not a tart mouthwatering acidity. Very evolved in his stage, I liked it very much 95(96). Rytis had a nice hit. Richard told me sometimes Salons can go in this direction.
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Slatey and rocky notes with a finish of lemon and grapefruit oil and acid. Quite refined acids across the palate. Fresh but this bottle lacked a second level of depth, which I am hoping it develops over time. 93-94+
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Annual holiday dinner with DC winos: fabulous wines kick off 2016! (Ripple Restaurant in Washington D.C.): My, my. This was like drinking Montrachet with bubbles. Or at least a top notch Batard Montrachet. Very opulent, yet seashell fresh, maritime weather wine, beckoning oysters with lemon, grilled lobster, or some kind of fresh seafood platter, at a white glove treatment restaurant... It was crisp and precise, with fine bubbles, as it was broad on the palate - and long. As Howard said, we could have just continued to drink this for the rest of the evening ... Thanks Paul Marquardt for this most glorious Champagne. Certainly a top five of the wine dinner, if not top three.
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light color, lots of bubbles, been a while since i have had this but it hasnt really moved much, dry, lemony,razor like mineral driven champagne. fills the mouth, very long finish and really tasty. very good bottle bought on realese
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Enjoyed at WaterBar in San Francisco with oysters and bass carpaccio. Poured and let breathe a few minutes and the unmistakeable Salon crispness just blossoms. Tart, but very dry, with citrus notes. Incredible finish that reveals the true depth of this wine.
I'm saving the 100 pt. rating for the one bottle I have left that I'll open in a few more years. Simply the best champagne I've ever had.
Early stage of maturity. On of the most powerful champs that I had the opportunity to drink. Future promises even more, when understate the acidity and secondary flavors start to open. Historic Salon. Hold 5 years
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Zachys Holiday Auction - Winter 2015 (Smith & Wollensky (48th & 3rd Ave)): This is one of those wines that needs a level beyond just 'I like it'. It's just straight up special. Probably one of the best champagnes I have ever had and a flavor that haunts you for the rest of the day. It's perfectly elegant, nice and tart, the finish just keeps on going. A wine that will make you smile with every sip. Interestingly enough, I get quite a bit of vanilla flavor in addition to the standard champagne pieces. Had a number of champagnes at the Zachys auction, but this was the clear winner.
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My WOTN. This was a complete head turner! Intense flavors of orange rind, grapefruit, ginger, apple, lime and drenching minerality. Not a delicate flower! Super fresh and vibrant as it reverberates on your tongue. I loved it and one of my best Champagne experiences, ever. ! Thanks Siggy!
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What more needs to be said? A legend. Platonic ideal of Champagne for me. Intense, rich, and concentrated, but also elegant and damn-near electric in its vibrancy.
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Closed nose on this bottle offering up slatey notes and faint lemon. Caramel notes are barely there with some air time. Dry citrus acids on the palate. Score provides some benefit of the doubt that this will continue to evolve, as this bottle did not have as much "there" there as other bottles
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Wine Dinner Extravaganza (Capella Hotel Dining Room - Washington DC): Lots of lemon, lemon peel, lemon custard and apple throughout, this is incredibly powerful and energetic. Great minerality and textural charm. This is just now starting to show hints of its great potential with the acidity slightly softening.
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Annual Chicago winos visit - Dugat Py Chambertins, DRC RSVs, SQN and etc. (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): Very precise and energetic nose displaying youthful white and yellow fruits, apple, lemon curd, white flowers, smoke, cream soda, strong presence of mineral, white pepper and honey. Incredible concentration, youthful sweet white fruit driven palate impression, strong presence of acidity, strong presence of mineral, very creamy fine mousse and lovely long finish. Despite remaining incredibly youthful, the 96 Salon has been drinking incredibly well for this year. Just absolutely stunning.
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Stunning nose with a hint of flint at first that blows off. Some lemon and flowers on the nose as well. The palate is broght and crisp with a light mousse and oh so balanced citrus notes. Amazing.
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The 1996 Salon Champagne was as brilliant as ever. It showed some struck match on the aroma and was so fresh, pure and direct. It is powerful and intense, a wine of perfect poise and posture. The finish is so clear, precise and long.
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Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze event; 9/11/2015-9/12/2015 (Capella Hotel Georgetown): Another that seem sto reach the first stage of the peak. Energetic nose displaying decadent yellow fruits, lemon curd, anise, mineral, sweet spices and honey. Excellent concentration, generous fine mousse, decadent yellow fruit driven palate impression, strong presence of mineral, bright acidity and incredibly long sweet yellow fruit driven finish. Excellent showing once again.
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I don't taste a lot of high end Champagne, but after just one sip of this wine, perhaps I've been missing out. Stunning in every way, the wine packed so much fresh, sweet, citrus, brioche and almond scents, paired with the perfect amount of effervescence to make this a real treat. The texture paired creaminess with acidity and length to keep this interesting all the way through. This was incredibly young and fresh and vibrant, it's hard to believe it's already 20 years of age. If only I could afford a bottle, or a case...
Great Wine Dinner with Friends (goosefoot - Chicago IL): Lemon and lemon peel throughout some some green apple. Everything has great concentration. Great length with machine gun-esque bursts of energy. Served alongside Krug 2000 Mesnil, this seems years younger.
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copying my prior note since it's basically exactly the same
In the beginning it has mouth coating acidity and citrus but it toned down with some time in bottle. Just clear cut precise citrus fruit, saline that expands and coats your mouth with bright flavors.
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Viking dinner at RJs - 96 Salon, 09 Coche CC, 01 Rousseau, 06 CSS, 06 Masseto, 01 D'Yquem and etc. (Reston, Va): Extremely youthful and perfectly precise showing that buckles the recent trends of the kinder and gentler showing of the 96 Salon. Incredibly youthful nose displaying pear, granny smith, a hint of lemon curd, smoke, lanoline, strong presence of white flowers, wet stone, white pepper and honey. Incredible concentration and perfect precision, fresh white fruit driven palate impression, bright acidity, strong presence of mineral and incredibly long finish. This is one of the best showings of the 96 Salon for its youthfulness and perfect precision. It is unbelievable that this is a twenty year old champagne.
Mostly French dinner - Rayas, 00 Lafite, 13 Trump, H Lignier CDR and etc. (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): This once again reaffirms that the 96 has reached the first stage of full maturity. No longer so precise but decadently sweet. Very vinous nose displaying ripe white fruits, apple and lemon curd, white and yellow fruits, anise, limestone, white pepper and honey. One unusual aspect of this particular bottle is a very strong Chardonnay/vinous note in the nose. Exceptional concentration, fine abundant medium size mousse, lemon curd and anise driven palate impression, quite dense yet precise, bright acidity and lovely long finish. Really drinking well. Although much sweeter and more open recently, still quite youthful and can improve for a few more decades if kept in very cold cellar, becoming like the best of the 71s and 73s like Dom or Krug albeit not the exact impression/expression.
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This wine had a light yellow center and clear rims. It seemed to have a low intensity effervescence. The nose was quite nice showing limestone, limes, and lemon.
In the mouth, the limestone flavors were impressive and it showed more than a hint of Chablis-like character. It had great length.
Just based on the flavors this was closer to a 95 or 96 point wine. However, I reduced my score due to the effervescence's lack of persistence. Maybe other bottles are different?
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Year 3 - Super Tasting 2 of 5 - Andrew does 96 Chamapgne (Langdon Hall, Cambridge, ON): While I understand other bottles have been more open, we all kind of agreed this one was a bit tight. The nose reveals some really interesting but subtle notes of strawberry shortbread, white currants, oyster shell, white flowers, fresh ginger and fresh cut strawberry. The palate has very focused high acid with a long delecate finish repeating fresh cut strawberry, white currants and ginger. 92+ for it's future potential. It should be excellent in time, this bottle seems to have needed a bit more age.
Year 3 - Super Tasting 2 of 5 - Andrew does 1996 Champagne (Langdon Hall - Andrew Little's Rooom (Also known as the Red Room)): This was quite tight on the nose initially....with some time strawberry shortcake came out...then red berries and strawberry leaf. This is was a weird place aromatically....just so closed down and very different from the last bottle that I had 3 years earlier it terms of its accessibility. The palate is utter class...so broad and expansive with ginger, lemongrass, minerals, citrus, chalk, and strawberry coulis. Finish is long, layered and lush. Overall this wine is definetly not firing on all cylinders...it just seems like it is holding something back on this day.
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Monumental Barolo dinner - Monfortino, Giacosa, Taurasi and La Romanee (Fleet Street Kitchen - Baltimore, MD): Another stunning showing. This particular bottle combines the precision showed on its youth and the decadent sweet fruits of the recent bottles. Delicate yet decadent nose displaying white fruits, apple and citrus, strong presence of white flowers and wet stone, white pepper, anise and honey. As usual, exceptional concentration, decadent citrus and apple driven palate impression, bright acidity and lovely long sweet yet very precise and clean finish. Quite youthful, decadent yet very precise bottle. I prefer this to the Krug at the moment. I am yearning for another flirting with perfection kind of bottle. Very close but not quite.
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The 1996 Salon was quite a bit more forward than I had expected it to be, and the wine really seemed ready to drink which surprised me. The expressive bouquet is a lovely melange of caramelized lemon, brioche, buttered apple and spring flowers. On the palate the wine was wide open, with a refined mousse and great juicy fruit, but rather lower acidity than I had expected, but good persistence on the chalky finish. In fact, this was was really pretty similar to the just-released 2002.
Some Champagnes: Restrained, but has clearly a wonderful balance. The fruit is even quite mature, but hidden beneath acidity and structure. An intense wine with minerals. Way too young. Rating for now.
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Probably deserves a 100 from me. Just my wife and me on Friday night with salmon. A beautiful yellow gold with a slight greenish tinge on the edge. Wonderful aromas and flavors of citrus, green apple, pear, honey, and much more. Minerally with a very long finish. I think it has years to go but then what do I know! Nice to have there left...
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This bottle had fewer bubbles than previous bottles. Color was still light bright yellow. Though lacking in bubbles, it still had a wonderful palate with plenty of fruit and balanced acidity. A touch more honey and fruit compared to other bottles I've had which I prefer. Again, a delicious wine.
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Clean, gentle bubbles, can imagine smelling a tropical fruit basket and honey toast in a flower garden... lots and lots of flavours developing and the length is great.
One of the very best champagne I ever had.
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Youthful, and a bit tight nose upon opening. Medium aroma intensity with aromas of yeast, brioche, ripe lemons, hint of coffee/toasted oak, tropical fruits and lots of flinty minerals.
Very dry on the palate with a medium+, tart acidity. The body is medium+ with a creamy, delicate mousse. The flavor intensity is medium+. Flavors of tropical fruits, yeast, yellow apples, coffee, hint of vanilla and lemons.
Really tasty but tight upon opening. With two-three hours in the glass it opened up and it became nothing short but outstanding. Should definitely have been decanted in the first place. Drinking good with aeration today but there is plenty of room for further developing.
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Fantastic youth and acidity, even approaching the 20 year mark. It required hours to open up, but when it did, it showed the signs of a fantastic champagne. There is a lot to be had, with more maturity, and I suspect this wine will live for a very, very long time yet. It will be very interesting to follow its journey.
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FW-BYOB-HT-15#2; 1/24/2015-1/25/2015: Big and beautiful! Intense, fat nose nose with lots of yeast, bread, butter, roasted coffee, red berries and developed aromas of ripe yellow apples, cob on the corn and honey. Great when popped and outstanding after 2 hours.
Big and full bodied on the palate with a high, not fully developed acidity with quite a lot of tartness left. Very good length and high intensity. A fantastic wine, that is drinking very well right now with a good young freshness and developing complexity, will easily manage many more years in the cellar though.
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Again, much too young. The high acidity makes this wine very hard to enjoy young. It will be interesting to see how it evolves with time. Super mousse and clear minerality, lemon, yeast, and lots of shard acid.
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Classic Mesnil character with tons of lemon and chalky minerality. Laser-like with a borderline searing level of acidity that I have not experienced in previous bottles of this wine. And to be clear I view this as a good thing as this is really intense and focused vs. other bottles that I have found surprisingly and disappointingly easygoing for a '96. Frankly this is a wine that I admire today more than enjoy, but it certainly feels like this could be absolutely amazing many years from now. 95+
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Deep, powerful style with toast, honey, white flowers, lemon curd and crème brûlée on the nose. Not youthful at all. Well structured with a never-ending finish. Just stunning. Will drink well for another 10+ years.
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Tenth Annual White Truffle Dinner (Chez Weber - Chicago IL): Great start to the evening. Lemon, lemon peel and green apple aromas and flavors. Very energetic, incredibly long and precise. Still too young, but stunning from start-to-finish.
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Virker rimelig lukket på nese. Dette er stramme saker, strukturert som faen med sin lasersyre. Til tross for dette leker den i munn, og danser ut i finishen. Lang og mineralsk! 94p Alt for ung!
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Pale yellow. Intensely tight and hard to the point of being almost impossible to drink on first opening. Cork on this one was so tight that I couldn't open it easily. Opens up as it sits, but flavors are still all citrus and a bit of pear. too young to drink this now.
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Just a little more developed than some of the recent bottles I have had but still really good. Has a little toast and mushroom on the nose along with bright citrus fruits, bread and mineral. It is dense, chalky and piercing in the mouth with so much power yet supreme elegance. It really breathes up in the glass and is a Champagne of terrific authority and class.
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Light yellow. Good small bubbles.complex nose. Dominated on the palate by saline, iodine, earthy minerals. Hint of lemon curd, and toast. Not my cup of tea. Many other Champagnes that I enjoy for a lot less $.
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Good qualitatively, but not what I love in Champgane. No yeasty bready goodness. Lemon, citrus, high high acid, golden. Similar to Jacques Salosse. Saline and iodine as observed by a fellow taster. Give me Krug instead any day.... Especially vintage Krug!
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C: Gold-green, fine bubbles N: Initially Granny Smith apple skins was pretty much all you could smell. No toast/oak, little else. Very primary. After 1 hour, toast/brioche became evident and fruit became caramelized apple, like a candy apple. P:Searing acidity and green apple skins at first, the most acid I have ever tasted in a wine outside of a Sercial Madeira. The blazing acid carried the finish for at least a full minute, but again very primary. The candy apply and toast came out later but still great acid and wonderful finish.
Overall this is just super young. Would definitely decant for 1-2 hours next bottle. Really cool stuff, great evolution, and definitely identifiable based on the acidity and finish. Overall still prefer 96 Dom to this, but their prices are getting ever closer.
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98-99+ pts; Great vintage, this is the pinnacle of champagne. Crisp mineral driven champagne with a strong acid spine. Hint of smokiness with perfect balance and the most effervescent microscopic bubbles I have experienced. Hands down the best champagne I have had with potential to be even better down the road.
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Giovanile paglierino con riflessi dorati. Naso elegante e sottile, con netti richiami floreali ed agrumati, mineralità presente ma soffusa, note dolci che richiamano la brioche e la crema pasticcera, il miele di tiglio. Bocca coerente, elegante, molto agrumata, freschezza mai sopra le righe. Lunghissimo su note di menta glaciale
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what more needs to be said about this wine? Fantastic. Another great youthful bottle. In the beginning it has mouth coating acidity and citrus but it toned down with some time in bottle. Just clear cut precise citrus fruit, saline that expands and coats your mouth with bright flavors. My favorite 96 from the big houses hands down
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Still a young pup. Started off with loads of acidity. But after being open a whole, there was an elegant balance between acidity and what seemed like warm bread. The last couple of glasses were deeply profound. Big mouthfeel. Open an hour before consuming and serve near room temp.
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Belated celebrations: Very fine bead. Initially, a fairly muted nose of dried orange peel, lemon. Body feels weightless. Primarily very pure citrus fruit, yielding to some lemon rind, minerality, and finally a bit of brioche. Amazing acidity and elegance. It is decidedly on the opposite side of the spectrum from more powerful, oxidative, autolytic Champagnes, instead conveying absolutely pure fruit and minerality. Exceptional.
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Once again, this lives up to the hype. A thrilling wine, full of piercing, fresh citrus, pear and green apple fruit over a vivid chalky mineral base, framed by gentler brioche, doughy and yeasty notes that remain in the background. The power and intensity on the palate is hard to describe - there's such concentration and force here to the flavours, but there's also tremendous acidity that keeps it very focused and precise, and it has a remarkable sense of lightness and purity on the palate. Spectacular Champagne, and I'm glad I still have a couple left.
La Tache dinner (The Boardl Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): Ian Westcott posted that the bottle he tried recently was very tight. This is expressive and starting to be a bit more soft and generous, if that is even possible in a Salon, especially the 96. Intense sweet yellow citrus fruits, coriander, flowers, honey and limestone. First palate note is the strong presence of acidity followed by intensely sweet yellow fruits and honey, mineral, bright acidity once again then lovely long finish. This and the one prior seem to show more sweetness and roundness. It is hard to be absolute in this wine but it is starting to enter the second stage of development. Someone reminisces how perfectly precise this wine was upon release. If you have a lot, it won’t hurt to try one.
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Another great bottle of this stunning Champagne. Has a hint of toast to the aroma along with pure white peach and citrus fruits. It is so fine and so direct in the mouth with a razor sharp spine and creamy fruit. It fills every crevice of the mouth with citrus and minerals, has great cut and phenomenal length.
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Champagne Dinner: Painfully youthful but so enjoyable. Bread dough, citrus and minerals on the nose with an airy, elegant and citrus palate. Racy acidity yet so well balance. Finish is all fine citrus and minerals. Chevalier-Montrachet with bubbles. Needs another decade. 95+
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Third time with this wine and I've given it the same score each time. Seemingly light at first, the complexity builds and the wine starts to dance around your tongue and you can't think of anything else. Probably now my very favorite champagne.
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Brown Bag Wine Dinner at Two Chefs - Double Blind (TWO CHEFS, MIAMI, FL): The wine looks blonde colored. The legs are medium. It smells like lemon and leesy. It tastes like chrysanthemum. The body is light. The wine has polished texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has low acidity. Luis' Champagne. Thank You!
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Wines that Charles loves (Cafe Pyrenees): Tight and shy on the nose. Palate is very young with laser focus and a crisp acidic edge. All about the fruit notes now with lemon, lime and green apple - not getting much bread or biscuit. Sleek, long finish. Lots of upside potential here.
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Brilliant wine, like a Roulot ‘Perrieres’ that has been run through a soda stream. Sharp, focussed, detailed. Crammed with citrus and minerals. So much poise, such elegance.
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Still young but already open. Crystalline and weightless with incredible mouthfeel. Chalk, white fruits, florals, and mineral abound. Truly impressive.
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First time having the 1996, great intensity and overall balance. I like the '96 dom better but that's probably a style preference as this was really really good.
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Doesn't quite reach the crescendo of a previous bottle but this one flies high indeed.
From a restaurant's wine list and fairly priced at that. Right from the get go this was offering up so much. The nose was fairly shy all evening but it more than made up for it in the flavor department. There was lemon, hazelnut, and a distinct coconut icee flavor perfectly positioned in the mid-palate. After some air ( and a request for a white wine glass), this wine's tight steel core could be sensed. The last sips showed some caramel and toffee. This is a fabulous wine!
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Nose. Yeasty, biscuity, toasty. Hint of coffee. Caramel. Palate. Very complex. This is a wine definitely to drink with food. The hype around this wine probably meant it would never live up to expectations. I think the acidity means this is still too young.
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DRC Tasting Group: Bordeaux Night (Wild Ginger, Seattle, WA): Full, vibrant nose with lemon, green apple, and a touch of beeswax. Surprisingly full and round -- based on the reputation I was expecting something much more austere -- but still delicate. Fine, yet persistent, bubbles. Lemon, chalky minerals, and a little yeast/brioche on the body. Focused acidity. Gorgeous.
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Had this for New Years Eve and it was like a laser! It was straw colored and smelled like lime and apple. The tastes were apple, lime, lemon tea, fresh pear juice and was so precise. The acidity was just as precise and zingy with a long, clean finish. Wish I had more!
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@ Bagatelle 21.12.13 (Oslo): Klar, lys strågul. Nydelig, dyp mineralsk nese, med dype, modne toner av sitrus og lime, samt innslag av flint, kruttlapp og lette honningtoner. Dyp, fokusert, presis og intens frukt. Konsentert, utrolig ren, elegant og fokusert! Krisp, spisset syre. Finkornet, spenstig mousse. Nydelig lengde med sitrus og mineralsk preg. Imponerende oppvisning av kraft og eleganse. Ung, men drikker flott.
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Dena's Birthday Dinner with Mom at Il Palio. Very pale gold in the glass with a persistent stream of very tiny bubbles flowing up the middle of the glass in a straight line. Very young but extremely approachable. I wonder if this wine will ever go into a dumb phase or if it will just drink well throughout its' lifetime which is clearly many decades. Apples, brioche and a very vibrant and electrifying acidity. A spectacular wine that will be difficult to let age given how incredibly good it is today but I would like to see what one tastes like with another 20-30 years on it. 50+15+14+9.5+9.5=98+
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Wine Flock - Wines that Ken Loves Intro Retro (Highland Park): Nose is fresh, lively and seemingly young with green apples and citrus. Palate is very young with loads of acid and crisp apple notes. Terrific stuffing and length. Seems this is still wound up and needs time to evolve. Excellent.
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Impromptu lunch – 96 Salon, 02 Monfortino, 02 Jayer Gilles Echezeaux and etc. (Friend's house): Another great showing of this monumental Champagne. This particular bottle displays perfect precision with great mineral expression and piercing acidity. Yellow fruit driven noses, citrus, lime, quite floral, a hint of honey and limestone. Excellent concentration, sweet and dense palate, lovely mineral note and piercing acidity. This particular bottle is expressive yet still extremely youthful. Still long life ahead.
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This is showing very well, and makes me want to drink up all I have. Normally I would look past Salon in the cellar, favoring further aging (no matter the vintage), but this is so delicious now, that I see no reason to wait. There's more than enough lemon, apple, toast and light nut aromas and flavors for two bottles of Champagne. Pure happiness in a glass.
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Very much a knockout Champagne. Incredible intensity and power on the palate, yet there's also a sense of restraint and great finesse and purity to the flavours. Very pure citrus and pear fruit accented by chalky, toasty and nutty elements, and such focus and length to the flavours. This is incredible now, but I can barely imagine just how good this will be with some cellar time as it still comes across very youthful.
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A little muted at first and clearly still on the young side but with time and air its potential is obvious. For now, lemon, sea spray and some serious depth on the mid-palate which became particularly obvious when we drank the half bottle of Krug alongside. Increasingly complete with air. Three years to the next bottle if I have the patience.
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Such a treat to try them side by side with the 96 Krug. The Salon was brighter an more acidic. Lighter on the palate with great crispness and focus. Delicious but I do prefer the additional depth and power of the Krug tonight. I was in the minority though.
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Showing a faint whiff of toasty development coupled with the most pure peach and lemon fruits one could imagine. Rich and intense with a razor sharp spine and tiny pin head bubbles.
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Doesn't show quite the same intensity as other bottles I've had recently, but this is still a really fantastic Champagne. A vivid stony/chalky mineral presence, incredibly pure citrus, pear and green apple fruit tinged with biscuit and doughy notes, and fantastic cut, purity and power on the palate while remaining light. Gets better and better with air, opening out aromatically to show more nuance and depth, and as it warms up a little the mouthfeel becomes incredibly polished and seamless.
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A small impromptu gathering at The Capital Grille – 85 La La, 61 HB, 52 CB, 90 Margaux and etc. (The Capital Grille at Tysons corner, VA): This is the most open example that I have drunk. Initially noticeable mint, sweet yellow fruits, lemon curd, honey and anise. Intense sweet fruit driven palate, exceptional concentration, bright acidity and extremely long finish. It seems to be opening up nicely, still precise and intense yet it seems to gain a bit of sweetness and more yellow fruits. A great example. Still long life ahead but it is opening up nicely.
First Salon experience and holy cow. Prior to opening, was coaching myself to set expectations low after hearing so many rave reviews. This overdelivered in every regard. It's rich and concentrated while being so well balanced. The acid is bold, but perfectly in balance. It's quite youthful and will be a pleasure to explore this over the next few decades.
Kleur: Licht strogeel Aroma / bouquet: Verfijnd en 'bescheiden' bouquet met aroma's van stokbrood, gist en een vleugje caramel. Mooie 'gelaagde' structuur. Smaak / Afdronk: Verfijnde mousse. Start: friszuur, opvallend hoge zuurgraad, droog mondgevoel. Indrukwekkend lange afdronk. Aristrocratisch. Algemeen / potentieel: Prachtige Blanc de Blancs. Voor liefhebbers van frisse Champagne : nu op dronk. Ik wil de wijn graag in 2023 weer proeven ;-). 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 14 + Smaak / Afdronk: 19 + Algemeen / potentieel: 10 = 98/100
Google Translate: Color: Light straw yellow Aroma / bouquet: Refined and "modest" bouquet with aromas of bread, yeast and a hint of caramel. Beautiful 'layered' structure Taste / Finish:. Refined mousse. Start: fresh acid, remarkably high acidity, dry mouthfeel. Impressively long finish. Aristocratic. General / potential: Beautiful Blanc de Blancs. For lovers of fresh Champagne: Ready to drink now. I would like to taste the wine in 2023 again;-). 50 + Color: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 14 + Taste / Finish: 19 + General / potential: 10 = 98/100
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Two bottles this past weekend. Showed well, but last weekend we had two bottles each of 75 Oeno, 96 Salon, and 02 Cristal, and the Salon was a distant third.
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nose; minerals, campfire smoke, lemon meringue, and Madagascar vanilla. palate; white currants, pickled ginger, white peach, and café crema. high plus acidity. 75 plus second finish. moderate plus tiny bubbles. this is what a sparkling Domaine Leflaive Montrachet would taste like. Chevalier, Puligny, or Batard I think. this wine is truly great. I opened this to celebrate getting a hole in one. this was just as cool.
Dinner at Patina (Patina - Los Angeles, CA): Bright nose with lemons, sage, lime and a lot of baking spices. With some air, I think this really blossomed. The palate seemed to ripen with time and good lord was this nice. I dare you to drink this and not concede that it's a perfecty ccomposed chardonnay. Beautiful stufff.
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RJ’s wine dinner – random wines – Krug, Salon, Leroy, Truchot, Dujac, La Turque, Chave, SQN and etc. (Mon Ami Gabi - Reston, VA): Initially somewhat coiled and dense, strong presence of acidity. It opens up nicely, honey, fresh granny smith, mineral, white pepper and anise. Impressive concentration, sweet, dense and mineral palate expression and bright acidity. Still young and fresh but start to show some yellow fruits. I just ready my TN from December, 2011 and this bottle is almost identical in that there is a beautiful interplay of sweet dense fruit, strong mineral presence and bright acidity. Perhaps one of the most dense and precise Champagnes. Still long life ahead but ready to be enjoyed.
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Champagne, Burgundy, and old Huët at the North End Grill (North End Grill, NYC): Another spectacular bottle of this. Incredibly young, yet so complex and compelling already. Amazing power and intensity conveyed with remarkable elegance, and there's such cut and vibrancy to the flavours with layers of fresh lemon and green apple fruit, doughy and toasty notes and a vivid chalky minerality all coming together seamlessly around a powerful acid spine. Wow.
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La Paulee 2.0 S.F.: Little more advanced than a very youthful bottle we had a couple weeks ago...more doughy yeast, salted caramels...but still pretty killer with crisp lemon citrus, flowers, creamy mousse, crushed minerals. Love it!
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Epic Champagne Tasting (Fringale, San Francisco): Light gold color; nose has lovely balance and not very oxidative with slight yeast and pear fruit; fabulous acidity on the palate that adds great freshness and vibrancy to the wine, perfect bubbles, lovely tart green apple fruit, very young; finish is long and fresh. The most impressive characteristic of this wine is definitely the balance and the long finish. This seems very young with a lot of potential for improvement, and it seems like a good buy if you can find a decent price. (I would buy this over the 96 Krug for the same price, despite the fact that the Krug is arguably drinking slightly better today.) 95++ (95-98 with time)
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A revelation! My first Salon, and it impressed! I can't believe how fresh and alive, crystal clean, pure this was! Not tight at all...but did gain and gain, as the tiny bubbles went away through the night. The fruit was like tropical...yet loaded with fresh lemon/lime acidity...crunchy green apple skin and minerals galor! Tiny bubbles kept it so refreshing as well as the fresh squeezed citrus acidity...and later more caramel apple, vanilla cream, chalk dust came out....really creamy, yet STILL sharp as a tack! Yes...Chevalier with bubbles! I could have sipped on this all night!
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It's always with a certain devotion that I try a Salon. Expectations are higher than most other Champagnes. Therefore it is easy to be let down. This is most definitely a great wine. Light yellow color, with a subtle but consistent mousse. Quite acidic. But the still hidden fruit only shows now and then over the evening. Tried both normal flutes and larger glass. In the larger glass it becomes more like a still vine still very complex. Citrus, apple, peach, toffee, hazelnuts, brioche, coffee, chalk...well an abondance of most good things. This one seemed like it still had a long way before reaching maturity. Has the potential to reach the highest score.
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Took me a while to get this review in, but the Salon was spectacular as expected. In fact, I believe that the 96 Salon is finally starting to enter the early stages of its drinking window as this bottle showed some nice depth with less youthful tightness than in the past. The thing that struck me the most about this bottle was the level of precision - which was off the charts. After about an hour of being open the flavors kept expanding and showed deep citrus, lime, nuts, honey, cookie dough, flint, strong minerality, and a wonderful level of acidity. The finish went on for well over one minute. This was a real treat and has to be one of the top 2-3 bottles of champagne I have had this year. I expect this to continue improving in the future, but it is certainly no sin to open one of these today the way it is drinking. A special experience that is highly recommended.
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This is about ready to drink. Great wine with a very changing nose. Anis, estragon, butter.. all sorts of flavours. Very good balance. Has opened up in recent years. Drinking very well.
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A special wine that has seemingly put on weight and body since last tasted. Rich and powerful with a beautiful toasted bread nose. The last bottle of 2012. Exciting wine.
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Wow. Creamy graham crackers and pears on the nose than a saturating palate of citrus, mineral and an almost savory quince note. Long finish, fine bead. Happy new year indeed.
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New Year's Eve: WineSpectator.com Offline, San Diego (San Diego): Clear straw yellow color. Scant mousse, very fine bead. Initial bouquet of brioche and mushrooms, leading into wondrous notes of apples and lemons, with chalky minerality. Complex, refined, with a great sense of purity and precision. My #4 and group's FIRST PLACE by a wide margin.
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This bottle has a few milestones for me: the highest I've yet to rate a bottle of wine and the most I've paid for 750ml!
Moderate yet tiny bubble structure with a medium golden color. Steely core dripping in Meyer lemon; hazelnut body followed by layers and layers of citrus (lemon, lime, unripe orange), along with drying minerality and a never ending finish. Mind blowing..... its as if a chemist has extracted all of the previous flavors and put a super concentrated drop of each into my glass.
This was an absolute joy to share with others. It is true, sometimes its better to give than receive..... this will not be the last time this crosses my lips.....
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This bottle has a few milestones for me: the highest I've yet to rate a bottle of wine and the most I've paid for 750ml!
Moderate yet tiny bubble structure with a medium golden color. Steely core dripping in Meyer lemon; hazelnut body followed by layers and layers of citrus (lemon, lime, unripe orange), along with drying minerality and a never ending finish. Mind blowing..... its as if a chemist has extracted all of the previous flavors and put a super concentrated drop of each into my glass.
This was an absolute joy to share with others. It is true, sometimes its better to give than receive.... This will not be the last time this crosses my lips.....
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Light gold in the glass with a never ending stream of extremely tiny bubbles. Vanilla and white peaches with both the nose & palate dominated by the smell of entering the finest of French Patisserie Shops. Extremely long finish. Drinking beautifully now but still very youthful with several decades of great drinking ahead of it. A 100 point wine in the making? 14.5+14.5+9.5+9.5 = 98+
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As agreed by the one who brought it, this just did not open up and give as much as expected although one could tell the whole package is there, it was just not ready to present its gems; would it had been better to decant it? I`ll wait to open a few I have for 5-10 years.
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Round Table dinner at Jake's (NYC): Absolute stunner of a Champagne that brought the room to silence for a few minutes. So much complexity and depth here that it's hard to put into words; layers of rich fruit, chalky minerality, doughy and fresh baked brioche, all conveyed with remarkable power, finesse and purity, and amazing length. Wow!!
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Took a bottle to the San Francisco Opera (Tosca). My sibling had warned me that he didn't care for this producer's offerings. It was unlike any other champagne I've had. Minimal mousse, strong citrus. Five minutes after the last glass of the intermission I could still taste the citrus. I need time to ponder what I think of this, because it completely changes my conceptions of what a fine champagne should be. Notwithstanding the need for some reflection, for me it was exceptional.
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Pale yellow/gold, fine persistent stream of tiny bubbles. Doughy bread, yeast, honeysuckle, apple, citrus on the nose. Great palate feel, crisp fresh fruit and acidity hit first and follow through, joined by some honey and floral notes, very focused flavors on attack start to mingle with a nice complexity on the finish, but no sweet aged sherry-like notes often seen in older Salon, this has years of improvement ahead of it. Outstanding-extraordinary.
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Dinner at Crush Wine Bar (Crush Wine Bar, Toronto, ON): Popped and poured, followed over the course of the next couple hours. Medium gold in the glass, still showing some persistent micro bubbles. On the nose, lemon rind, slate, caramelized sugar, florals, brioche, yeast, and with time, showing light coffee grind, mushroom, roasted hazelnuts, honey and fresh grated ginger. On the palate, this is very crisp, with a strong acidic spine, but still showing some creamy richness and excellent depth, with notes of citrus zest, burnt sugar, mineral, with a touch of green apple skins. I was expecting this to be piercingly acidic on the palate, but that was not the case, as this showed tremendous balance, with a round, rich mouthfeel, while maintaining a good level of focus and precision. An exceptional pairing with the oysters. While this was excellent tonight, I would expect this to continue to improve and evolve for the next several years.
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2007 Cal Cult Cabs (SE, Harlan, etc.) and a bunch more: Light golden in color. The nose has green apples and a slight bread note. So smooth. I saved a glass to sip all night. With air, it got a sour lemon candy note which I really liked. Eventually, the nose got a bit of a nutty quality. The lemon candy turned a bit sweeter like "Lemonheads". Great acidity and still youthful. Wonderful way to start.
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This thing is up and down like a toilet seat at a mixed party. This bottle was terrific. Lightly toasted it drinks like a very smart white burg that is just taking on a little development.It has zesty lemon fruit aromas and flavors, a little white peach and strong minerally line. The bead is super fine and as it warms in the glas there's a suggestion of rockmelon. It has great cut and focus.
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Big dense champagne, fine mousse, nice nose. This was served in narrow flutes and perhaps that limited the experience - we are really enjoying our champagnes in larger wine glases these days. I think I prefer a livelier style, but perhaps this will become more compelling and complex with time - it certainly seems to have the stuffing to last. Enjoyable.
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Pale yellow color. Abundant, fine bead. Aromas of lemon, apple, biscuit, and a hint of green fig. Palate is dominated by what I associate with Mesnil - hazelnut and yellow flowers with a lemon-apple fruit element that leads into a medium finish. The acid is still prominent. This is progressing and not a bad sip now (has it ever been?), but still needs time to come together fully. Drink or hold.
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pretty good for me; i hadn't opened one of these in 20 months. see previous multiple notes on it's legenday status in my drinking experience. this bottle was only fabulous and not stupendous
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Golden color. Doughy aromas of apple and melon. Flavors of melon, apple, lemon, and lime with a limestone minerality. Beautiful balance. Long elegant finish.
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Birthday Wines for Mr. Wei at Chateau De Husky; 6/29/2012-7/2/2012: Pretty similar notes as before. Very concentrated but linear flavors of citrus and acid. The acidity is almost piercing as it attacks the palate. Classic BDB with high toned flavors, this wine rarely disappoints as the flavors are so precise that you can almost pinpoint every sensation.
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R&Y & B&A @ Medlar (The Medlar, London): Fantasic wine. A very pale straw colour with a fast and persistent stream of very fine bubbles. Expresive and really quite chalky nose that gradually opens up to show slightly creamier and more honeyed notes. Very precise and effortlessly elegant on the attack and across the mid-palate. Minerally, and long with great line. Whilst oviously having good 96 acidity and great focus, this is softening and showing more floral and honeyed notes on the palate too. Just lovely. Years of development in this, but a wonderful wine at present. *****
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See my note for the 1982 Salon. In short, cellar away for the next ten years? While evolving into rounder buttery tones, it still has a fiercely lemony, acidic character. Did not have the same degree of depth to the 1982 yet...
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When we tasted this, I knew we had drank it a few years back but I could not exactly recall my tasting note. Sure enough, the notes are very consistent. This really has not changed in the 2+ years since we had it last. Easy Champagne of the Night for me, and we drank very very well. This is painfully young but absolutely delicious right now. I am not great at estimating how long a wine will drink well, especially with Champagne but I am not sure this wine will fall off the table in any of our lifetimes. It should continue to drink really well for many years. Loaded with orchard fruits, lemon peel, a touch of dough. Fine bubbles. Terrific acidity and great length. A sublime bottle of Champagne. Probably the best I have ever had.
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Tuscan wine gathering at Bluegrass Restaurant - Showing my dedication to Baltimore winos (Bluegrass restaurant, Baltimore): Perhaps this is a good example of the flaw in believing 100 point wine. The last bottle was singing and I rated 99 points. This bottle came from the same source and cellared in the same condition. Initially served a bit too warm, it was very tight. The nose is like a closed Les Clos, a hint of lemon oil but dominated by the mineral expression. I tried this two hours later and a hint of Chardonnay fruit and richer mouthfeel but still not expressive.
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Drunk with sushi. Bright yellow gold with a nose of limestone and yeasty. In the mouth this is clean, high acidity, lemons and some biscuits. It is very precise, very long and tastes quite youthful. Good bottles
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(11 Madison Park, NY) This is the first time I have had this 1996 so ready to drink. Not at all on the top yet, but also very drinkable now. VERY... No notes, but in company with lovely food on a visit in New York
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Dinner with a few burgundies (Fook Lam Moon, Hong Kong): Terrific champagne with laser like focus and precision, vibrant crispy apple flavours dominate the palate. I think it could open up a lot more given time, but as is the case for many other 1996 champagnes, this process isn't going to happen overnight is it! TH, who brought this to dinner, has a case so looks like we"ll have to stay friends as I'm looking forward to trying a bottle in 2020
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Super champagne. Started off remarkably elegant and just built up and up over the afternoon. Brilliant stuff but not without peer. Still very young, yet it is well integrated.
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This is a beautiful, beautiful bottle of wine. Opened to celebrate some good news, this was the perfect wine. Complete precision on the palate with layers of acidity that breaks over my palate. Beautiful, ethereal and precise. And so much in reserve.
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Pale yellow. Toasty bread, honeysuckle, green apple on the nose. Fine mousse, piercing acidity balanced by great crisp fruit purity and concentration, minerality and green apple follow the nose, very nice finish. Still very young, outstanding now with plenty of upside potetntial for the next 10-20+ years.
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1982 Bordeaux dinner at Lavandou also bubblies, whites and stickies: Cornucopia of flowers, honey, limestone, white pepper, beeswax and etc. The nose hints the piercing acidity that is just about to hit the palate. The palate displays excellent concentration, freshness and bright acidity. The nose is not as expressive as Krug but is incredibly pure. Despite the piercing acidity, the palate gives the impression of roundness due to the dense perfectly matured fruit. Not sure whether it is appropriate to use “unctuous” for a champagne but it is just that. With air, it gained even more weight and the fruit got slightly sweeter/riper. I initially rated this 96 but ended with 99. A long life ahead.
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A superbly elegant, balanced, beautifully crafted and utterly delightful Champagne. Even within the context of the outstanding 1996 vintage, arguably the best in the past 30 years, this one shines. Not too dry or austere, this one exudes a classy, refined elegance that is unmistakably Salon. A tantalizing nose that suggests a lot of minerality to come, the palate experience is instead concentrated ripe citrus notes of lemon and lime, with a finish that hints of green apples. Persistent finish that doesn't disappoint. Much more elegant, interesting and complex than the 1996 Krug, which seems very simply structured in comparison. A very refined wine.
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Served blind. This is the third time i taste the 1996 and it still embryonic. Please cellar it for another 10 years and it would probably gain 3-5 points in complexity!
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HDH auction tasting at Tru (Chicago, IL): Saves me the trouble of popping one open come 2012. Liqueur-like nose, with notes of caramelized green apples, some brown spice notes, as well as faint bready aromas as well. There is a wealth of painfully concentrated green apple acidity. A hint of sweetness, as well as lovely yellow fruit flavours. Long, long, long. Like a grand cru Burgundy with a little bit of fizz (or, decant the fizz off and let it warm slightly). Simply delicious, and I can't wait for this to pick up some age.
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This was my first opportunity to taste the 1996 Salon. Given the many comments and reviews I have read, I expected this to be extremely young with incredible acidity. While it was still certainly youthful, it had matured much more than I expected. In fact, the majority of the bubbles dissapeared after about 20 minutes in the glass. The nose was lovely with a sweet floral smell that could be smelled even if your nose was not right up to the glass. Once it touched my lips I could immediately tell just how wonderfully delicate and precise this champagne was. The flavors included almonds, white bread, a dolup of honey, deep saline infused minerality, chalk, white flowers, lemon oil, peaches, and subtle red apples. Everything was in perfect balance and the taste literally resonated for at least two minutes after the last sip. In fact, even a couple of hours after my wife and I had finished the bottle, we could still almost taste the esence of the Salon flavors.
This was a very welcome surprise. Even though it will no doubt continue to improve for another 10 to 15 years, 96 Salon is no longer too young to drink in my eyes at least. In fact, if you tend to be someone who prefers their champagne on the younger side, I would almost say that the next 2 to 3 years might be the ideal time to drink the 96 Salon. Just a wonderful champagne experience.
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Leroy Dinner (Carlos - Highwood, IL): Amazing aromas of lemon, lemon peel, orange peel with some background anise. Same citrus fruit profile on palate with a bit of ripe apple and pear, all extended by massive acidity and minerality. Slightly more accessible than when tasted near release, this will most likely continue to improve for at least another 5 years and be a great Champagne for at least twenty.
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x-pensive winos dinner @ josie's in santa monica. i joked that it would be all downhill from this, and i was right. no other wine showed all the bells and whistles of this classic. delicious! as if we need another testimonial to it's greatness.
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A pale yellow with a light green hue. Fine beading. Scented with lemon and talc and white flowers. Explodes in the mouth with freshness and intensity. Wow. You have to hang on your chair! Tight and taut, but with a rich creamy intensity. Lemon rind, lemon curd, lightly toasted bread. This bottle had decades of time left in it. Tasted along side the 1996 Krug.
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One of finest Champagnes I have ever had. It is soo young that it appears to be 1 year old but slowly aging. I suspect his wine will hold very well for 20 some years.
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Delicious as always. A white burgundy lover's champagne. Wonderful precise focused citrus fruit on the palate with piercing acidity. A hint of saline on the back that gave it a lift from that heavy dose of acidity. This is a wine that has everything you want in a bdb champagne, minerality, acidity, bright fruit wrapped into a tight package.
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15EastNY- light yellow bright color. Lemon biscuity nose. Very lively. This maybe 15 years old but it is still razor sharp young acid line. Very much liked with sushi. This wine has a long time to go
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Pull out the stops 50th bday party at Troquet: Served without food as we arrived. Bracing acidity and broad full flavors of flowers, fruits and nuts. Delicious wine that is beautiful now but will grow in richness and complexity with time. Will likely deserve more points then. Have been lucky to have this twice now and want more. For my taste, this is better than the 96 Dom at this moment and may well remain so.
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A couple of bottles recently that didn't seem to stand up as well as usual to the bottles drunk side by side had me worrying if the 96 was going into a challenging phase. Tonight's bottle was terrific, so hopefully the last couple were flukes.
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Giallo paglierino riflessi verdolin, bolla fine, naso minerale, poi molto nocciola caramellata tostata, burro con pera in padella, bocca monumentale per sapidità e bellissima acidità, bollicina finissima , finale di crema pasticciera salata
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There’s been a bit of bottle variation with this wine but this one was a ‘ripsnorter’. Piercing, precise, pure and persistent. Loaded with green apples, lemons and minerals. Great shape, finesse and drive in the mouth, just about perfect Champagne for mine.
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Saturday night is Burg Night with Charlie and Edson (Maison MacKay): First time I've had Salon and it's easily one of the top Champagne I've tasted. Still tastes young and fresh with nice acidty, tropical fruits, and amazing balance with just a touch of yeastiness to add some complexity. A pure expression of Champagne that's a pleasure to drink.
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Honeymoon Wines; 5/21/2011-5/28/2011: Much different in style than I expected, as Krug CdM was my only Mesnil blanc de blanc comparison and this is much more reserved. Nose is rather shy but captivating with mild yeast, and stoney fruit. Palate is steely, taught with tension, but eventually opens up with floral character, with subtle lime and melon flavors. Despite the taught nature and acidity, mouthcoating and lush, with an incredibly lengthy dough and stone finish that last minutes.. Very balanced, smooth, with any hard edges or seams. As good as it was, I think the best is yet to come.
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Les Mesnil Masterclass (St-Regis Hotel): Nose was pretty tight but showing promising underlying material of pure white and yellow fruits intermixed with floral scent touch of honey and toasted oak. Palate is even tighter, restraint with medium weight and complexity, pure & elegance finished that seems lack a little bit of persistent and tension, quite charming though. This is certainly too young to judge and I believe with the total harmony and good underlying substance that the wine showed today, this will definitely add more weight and depth with additional bottle age, say, 10-15yrs. Buy - Not for what it is today.
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Pale straw yellow. Impressive, elegant nose with astonishing mineral, green apples, unripe peach, walnuts and white bread. Dry and still very young with razor sharp acid and mineral, nuts, bitter chocolate, green apples, nuts. Good intensity and very long. Will keep another 8-10 years before next bottle. The point reflects the future potential.
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Following the Bolly RD and the Krug 2 nights before, this was like the middle bear. "Just right". Lovely rich texture with a good bit of lemony acidic zing. Young too, but not nearly as tight as the Krug
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Light golden colour. Somewhat reticent nose, with notes of canary melons, floral honey, a hint of Burgundian mushrooms, and bread. On the palate, this is simply loaded with everything imaginable from a Chardonnay. The Burgundian earthiness, citrus-based acidity, yellow fruits, and the champenois yeasty characteristics are all there. This is so mouth-numbingly concentrated it's painful to drink, and the finish just doesn't go away. Superlative now, but will only be more so in the future.
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The most interesting, delicious, and powerful Champagne I have experienced. Rich, yeasty nose with flavors of pear, caramelized apple, and spice. Wonderful on its own, and has the guts to stand up to food - even blue cheese. Maturing, but still very youthful. Truly a special wine.
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dinner with the goldbergers. this bottle is more like those tasted when it was first released, so a little bottle variation for me. vibrant and expressing a youthful zing on the palate. i served this initially too cold. warming up in the glass, and over an hour out of the ice, it opened and gave nice brioche and pear/tropical fruit notes. as my friend brad e says, "stock up!"
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From a 750ml, served at 52 degrees and enjoyed over 2 hours, along with some sweet prosciutto, honey-dew melon, and triple cream cheese. The mousse and beads were fine. On the nose, lemon, yeasty toast, green apple, and the hint of torrone. On the palate, intense acidity -- almost over the top, but never too much -- minerals, citric acid, and more yeastiness on the finish. Hard to believe that this is 14 years old; it is still so young and vibrant, and has many years of ageing ahead of it.
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The Other Great French Blancs: Champagne and Sauternes (Wink Restaurant, Austin, Texas): What a treat to drink this with the 1995 Salon and other top 1996's. Compared with the 96, this Salon was way young, had a very “austere” nose, and lots of citrus. Pale yellow, its high acidity and youth took time for the wine to develop. Eventually the nose shed some minerality and had pecan pie and pie crust notes. Creamy, silky, chalky, and heavy on the palate, tasters found flavors of bright pear and apricot, very bright lemon, smoke, minerals, herbs, saline, and cracked black pepper. Wait 3-5 years and pop the cork, it might top the 1995's notes, but for now it did not show nearly as well.
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Dinner with Herwig Janssen (Blue Duck Tavern): At first not giving much, with a slightly hazelnut nose, the Salon developed from a touch bitter finish to a yeasty, lemony finish. Still very tight.
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Decanted for 2.5 hours before diving in. Subtle oxidation, green apple, Meyer lemon, and a hint of mushroom on the nose. On the palate full and expansive with more apple, lemon zest, chalk, and pear liquor. The finish went on for 60 seconds. It was so youthful that I could not believe it was a 96...especially considering where the 96 Dom is at this point. Very Chablis like. The balance is extraordinary. In a league of it's own.
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Bright yellow in color. On the nose, slightly oxidized apple, lemon, and a hint of bread. Precise and pure on the palate. Impeccably balanced. Decanting definitely help this wine show well- taming the acidity and opening up the aromatics. Excellent length. Although fun to try, not where it needs to be to WOW just yet.
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Same as last bottle and up against a 96 Krug, it was just an infant. While the Krug had a bunch of secondary characteristics, the Salon was light, airy, had a beautiful mousse and a balance that was almost etherial in nature. It is aging very gracefully!
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Drinking surprisingly well and although the acidity is still undoubtedly there it is kept in check. Very expressive and lively nose mainly of lemon curd, but with some cookie dough notes. Fine bead with a precise mousse. Will seek out some more as this is going to be even more impressive in a few years.
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First 96 Salon I've had and the airy, light but amazingly complex wine that was just singing in the glass was really quite impressive. It was a treat for me to pour this for everyone!
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I heard about Salon but never had a pleasure tasting it. Being a Champagne novice I can barely distinguish all the nuances Champagne brings to the table and still I was amazed by the quality, balance, and focus the wine brings. Probably, without exaggeration, the best Champagne I ever had.
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Almost like Chablis with fizz, a real purists version of Champagne without the pomp and circumstance associated with many "sweeter" showy styles. I felt the edgy acidity and fruit purity matched really well creating a wonderfully steely like resolve but with a depth of flavour which was immensely satisfying. First time with this wine and very impressed.
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G6 (Dave): Pale yellow color. Doughy nose of tropical fruit. Tastes of apple and melon with some note of lemon. Perfect balanced. Nice minerality on the mid palate. Long elegant finish.
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Awesome. I love this one. Like a great white burgundy. Revealed itself as we went through the bottle. Great acidity, minerality and fine. My favourite champagne.
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Drunk side by side with a 95 DP original release. Six of us, and a split verdict on favorites. I lean towards the DP (my bias), but as usual the 96 Salon is drinking beautifully.
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Once again, lives up to its billing. Brilliant, bottle after bottle tonight. Ageing well, and as always just a beautiful young champagne. After two bottles, we inserted a 95 Oeno. Finished happily, but the dinner table demanded more Salon. After a few more bottles, we inserted an 85 Krug. The crowd demanded more Salon. A few of us quite enjoyed the Oeno, Krug, and a whole lot of Leroy as well.
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Champagnes and Burgundies (Gramercy Tavern): This is progressing very nicely since the last two times I had this wine closer to release, when it was behaved almost violently unready to drink. Now it's unfurled to the point where you can even call the fruit luscious. It's still very young and lemony, but it's a more sumptuous lemon than the wincingly acidic kind I remember, even starting to show the very beginning of its eventual transition to something more compote-like and tropical, and dense enough to border on the gelatinous. Certainly has a bright future ahead, and while I dunno if it's all that worthwhile peeking in now, at least it isn't punishing like it used to be.
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Just starting to open up and hitting all the right spots on the palate. Perfect balance, nothing out of place. One of my favorite champagnes with a terrific upside.
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Like the '96 Krug, this has started to put on a little weight. Don't get me wrong, still very acidic, but the green apple of previous bottles is starting to soften a little bit and turn into a red apple. Long finish with a touch of brown sweetness (not bitterness of previous bottles). Will improve with age I am sure.
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It is like Roulot’s Meursault ‘Perrieres’ that has been run through a ‘soda stream’. There’s so much harnessed power, purity and tension and it has added an extra dimension of creaminess over the past 12 months.
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Take a great Chevalier-Montrachet, run it through a soda stream and you have the 96 Salon. It is so pure, balanced and precise, loaded with citrus and minerals. It has a rapier spine and finishes with awesome cut and absurd length of flavour.
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'88 Northern Rhones at Siggy's: My second time with '96 Salon. Unfortunately this hit while I was getting the soup ready to serve and took almost no notes. The nose was an awesome combination of ripe fruit and yeast/dough aromas. In the mouth this is packed with clean fruit than fans out across the palate with great intensity. Light and elegant on the palate despite the obvious heft of the fruit. Very well balanced with plenty of acidity. Great length on the finish. This is a special bottle of wine that will be fun to follow for many years into the future.
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Far and away, the best champagne I've ever had. Perfectly balanced with a purity of chardonnay that was stunning. Top 10 bottles of wine, I've ever had.
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Dinner at Søllerød Kro (Søllerød Kro): Light yellow. Intense and deep nose of sour yellow fruit (very pure and lemon like), dried flowers and some lightly nutty aromas. Shows great BdB elegance married to intensity and a clearly defined "96" acid. Also some Mesnil chalky minerality.
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This is one of the most stunning wines I've ever tasted. Gorgeous nose of citrus zest, lemon, minerals, green apple, and brioche. In the mouth, amazingly youthful, profoundly concentrated, and supremely complex. This is like the ultimate Chablis, with greater complexity -- and bubbles. It's winning all around, with a seemingly sharp but utterly weightless and precise palate presence. Bracingly beautiful, with amazingly pure fruit, but layers of complexity that change with each sip. Excellent acidity. And then this takes it into the ethereal plane on the finish. It's endless and details each aspect of the wine -- fruit, minerality, toasty notes. There is a creamy sensibility to the finish, too. Just tremendous. A memorable wine that makes you feel privileged to have drunk it. A+
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New Year's Eve 2009-2010 (Our House (2033 Brandywine St., Philadelphia)): This is absolutely outstanding. Green apple, sourdough and yeast dominate the intoxicating nose. Great development and complexity on palate. Sweet and spicy with mouth tingling and mouth watering sensation. The finish keeps building and building. This is so young and fresh and has such a long time to go. The problem is that is that it is so good today. A knockout.
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New Years Eve (Collingswood and Philadelphia): really remarkable bottle. crisp green apple and a lovely yeastiness. very fine mousse tingles all over the palate like little miniature pinpricks. lovely med(+) finish sits on the midpalate. this ha extreme focus of the flavors and is remarkably youthful. amazing.
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wow! this wine will need some time measured in decades. over 3 days i tasted this one (half a glass a day, champagne stoppr..etc). day 3 and the wine hardly had opened up. it hinted at what will come. and it will be stellar. if you have a bunch of bottles, try one! Otherwise have patients.
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Wonderful fragrance, and more open than the 1997 I drank a few weeks ago. Freshly squeezed green apples, smoky, almond, lots of nuts, rubber, flint, gunpowder, chopped stone. Strong from the start and held throughout the evening.
Underbar doft och mycket mer öppen än 1997:an som jag drack för några veckor sedan. Nypressade gröna äpplen, rökig, mandel, massor av nötter, gummi, flinta, krut, hackad sten. Stark från början och höll hela kvällen.
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Kvällen överraskning. Tror först Comtes 98. Samma toner och doft, Lite samma försynta tillgänglighet som Comtes har. I jämförelse med Salon 97 sist så känns den här flaskan som mycket mer tillgänglig. Konstig, tvårt emot vad som jag väntat mig. Doft av krut, kaffe, fläder och lite kaffe. Hög fin syra , fin mousse och smak av mogna äpplen. Det vin som håller längst i glaset
The surprise of the evening My first thought is a Comtes de Champagne 98. The same tones and fragrance and same modest availability that Comtes has. In comparison with Salon 97 it feels much more accessible. Weird, contrary to what I had expected. Smell of gunpowder, coffee, lilac, and some coffee. Fine acidity and mousse with flavors of ripe apples. The wine live long in the glass.
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Dang, I want so bad to drink this stuff, but it remains painfully young! Wow, though. What great breeding. Perfect nose of apple, fresh breads, toast and creme brulee. Not fully evolved on the palate and there are more wonderful nuances waiting for the eternally patient! The unfortunate thing about a young vintage Champagne is that you really can't let it breathe. I seriously thought about letting a glass hold over to the following day and try it as a still wine. I'm betting it would be great then too!
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initally closed, but after 30 min in the bottle opened up a nose of creamy, honeyed, caramel apple. GREAT nose. taste was great and refreshing, but IMO the flavors were a little clumsy, and not as layered as i hoped for. finish was very refined and delicate. excellent finish.
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Intense floral, pears, toast and lemon aromas. The palate has incredible intensity and drive, with great integration of acidity. So much potential but it is still brilliant to drink now.
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There was no green apple on this bottle tonight. The nose had some chalk, unami and toast. The palate had huge minerallity, good acidity, brioche, lemon and pear. The finish had a burnt (not smoky) vegetable thing going on that was not pleasant, and really hurt what was otherwise a good, but not great bottle. I will try again soon.
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Old vs New World (Cabs, Pinots) at Cavaillon (Cavaillon Restaurant, Rancho Santa Fe, CA): Oh man, that nose just tells you everything you need to know. Starts with apples, moves to light biscuit, finishes with creme brulee (well, essence of creme brulee). Long long finish and already perfectly integrated. I had this 3 days ago and still can't stop thinking about it!
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The Big "Four-O": 40+ Wines for 40 Years: This was drinking much better than the last time I had it (Valentine's Day '09) when it was all green apple. This time there was actually a little red apple and pear, great body and crisp acidity.
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This was all green apple, from the greenish tint in the glass to the nose to the palate. While much better than an Appletini, this was really tight and dry. I think this needs more bottle aging. In the meantime, I will drink 1995 Krug, which I think is drinking wonderfully now.
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Peach, orange, pear, and bread with a fine, creamy bead. Considerably more open than the last time I tasted this, and as before eminently more drinkable at this stage than the '96 Krug. A-
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Greg's bottle and what a treat it was. The infinite stream of the tiniest possible bubbles is mesmerizing to watch. Very citric at first and obviously young but the balance and sheer class of the Mesnil fruit makes an indelible impression. As it warmed in the glass, deeper notes of green apple, butter and peach are stunningly beautiful. This is the epitome of elegance and surely one of the 3 greatest (very) young champagnes I have tasted.
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Wonderful, but I'm a little concerned that it's shutting down as the flavours were not as pronounced as I expected - or, perhaps it's me that's shutting down at this stage of the holiday season...
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Dinner at St. Jacques with Fred & Ronnie. Lot L9617807. Pale in color, this is an incredibly good young Champagne. A very complete wine even at this early stage and one that will only gain complexity with time. A perfect balance of acid and richness. Right up there with the '96 Krug. 50+14+14+9+9 = 96+
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Typical green/yellow/gold color in glass with a fine bead. Aromatically forward with lemon curd, baked apple, fresh apple, and butterscotch aromas. On the palate, the Mesnil signature shows over the fruit notes, which gravitate toward green apple, lemon, stones, and maybe a hint of fig. While very easy to drink and clearly a classy wine, this isn't as kaleidoscopic as it was on release. My remaining bottles will sleep until they have at least five years on the cork and I hope to be able to savor this at full maturity in a few decades time.
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Nice treat to get another peak at this one. But it's getting even more difficult to taste. It retains its density and brightness but everything else has gone into hibernation.
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Casual Dinner at Le Titi -for an out of towner (Le titi de Paris): Best champagne I have ever had (although I have not had many great champagnes). Nose of Fruity pebbles, cookie dough, lemon, caramelized nuts. Rich in the mouth with just an elegant feel from beginning to end. Frankly this wine was just so enjoyable. I might have drink more of this and soon.
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John Chapman meets the three Headed Monster (Le Titi Paris(Arlington Heights, IL)): nose: this is a nose that one can just get lost in, and these weren't even all that great of champagne glasses. Wonderfully balanced and full tones of almonds, loaded amounts of various citrus fruits, a bakers dozen of busicuits, and wonderfully ripe tones of green apples. The nose is just so densely layered and so fine that its delicate yet robust at the same time
taste: explosive amounts of green apples, almond shavings, biscuits, and roasted cashews. Its just like fireworks going off in your mouth, but at the same time being sickly balance with deft precision. The flavors are beyond comprehension, but so youthful at the same time
overall: um, yea, this is amazing champagne. Quite frankly, this is probably one of the best wines that one can taste and experience. Insanely youthful with a ridiculous amount of acidity, this needs some time to calm it down. That said, with flavors this delicious, its hard to resisit to pop the cork and experience this opus of a wine. There is no substitute, this is extordinary stuff with amazing complexity and length, but still needs time to fully mature. this wine just says, "hello my son, welcome, to the machine."
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Uncorked DK tastes Châteauneuf 2006 and Henri Bonneau (Premisse): Light yellow. Fine, yet persistent bubles. Delicious nose of apples, acid and certain wet stony minerality - almost a spätlese nose. In the mouth light, yet intense with roasted nuts and glue. Appeared a bit closed like many other 1996s at this stage. (G94+/U93,7)
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I believe this is the 3rd time I have had a bottle of this. Previously I thought it was excellent but still carrying lots of structure and not truly showing itself. This bottle was downright fantastic. I was afraid I would be losing so more enamel off my teeth but the acid was actually perfectly balanced. Expressive aromatics, with white fruit and yeast. On the palate it was just plain tasty. The acid was in check enough to have as a cocktail but with food the tannin and acid popped out just enough. Extended finish. I must say I was looking forward to drinking this but didn’t think it would be the easy star of the night. Even my wife who doesn’t like Champaign or any white wine, was enamored with this.
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Light yelolw/green texture, with very intense palate of minerals and citrus. Very highly concentrated but still elegant, I can understand the excitement this wine has generated but still have some problem understanding the exceptional scores. Maybe I was not made for champagne?
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Prestige Cuvees at Woodland Hills Country Club (Woodland Hills Country Club): Light elegant nose of toast and chalky Chardonnay. Soft and light with a silky feel, bit tight and tart. This generated discussion next to the Winston Churchill. The Salon is certainly very pretty and I see what people enjoy about it but I prefer more complexity and depth in a Champagne....though I certainly never turn a taste down.
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Very light gold in color; 96+ points; Much has been said about this wine so I can't add a lot but to say WOW. Citrus and slight pear aromas. Complex and focused with lemon fruit and a long, chalky, minerally finish. Clearly very young and acidic with numerous but incredibly tiny bubbles. This screamed for caviar and/or sashimi. WOW.
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I decided to saber this with a small kitchen knife…quite an embarrassing scene. Ultimately, the bottle gave in, and the wine inside was what we’ve come to expect. Just a fantastic young champagne.
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So young that it's really tough to see this as Salon right now. The fruit is bright and lemony with a thickness that reminds me of Selosse and a minerally finish in stark contrast to Salon's usual sumptuousness; this is almost gravelly.
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Spring comes to Minneapolis.: Its really all been said on this wine - great juice with a long life ahead. Thought we'd bought a lifetime supply, but Lady Di has adopted it as her house champagne, so I think I'm in trouble.
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To celebrate my father-in-laws retirement, we ordered up big on sashimi, and popped the cork on a '96 Salon. Wow! Rich and deep. Yeast, honey and nuances of lemon; wrapped around a core of steely minerality; with every component in harmonious balance. A sharp acidity, and an after taste that not only lingers but actually builds upon itself.
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I think it is a bit unfair giving this a numeric value at this point. Frighteningly young and austere. The aromatics are so destinct and unforgettable. Lightly crushed minerals and rocks, chalk, and lemon oil with a bit of green apple and steel. The piercing acidity attacks right away, making you take a few steps back. Citrus and minerals is all this offers at this point.. Give this one plenty of time to evolve and I'm sure it will be one of the greatest Champagnes. 94-97
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clear, bright golden core with a heavy bead. Clean, huge nose that really lept out of the bottle apon uncorking. Yeast, apple and multi vitamin notes are massive. Brioche, lemon and mineral are also noted. The palate is bone dry, high but round crisp acids with huge lemon tart, limestone and green apple, very creamy. This makes me think of grape skins more than any other wine I've had. Very small bubbles, moderate + body with a long length of apple, pear and lemon-lime. Very good, an exceptional expression of the varietal. I fear that while i very much enjoyed this wine it went over my head. That being said i might stash another bottle away and try it again when it is in its prime.
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Pale, golden yellow. Pours with thick mousse. Nose quite sharp at first, opens to reveal some smoke, white pepper, cream brulee. In the mouth, cream, lemon hard candy, and green apple. Ultimately some of the white pepper comes though on the palate, too. An amazingly complex wine that got better and better. Stunning.
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Immediately know it is going to be different in the mouth. Taste explosion of lemon and lime balanced by good acidity. Very fine bubble though not very bubbly.
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Vintage Champagne (Grape Radio - Tustin, CA): This is my third taste of this wine, and while I do think it is outstanding and very refined, I am having some trouble getting excited about it. Faint aromas of lemon rind and yeast are followed an elegant palate of nectarines, green apples, graphite, and biscuit. Tangy lemon on the finish. Racy acidity. Clearly a youngster and destined to improve, but at this price I would take two 1996 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne over one of these in a heartbeat.
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CIVC Champagne Tasting (Sydney, Australia): Immediately obvious on the nose and palate that this is a couple of steps up. Layered, beguiling aromas of flowers, slate, citrus, spice and toast. The palate is without doubt, superb. The depth and complexity of flavour is almost overwhelming to the senses but the focus is equal to the task with some incredible structural acidity. Impeccable length. An exciting, magnificent wine now and I am certain it is destined to obtain legendary status in years to come.
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A bubbly elixr. Stunning concentration and finish tells you this is something special. Yeasty green apple, belgian white beer. Then comes an astounding chalky, steely minerality. Laser like acidity keeps everything in perfect balance. I'm not terribly experienced with Champagne, but this certainly seemed a bit tight and I'm excited to see how my other bottles will progress and improve over the years.
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G7 (Jeff): Pale yellow in color. Tastes of pears and apples. Incredible mid palate depth and complexity. A knockout finish (with gorgeous acidity) that lasts almost forever. Probably the finest Champagne I have ever had the pleasure to drink.
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Philly Pre-Game Champagne and Bordeaux Dinner (Marigold Restaurant, Philadelphia, PA): Very tight on the nose. Aromas of maraschino cherry, apple, lemon, and biscuit. Medium-full bodied, again somewhat closed, but shows good texture and a ton of acidity. Apple and lemon on the palate. Moderate finish, ~30-40s, with white fruit and citrus. To no surprise, this opened up with a couple hours air as all Salon does (old or young), but this wine is clearly extremely young. Salon does not really hit its stride until 20 years of age, and I think this wine is a benchmark that has potential to go significantly longer than that. 93+ points for now, but I think it could outclass even the 1982 with time.
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Tasted April 13, 2007 at an offline. Opened about 30-minutes to an hour without decanting before serving. Light yellow color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of pears, whetstones, citrus fruits and eventually with more time opened a little brioche. Flavors of apples, lychee, peach and some steely minerality as well. Crisp and youthful acidity, medium to full bodied. Obviously a very young Champagne. I’d recommend holding myself.
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Initially really restrained. Lots of mineral and light citrus overtones. More expansive with time. Great focus and precision. Razor-sharp acidity. Just a wonderful young wine.
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Lime/golden color. A muted and very young scent with green apples, grapefruit (the bitter stuff) and a lot of mineral. When tasting the first (and last) impression is the high acidity, razor sharp. Beneath all the acid is a full and very young taste with apples and mineral. The aftertaste goes on and on. It's extremely hard to get a grip on this Salon, everything is very muted and closed down. In fact I saved most of this for an hour in the glass, hoping it would open up a bit. Nothing happened. Sp would I buy this? Probably not but I'd love to taste it again in 10-15 years or so.
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A few days in Paris; 7/18/2006-7/23/2006 (Paris): A rather toasty nose for such a young Salon. An austere palate as usual, but with a wonderful balance of citrus fruit and explosive mousse that I find the 1995 to be lacking. Tart and young but with so much clear potential. Firmly acidic. Wonderful young Champagne.
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TTG#8: Old Barolo and Young Bordeaux (Shunju in Tokyo): Deep straw/pale gold. Beautifully pointal mousse. Heavy ripe apple and slight horse urine (this is a scent I find in many young rich wines, though normally more pinot driven and is, surprisingly, a positive indication of good things to come) on the nose. With the shio-uni, a bit of a tinny taste, but the tin goes away with a beef gelée and potato and smoked bacon mousse. Young but not backward. Has a hidden elegance in finish and mousee but the ’96 size certainly shows. A great combination of elegance and size that just needs time. In the glass, a bit of welcome and refreshing lime comes out, along with the typical minerality. Toasted yeast bread and acid are great on the finish.
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3/24/2024 - aquacongas wrote: 97 Points
not blind
It starts to open now. Some honey notes and milk chocolate. Fresh. Same level as the Krug Clos d'Ambonnay 96 we had before. But completely different champagnes. 97
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3/8/2024 - SimonG wrote: 93 Points
Lunch at Noizé: Mid straw. Not many bubbles, made slightly worse by a detergent-tainted glass. Gains more energy and aroma when decanted into a different glass. Nicely rich now, the sharp cut of its youth transformed to a vanilla crème pat richness of middle aged chardonnay. A mineral line with some tang. Stylistically this is essentially pettilant white burgundy — B de M Corton Charlemagne from a ripe vintage. Twelve years on from my last encounter, and obviously the wine has evolved, become richer and less vibrant, but maybe lost some of its energy too. ****
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2/11/2024 - BradE wrote:
Outstanding as usual.
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1/12/2024 - KenK Likes this wine: 98 Points
Another magnificent experience. Still very bright and clean with plenty of lively effervescence and brightness. Well defined and wonderful depth of fruit and stony vibrancy. Likely at peak, but should live on for at least another decade. Perfect wine for a perfect evening.
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12/30/2023 - jhngo Likes this wine: 93 Points
strange one a bit chalky and tannic.
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12/15/2023 - Alex G. wrote:
Burgundy For Lunch Bunch Holiday Event 2023 (Phoenix, AZ USA): Older than wine served before it (which turned out to be 2012 Salon), some oxidation and nuttiness. Still has ample fruit, and my best guess was 2000 vintage. In the end good if not great. I think I just don't "get" Salon, I'm never as thrilled with it as everyone else seems to be. The white Burgundy that followed was far more impressive to me than either vintage of Salon.
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12/10/2023 - nmmnori Likes this wine: 95 Points
In Magnum. Perhaps the star of the show for me on this particular afternoon. An incredibly focused and mineral wine. Striking acid profile and a rather intriguing saline component (think oysters and lemon).
The only shortcoming of this for my palate was that the wine was rather lacking when it came to a purity for fruit and chardonnay richness. I heard from others that it improved the next day with air.
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12/10/2023 - hprphf Likes this wine: 97 Points
Houze's Wedding; 12/9/2023-12/10/2023: Magnum OWC. High acidity with plenty of white fruit, less sweet and more focused than the 99 on the side, great energy if still way too young. Lots of oyster, salinity, lime oil, citrus peel, vanilla brioche lightly toasted, and aged cheese. Barely any older since last tasted out of bottle three years ago, and much better on the second day, lightly caressing the palate with insanely crisp impression, so much drive, so many points it hits on the tongue, then so long. Certainly the best rendition of such vintage acidity with a lighter style. Perhaps flawless. 97-99
P.S. My Champagne of the Year in 2023!
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12/1/2023 - Francophile1 Likes this wine:
50th Birthday Bash: An absolute treat to taste this side by side with the '95 Krug. This is in stark contrast to the Krug since it is a Blanc de Blancs. Incredible freshness and acidity with an almost creamy texture and tiny, TINY bubbles. Loved it.
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11/15/2023 - shifter Likes this wine: 98 Points
PnP. Absolutely spot on tonight. A bit reserved on initial pour, but after about 30 minutes the second glass was just singing until the final sip 2 hours later. Nose is fresh and inviting. Layer upon layer of depth on the palate belies its age. Finishes with that zip of acidity. Everything is in balance. Drinking at peak but no reason to hurry.
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10/28/2023 - Burgundy Al wrote: 96 Points
La Fête du Champagne Gala (Pier Sixty, Chelsea Piers - New York NY): Small gala glass. Brilliant as ever, this is still getting better, longer, more complex.
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10/21/2023 - DWStyle Likes this wine: 98 Points
Wow wine! Drank at birthday dinner with family. Real gold bar color, hinting at its age. Nose was enticing and developed over the course of the bottle. Creamy, smooth and delicious. Still a looker and still hiding its age a little. Maturity started to show a bit- in the good way- decade’s to go. What a pleasure to drink and with great company!
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10/20/2023 - kr522 wrote: 97 Points
My favorite in a vertical that included the 02, 07, and 12. As my daughter said, it seemed to have the best qualities of all three of those vintages, some exotic notes like the 12, the freshness of the 07, and some development of the 02. The bracing acidity from 10 years ago is tamer and provides great lift, and the fruit continues to add depth and character
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10/18/2023 - Le Musigny wrote:
Sold to Shane
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8/31/2023 - Burgundy Al wrote: 96 Points
End-of-Summer Dinner Featuring Vega-Sicilia Único (Asador Bastian - Chicago IL): Very powerful, very balanced. Both ripe and lean apple and pear throughout with faint lemon tart notes. A great champagne that is still getting better.
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8/31/2023 - Nanda wrote: 98 Points
A sensational bottle that had it all -- rich dense fruit, lively fresh energy, and a long precise and flavorful finish. A totally complete and at-peak Champagne.
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8/23/2023 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 100 Points
Les Degustateurs last tasting for a dear friend (Smyth and the Loyalist Chicago, IL): Absolute perfection yet still so young. What a great way to start a tasting from an old friend.
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8/6/2023 - aquacongas wrote: 96 Points
blind
Again great, evolving finally. Some roasted aromas and white chocolate. "lost" narrowly to the krug 1996. At least 10 more years ahaed. 96
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7/3/2023 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 98 Points
blind
I had no clue. But it was phantastic. First it shows some evolution. Some roasted aromas, banana split and waffles. The acidity starts to get a bit tamed now. Still fresh. At least one more decade to reach his peak. 97-98
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5/25/2023 - shifter wrote:
Richebourg and Meursault: PnP. So beautiful and ethereal. I was worried that it would be shut down like the bottle we had last fall, but this was surprisingly open and continued to open up with more air. So much class and structure while being airy and lifted. Completely outshined the Cristal tonight.
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5/18/2023 - acyso wrote: 98 Points
Some Bordeaux (Chicago, IL): Still primordially young for a 1996 champagne, though there are very nascent secondary notes starting to emerge on the palate. Dense and concentrated, lots of minerality, plenty of orchard fruit, and very balanced acidity (high, but counterweighted by all the stuffing on the palate). An excellent showing of an excellent wine -- it's clear this has lots and lots of aging potential still, though for my palate this is drinking splendidly already.
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5/18/2023 - Burgundy Al wrote: 96 Points
Top Mid-Aged Bordeaux ("Chateau La Grange" - La Grange IL): Slightly floral with ripe and tart apple and lemon curd. So much aromatically, with everything following through on the palate. Another great bottle.
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3/23/2023 - ricknat1 wrote: 97 Points
Bright and beautiful but slightly round. The 96 do oen beat it out by a hair but happy to have anytime. Completely in its prime
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2/18/2023 - Keith Levenberg wrote:
After all these years finally I experience a bottle of '96 Salon that's ready to drink aaaaaaand it's a little bit past it, doesn't seem like the cork did its job here. The bubbles are kinda listless and the fruit showing some nice mature-Salon elements like lemon jam but there are also aspects to it that feel a little stale.
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2/6/2023 - ricknat1 wrote: 100 Points
As good as champagne gets. Fresh bubbly smooth silky and rich. Just delicious and at the top of its gane
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1/20/2023 - aquacongas wrote: 97 Points
blind
Starting to show his grace finally. The acidity looks like restrained, but still present. Lemon tarte, biscuit, chalky and with great precision in the finish. 97
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1/10/2023 - Winetex Likes this wine: 98 Points
Fantastic Champagne. This bottle in excellent probably near perfect condition. #drinkallthechampagne
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1/7/2023 - fredb Likes this wine:
Second bottle from OWC purchased on release, consumed one year after first bottle. Possibly biased by context of being served by itself where the first bottle was in a pack of 2008s. Bias aside, this poured more yellow-gold than the first bottle and certainly seemed much fresher throughout with more orchard fruit, floral, and citrus aromas and flavors than the more mature profile of the first bottle. I will chalk it up to bottle variation. Both bottles were fantastic, but this one was fantastic-er with plenty of structure and fruit to age on. Worth the wait and time to enjoy. Drink at leisure.
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11/29/2022 - Brolawa wrote:
M&PD at JVNK's. Same as March 21. Excellent. Honeysuckle and mineral.
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11/29/2022 - Eric wrote:
M&PD Tasting: California Cabernet (Seattle, WA, USA): At first this showed the barest hint of honey on the nose maybe hinting at a little oxidation. However this quickly exploded in the glass. This is about as clean, lacy, delicate and precise as I can imagine a Champagne being. Loaded with funky minerals and a salty finish, just pure elegance in a glass.
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11/25/2022 - fcxj wrote: 94 Points
From magnum, still razor sharp acidity, tight. Let this sleep.
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11/12/2022 - vintage_whine wrote:
Rich, lactic and blanched almond. Density of lemon and yellow apple. It’s precise and intense,
Fresh and fully expressive but without showing any signs of development. First peak for sure. Perfect with mentaiko spaghetti
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11/9/2022 - Geoff7777 wrote:
Mature colour and seems more advanced than the previous bottle. On first take it is very Krugesque/oxidative and with traces of preserved walnuts, which I like! With time in the glass it fined down to display its true self. With air it became a powerful, mid-mature and freshly structured classic more toward an utterly classic BdeB champagne. Quite a transformation. Thank you Greg.
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11/7/2022 - BradE wrote:
La Tache in Atlanta: Excellent. Interestingly, this bottle had more acidity and less evolution than typical.
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11/4/2022 - shifter wrote:
La Tache and '96 Champagne (Atlanta): Searing acidity. Really on point, but does calm down with some air. The fruit is there, but this tastes painfully young. Stock up while you can, but don't open for at least another 10 years.
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10/29/2022 - Perfect Palate Likes this wine: 92 Points
1996 vintage- full flavor without any effervescence- lacked acid, but still very much enjoyable
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10/23/2022 - SFBill wrote: 99 Points
Started with 3 bottles. Drank one in 2015 - gave it a 99, hoping to save the 100 for the next bottle in a few years. Best champagne I've ever had.
Today's bottle - 98; I think it's faded a bit in the last several years. Drank with oysters and caviar. Properly stored in Vinotemp.
Many recent reviews says this has years left. I dunno. My last bottle will be New Years Eve. I've lost too many great champers (Bollinger RD's) keeping them cellared for too long. I'd drink up.
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10/22/2022 - dream Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great intensity and complexity for this powerful, high-acid Champagne which shows ripe fruit and some aged notes of grilled nuts and caramel. Perhaps a slightly more advanced bottle than the last I tasted but a joy to drink nonetheless.
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10/16/2022 - Nanda wrote: 95 Points
I was an outlier in that I preferred the 02 to this 96. While the power and richness combined with precision cannot be denied, I found the fruit was starting to show some age and earthiness. Impressive bottle, but I'll take the youthful expression of the 02.
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10/16/2022 - acyso wrote: 98 Points
Sunday Salon (Chicago, IL): Hands down the wine of the flight, even if I felt that the 2002 was encroaching a bit on this vintage's glory. A phenomenal bottle of champagne, and probably one of the best bottles of champagne that has been made in my lifetime so far. This really has it all. It kicks the concentration and intensity up to max -- it's a wine that's almost painful to drink quickly because of it. Mature, with developed secondary characteristics but still with plenty of exciting, primary acidity. It's really the complete package. With regards to bottle variation, the bottle today was likely sitting around my average.
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10/1/2022 - affordableCollector wrote: 100 Points
Brought to a dinner at Lazy Bear, SF.
The Somm and I enjoyed the Salon for 3 hours, while others went with the Burgundy & Rioja bottles. My backup bottle was the 2008 Dom Perignon, we opened it as well. It's in a beautiful spot, we enjoyed it along side the Salon. Though it went quickly, the Salon remained in the glass.
My last glass, lasted 2 hours, and as the night was extended more nuances showed, coffee, cheese rind, hazelnuts, caramel, almond skin, bright acidity, lasting finish.
The Salon was amazing, powerful and elegant. I'll hold onto my last bottle for another 10 years.
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9/8/2022 - Burgundy Al wrote: 96 Points
1996 Dinner...Top Champagne, Burgundy, Bordeaux (Park Ridge Country Club): Bright, powerful start, then even brighter and bigger finish. Perhaps still slightly tight but so much pleasure now.
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8/24/2022 - clayfu wrote:
It’s obviously lost some of that steely intensity as its given up its linear focused citric and white fruit base but its gained in width and body. The fruit profile gears toward more yellow fruit now with a fine mousse and more textured elegance with gentle lapping waves of mineral and fruit that continue long after the sip. While not as exuberant as it was in its youth, it still shows mostly primary notes which shows how much of a life it has ahead of it. Still at the head of its class as one of the great grand marquee bottlings made.
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8/7/2022 - BROpus One Likes this wine: 97 Points
Really fantastic right now for my taste. Drank over 3 hours and was best at the end. Plenty of time left, especially if you prefer older champagne, but excellent right now if you prefer young-ish.
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7/2/2022 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Bordeaux night with Friends (Rue St Mark): This is a champagne that always wows me and this bottle was no different. I'm not sure it totally deserves the price point it's at now, but it certainly is one of the best and this is one of the best ever years. A wine that has been approachable for a decade but isn't going anywhere any time soon. The cork was the most difficult I've ever seen for a champagne and we ended up using a true corkscrew on it but we won and it came out. A hint subdued in the beginning but that was very quick, then it was opening and expanding and more of the vanilla bean and maybe just a hint of the lemon peel and a bit of toasty side and really wonderful. A super treat to get to check in as it's been some years and I expect it to be many more before we're drinking it again.
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5/21/2022 - Puteljen! Likes this wine: 98 Points
Drank over 6+ hours with and without food.
Initially the Salon 1996 is quite closely knit with searing acidity but at the same time displays a creamy, complex character. Green, crisp apples, lemon and some chalk. Gradually opens up, revealing gorgeous white and yellow fruit and a light touch of coffe, mint and unripe almonds. Gains complexity and depth over several hours. On the palate fine mousse and teeth-etching acidity that initially dominates but over time softens and integrates into an intense but exquisitly balanced overall sensual experience. The finish is more or less unending with lemon and cream intermingling. The profile is elegance, elegance and more elegance, with a good drollop of intensity and complexity added. This is still amazingly youthfull for a wine 26 years old, and while drinking on the highest level now, I still think this has more to give with an additional 4-8 years in the cellar. This unrealised potential is also the reason this gets 98+ points tonight, and not 99-100. I have to hold something back for next time around.
Drank alonside the 1996 Comtes de Champagne and, while very different in style( charm and sex vs regality and elegance) they raced along basically side by side most of the evening. After 6+ hours the Salon managed to get ahead by the slimmest of slim margins.
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5/21/2022 - acyso wrote: 98 Points
This has got to be one of the best Champagnes made in the last 30 years. This bottle is truly close to the pinnacle and feels a little more youthful than a few other recent experiences the last few years. The nose has a hint of brioche sweetness, orchard fruit, and the suggestion of taut acidity on the palate, which of course is indeed the case. Ridiculously youthful still, this drinks very much in line with what you might expect a 2008 to drink like. The bright, chardonnay acidity is here in spades, and there are almost no secondary characteristics developed yet. A legend.
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5/17/2022 - palfr2 wrote:
Buttery nose, lemony, chalk. Some nutty notes with aeration. What strikes me is the palate presence. Acidity in balance. One feels a complete spheric underlying vin clair. Dosage is well inegrated by now though still feels on the high side vs more recent standards of winemaking. Good but market price makes no sense for me outside of the trophy element.
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5/17/2022 - Collector1855 wrote: 95 Points
Took some time to open. Very fine and delineated. Subtle nose of brioche, minerals and lemon, then with time an overt buttery and caramel nose (definitely Dosage >5) reminiscent of the 2006 Diebolt-Vallois Fleur de Passion. Fresh and elegant, lively mousse for the age. A bit too Chabliiesque on the palate. Good for sure, but like Petrus in Pomerol, Salon ins an enigma where it is hard to understand why there is such a price gap to the other top neighbors. There are many equally good BdB on the market for ¼ of the price.
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5/15/2022 - englishman's claret wrote:
A brief taste so no score, but monumental in terms of stature yet equally precise. Huge fruit, chalk, cream - drinking so well now.
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5/4/2022 - dcwino wrote: 97 Points
Lafite Rothschild vertical (Taberna del Alabardero, Washington D.C.): Beautifully mature yet focused nose displaying perfectly ripe yellow fruit, apple, baked apple, lemon curd, honey, light caramel, brioche, white pepper and crushed rocks. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of decadent yet pure yellow fruit, very fine generous mousse, sweet and generous but also displaying excellent precision and detail, bright acidity, strong limestone mineral, and a long concentrated sweet yellow fruit driven finish with honey at the end. This is drinking beautifully but I seem to prefer the 96 CDC in the past five years.
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3/19/2022 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 99 Points
Wow! Beautiful nose with citrus, brioche, and chamomile flavors. The palate is in perfect balanced with great acidity, lemon notes, and more mineral / crushed rocks leaning flavors. Extremely long finish. This is super deep and complex and every sip is intriguing. Absolutely outstanding wine, the best bottle of Champagne I've had...
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3/18/2022 - merlotsmile wrote:
Vertical
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3/4/2022 - BaroloRob Likes this wine: 96 Points
Everyone loved it.
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2/16/2022 - Topper wrote:
Brilliant, precise and subtly complex. My go-to favorite champagne in my favorite vintage. This was just shining. Can’t imagine it being any better in the future.
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2/12/2022 - canan wrote: 98 Points
KYD #2.1: Profound and very young wine packed with green apple flavor and some grapefruit bitterness in mid-palate and aftertaste. It does have a hint of age with some caramel coming through in the middle but the general profile is of a very young wine.
There is so much elegance but also a lot of flavor depth with an an almost extreme and vibrant acidity. An absolutely beautiful and stunning wine. What an amazing treat to be able to taste such a wine when it is has opened up so nicely! Stunning!
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1/7/2022 - fredb Likes this wine:
Amber-gold color. Less abundant bead and the color were clear evidence of the age of this wine. Aromas of toasted hazelnut, yellow flowers, honey, peach. Palate is rich with hazelnut brittle, custard, lemon meringue, brown butter, and tarte tatin all showing up. Worth the wait and time to enjoy this one at leisure.
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1/1/2022 - rexmerlot wrote: 93 Points
Clear golden in colour. Notes of brioche, honey and apple. Not allot of bubbles. Drinking nicely. Have not had allot of older champagne. So very different than a younger champagne.
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11/20/2021 - Burgundy Al wrote: 95 Points
Wines Enjoyed at John Kapon's 50th Birthday Bash (The Pool - New York NY): Small glass, brief note. Bright orchard and citrus fruit with so much fresh energy and great length.
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11/20/2021 - KenK Likes this wine: 97 Points
Excellent precision and cut with penetratingly intense sweet sour citrus juice. Fine bubbles and mineralogy. Auto tingly fresh and tangy. With a long Finding. Wow
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11/7/2021 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 98 Points
blind
a perfect nose. lemon cest, milk chocolate. Great acidity that I guessed 1996 right but I thought more PN and not a BdB (Cristal Vinotheque or VVF). Nice stage now with finally some aging signs. Precise but powerful finish, lasting for over an half hour. 98
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10/24/2021 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 98 Points
not blind
Drank it just before the 1996. This one is really good and close to his peak. Still lemon notes but also some exotic fruits and roasted aromas but not the length and concentration of the 1996. The acidity of the 1996 gives unbelievable length and freshness. 1997 should be drunk nowadays and the 96 is for the next 3 decades. It opened up a little bit compared two years ago. Some depth giving secondary notes fight with the brilliant acidity. Getting balanced. 98
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10/16/2021 - Burgundy Al wrote: 96 Points
Tony's 60th Birthday Celebration (Republique - Los Angeles CA): Lean and ultra bright apple and pear everywhere. Exceptional length and attention-grabbing textures. Some lemon and lemon peel coming through on long, explosive finish.
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10/8/2021 - dcwino wrote: 98 Points
A lost Friday afternoon gathering – how to semi cheat in a blind tasting (Black Salt, Washington DC): Expressive nose displaying concentrated yellow fruit, fresh apple, baked apple, pear, lemon curd, light caramel, white flower, oyster shell, burnt sugar and crushed rocks. Exceptional concentration, layers upon layers of perfectly ripe pure yellow fruit, rich and oily yet incredibly focused and precise, bright acidity, strong limestone mineral, and a long concentrated pure yellow fruit driven finish with oyster shell at the end. This is perfectly mature yet pure and energetic example. It beautifully evolves in the glass. Exceptional showing.
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10/5/2021 - Eric wrote:
M&PD Tasting: Italy (Mount Baker, Seattle, WA): No notes, just recording for posterity. OMG, this was insanely delicate and lacy.
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9/10/2021 - dream Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deep, intense, youthful. A powerful Champagne with great breed and class and just beginning to show some secondary's but this should be held much longer in the cellar. 95+
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8/27/2021 - sdr Likes this wine: 92 Points
I had unloaded this bottle to the wine shop because all my other ‘96 Salons were disappointingly dull. Not this one. One of only two in the group to display any real style and originality. The slight note of oxidation is not too distracting and even adds a bit of welcome complexity. Nevertheless there is a certain lack of clarity and focus I would expect in a luxe champagne in what should be its glory days.
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8/11/2021 - BenBlu Likes this wine: 95 Points
A very fine champagne for sure this Salon 1996. Had as an aperitif and it felt still painfully young like a coiled spring. Very high acidity, extremely racy. While certainly no disappointing (unlike quite a few Salons I had in the past) it to me doesn't live up to the price tag as to my palate I actually prefer the DP 96 standard release for example. It would however be tremendous fun to try this Salon again in around 10-20 years and see where it has gone. 95 with upside.
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7/23/2021 - dcwino wrote: 97 Points
A lost Friday afternoon gathering – Champagne and Burgundy (Blacksalt, Washington DC): Perfectly mature yet energetic nose displaying perfectly ripe yellow fruit, baked apple, a hint of orange peel, lemon curd, honey, caramel, white flower, white pepper, burnt sugar and crushed rocks. Excellent concentration, very finely layered ripe yellow fruit, rich yet pure and precise, perfect balance, fine generous mousse, bright acidity, strong mineral and a long perfectly ripe yellow fruit driven finish with honey and crème brulee at the end. This is a beautifully mature example that is drinking well. This is a perfectly mature yet fresh and energetic example. The 96 Salon seems to be entering the maturity.
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7/4/2021 - acyso wrote: 98 Points
Sunday heaters (Chicago, IL): Got to this relatively late, and I was told this was a lot tighter initially when it was opened. Still a phenomenal bottle of champagne with lots of chew and plenty of stuffing. My taste of this bottle just didn't feel as put-together and integrated as I remember from a few years back. I will likely revisit this in the next month or so.
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7/2/2021 - Mike V wrote: 99 Points
Night and day last bottle was oxidized. This one was fresh and young. What a fabulous wine. Bright citrus awesome nose.
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6/15/2021 - dream wrote: 91 Points
A fine, taut Champagne with oodles of depth but also some strange caramel and vegetal flavors. The finish is long and complex with palate-staining intensity and white mineral notes. The structure suggests more time is needed but the mature flavors suggest something else. The bottle seemed quite sound so not sure what to make of it. 91?
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5/15/2021 - jkuanl Likes this wine:
Medium yellow color. Expressive nose of green apples and lemon oil. Medium to full bodied, ripe and balanced, feels linear and yet packed with stuffing, finishes brisk and cleanly without feeling overly acidic. Over time, faint honey and more apple and biscuit tones. Really fine and elegant
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5/12/2021 - BradE wrote:
Very good as always.
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5/11/2021 - rocknroller wrote: 95 Points
Heidi's Gang: Back in Saddle Again (The Kenwood, Mpls, MN): Medium plus deep golden color. Drank a glass over an hour. When someone says that a Champagne is vinous, this what they mean. Ripe golden apple and pear, wet stones, round yet crisp, voluminous on the palate with layer uppn layer of density and minerality. Very elegant for the depth and intensity. Showing more maturity and some oxidative charater; there's lots of lemon oil and almond extract on the long mineral laden finish.
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5/11/2021 - chablis28 wrote: 97 Points
Same btl as Brad E. Not a wine I'm lucky to find in my glass very often! Loved it! Thanks Brad! My prior experience with the killer '96 was in 2015. This remains a complete head turner and best in class champagne. Racy mouthcoating flavors of orange rind, grapefruit, ginger, apple, lime & drenching minerality. Vibrant, complex & intense as it echoes on your tongue. Still one of my best all round Champagne experiences, ever. Later noticed just a trace of oxidation that many will be completely ok with. For my palate, I might take that as a friendly reminder to drink up sooner than others might. Excellent stuff! Hope every champagne lover gets a chance to enjoy one of these someday! 97+
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5/6/2021 - dcwino wrote: 95 Points
The first indoor gathering since Covid (Clarity - Vienna, Virginia): Really tight cork that had to be broken and pulled out using a corkscrew. Very fresh example but strangely shy fine bubbles. Still showing apple, pear and fresh lime. There is also a hint of honey and cinnamon at the end. As usual, very precise showing strong mineral and bright acidity. Hoping for a bit more bubbles
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5/6/2021 - pakabear Likes this wine: 95 Points
Lemon, yellow apple, seashell minerality, much lighter and less carbonation than previous bottles I've had of this. Still an amazing wine even with the bottle variation.
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4/22/2021 - Vinsant Likes this wine: 99 Points
My first Salon and maybe the most complex wine I’ve ever had. Electric bubbles, pear, citrus, vanilla, chalk, and on and on. Every sip highlighted another note on the nose and palate. Massive length. Some toast, white flowers, and a red fruit note. Not in my pricepoint but I’d be tempted for a really special occassion. Tasted with wine geeks that were speechless and novices that couldn’t stop talking about it!
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4/18/2021 - ubercuvee wrote: 99 Points
From a case bought in 2007 and stored at 6-8C since then. Magic. Insanely young, primary and pure. Made a Krug '96 earlier in the week look developed and heavy. This wine really is champagne for burgundy purists - power without weight. Bit a bummer the price where it is but good bottles of this are the real deal.
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4/10/2021 - Oscaro Likes this wine: 95 Points
Best of the best: Frisk doft av citrus, lite kola, krita, knäck och brioche.
Oerhört pigg och frisk i munnen, börjar få mognadstoner men känns fortfarande ung. Väldigt linjär och precis och växer mycket efter tid i glaset och när temperaturen stigit. Verkligen en champagne som inte är för alla, men för mig som gillar mogen bdb är den otrolig.
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4/4/2021 - jdtonic wrote: 98 Points
From Wood.
One Owner.
Ok— It’s like this:
The 96 KCM is better with beluga, as its cut is a touch sharper.
And the 96 KV is the toasted nut/richness champ of the bunch... so, along with being most affordable, it’s a great aperitif and the best of these with chocolate/dessert.
But the 96S, under 8 bills per unit, is the star, IMO.
It’s the most difficult of these Champs to find fresh, however, and I might switch the 1996 Salon to “magnum only” status shortly. I admit that the Krug Mesnil’s price is distracting.
98-99 pts
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3/15/2021 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
There's still a green tinge to this simply perfect Champagne. Fresh aromas of lemon butter, lime brulee and chalk. It is rich and penetrating, with superb acid line. Length is superb.
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3/13/2021 - Brolawa Likes this wine: 96 Points
I've never had a bottle of Salon that disappoints. Second time I've had this vintage - such beautiful champagne. Compact bubbles and a crispness that belies its age. A real treat.
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2/17/2021 - WIBA Likes this wine: 94 Points
beautifully balanced acidity and freshness. effortless. Gorgeous
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2/17/2021 - fcxj wrote: 96 Points
Effervescent, dances on the palate. Tension, sweetness. A complete champagne in youthful phase.
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2/7/2021 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 95 Points
Green apple explosion. A fresher and more lively example than the bottle last week. Immensely rich flavours and laser precision and acidity. Tons of stuffing, apple, honeydew melon, brioche, cinnamon. Staying power and unending finish. Good bottles of this are among the greatest things in Champagne.
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1/27/2021 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 94 Points
At first this is bright, fresh, youthful and has loads of acid and green and yellow citrus. More green apple than toast up front. This bottle started to show a little more red apple and developed flavours than the freshest laser-like examples of this wine usually do. Often I feel I am drinking these too young but this was in a good window of development. Some nice nuttiness and still has good richness. A 93-94 showing but capable of 96.
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1/24/2021 - fatboi Likes this wine: 96 Points
just outstanding... delicious. showed better in comparison to the bottle last yr.
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1/12/2021 - CamWheeler wrote: 98 Points
SLDS New Year #2: Off the charts good. Still fresh and rich but with layers of honeyed development starting to mix in. Pear, orange, smoke, incredible lifted florals. Amazing acidity and length. Stunning bottle that has to be near a youthful peak.
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1/1/2021 - Sean Tay Likes this wine: 95 Points
Gun powder, yeasty, lemon, grapefruit, high acidity but lesser compare to 1997 Salon. Tasted side by side with 1997 Salon.
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12/31/2020 - suttonri Likes this wine: 97 Points
When young this had a laser-like clarity than has now softened just a bit. What it lost in precision it has gained in this vanilla-brioche breadiness; however, it is still light on its feet with citrus and green apples dancing around. Just brilliant, the best 1996 I've had to date.
Served with sweet & sour pork ribs, stirfried broccoli in oyster sauce, and dougan with peppers.
Happy New Year!
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12/25/2020 - BradE wrote:
Terrific, as always.
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12/23/2020 - nynrgtrader@gmail.com Likes this wine: 97 Points
As good as it gets and lives up to expectations. Lively and still fresh and was the wine of the night by a few.
More bready than mineral with brioche and toasty notes. The fruit was peach and citrus and very rounded and elegant. Polished.
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11/26/2020 - PJRONeill wrote: 91 Points
A bit of a disappointment, unfortunately - somewhat underwhelming on the nose and more particularly on the palate. On opening (an exercise in itself given the cork refused to budge) it had a promising nose of citrus, peach, a bit of flint and some smoke but it really didn't go anywhere from there and the palate, while pleasant enough, was nothing more than fine. No depth, no fireworks, no profundity. I'm sensing a bit of a pattern in my limited experience with this, which is a shame as a bottle of the 1990 may be the best champagne I've ever had and I've been waiting for the 96 to deliver similarly but so far to no avail.
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11/20/2020 - wino_tim wrote: 96 Points
Medium straw with a fine mousse. At once rich and electric, tense and galvanizing, with laser-like acidity framing flavors of toasted cashews, brioche, bitter lemon, and chalk. Well-stored bottles are years away from peaking and perhaps have decades of life left. Awesome.
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11/16/2020 - hprphf wrote: 95 Points
Very interesting as this shows a certain richness rather than the usual ultra-sharp acidity on the nose. Toasted nuts, brioche, white flowers, passionfruit. Great layers of energy underneath, with purity and sharp precision on the palate. Need longer time. 95
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11/11/2020 - vinhslee Likes this wine: 98 Points
Deep flavours of brioche, zest oil, apple peel and pear. Fine bubbles. Long and lingering finish.
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11/10/2020 - Sean Tay Likes this wine: 95 Points
Was celebrating a friend birthday, and one of the treats was a 1996 Salon. We decide to go blind with 2002 Dom P2, 1996 Salon and 2012 Boërl & Kroff Champagne "B", around 7 people who had tasted and we ranked it based on our preference.
My preference blinded was 1) 2002 Dom P2, 2) 1996 Salon and 3) 2012 Boërl & Kroff Champagne "B". Almost everyone has chosen 2002 Dom P2 blind as their favourite, and we all thought that our favourite should be 1996 Salon. When the result was released, we were all shocked. Our favourite turns out to be 2002 Dom P2, while in second place majority chosen 1996 Salon. What a shocker!
2002 Dom P2 exhibit pronounced nose with caramel, toast, cream, oak, slight deliberate 'oxidative' style - not sure how to describe. Deep lemon in colour.
1996 Salon exhibit medium nose with bread, biscuit, toast, moose, gunpowder. Medium lemon in colour and with high acidity. Seems to be closed for the nose as compared to the palate.
2012 Boërl & Kroff Champagne "B". Second label of the world most expensive champagne exhibit medium lemon pink colour. Not sure if pink its the right colour, but I did see some off lemon colour. Medium+ nose intensity with mineral, biscuit, bread, lemon and grapefruit. Still very youthful and I guess not be consumed now actually.
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10/24/2020 - MWiking wrote: 98 Points
Fantastiskt att få prova denna igen. Vilken fantastik mousse, gräddig och underbara kola toner. Fullständig världsklass och ändå bättre än sist jag provade denna. 98-99
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10/17/2020 - Argrath wrote: 98 Points
(Blind tasting BYO)
Medium-fullish, fullish nose of great complexity. Very, very deep. Ripe yellow apple, citrus, toast, hazelnuts and mineral in absolute harmony, each of great intensity and intermingling in layers.
Fullish, rich and very elegant at the same time. Pure citrus fruit, ripe yellow apple and very toasty tertiary notes. Lovely nuttiness. Both rich and austere. Structure. Majestic and very good grip.
Intensity, concentration, complexity all on high, perfectly mature levels.
In many ways a perfect bottle, and one of the very best champagnes I've tasted.
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10/9/2020 - paul195 wrote: 96 Points
#3 of 12. Continues to be a very impressive champagne
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9/9/2020 - dcwino wrote: 94 Points
A fun gathering at L'Auberge Chez Francois (L'Auberge Chez Francois, Great Falls, VA): Ideally stored bottle. Medium expressive nose displaying very ripe yellow fruit, baked apple, granny smith, peach, crème brulee, sweet spices and smoke. Very good concentration, packed ripe yellow fruit, medium generous fine mousse, rich but lacking focus, bright acidity, medium mineral, and a medium long finish with baked apple at the end. This bottle is a bit more advanced than usual which is strange.
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9/6/2020 - fatboi Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank side by side with 1996 Dom perignon Oenotheque. What a contrast in style. The Salon showed minerality, balanced acidity and citrus notes while the DP was more youthful and richer/powerful. Found more complexity in the Salon but both very good ++ 95
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8/30/2020 - Motz wrote: 98 Points
Bouquet and profile of espresso, unsweetened coco powder, carob, citrus, and minerals. High acid, evocative mouthfeel, luxurious finish, without quit.
A top three Champagne to this palate, and the best Blanc de Blancs, with no close second. Mind-bending youth an vivacity for its 24 years. The wine's range and depth know no limits. Indeed, this bottle gave every impression of lasting another two, or three, decades.
Only the 1996 Krug Vintage Brut stands above it, and I might part with a few bills to taste the two side by side. This vintage lives up to, perhaps exceeds, its hype. 98-99.
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8/5/2020 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wonderful intensity. Beginning to open up. 95-96
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8/2/2020 - Burgnick wrote: 91 Points
Not hitting anywhere close to its pedigree tonight yet the provenance has no issue. Got crushed by a phenomenal Krug NV. Green apple, citrus and stone fruit. Quite restrained on palate like most 96 champagne which is more a miss than magic.
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7/27/2020 - DWStyle Likes this wine: 97 Points
Third btl of a 6 pack and its three times as fine as the first. Bursting with tertiary aromas and flavors. Mature and sophisticated on the palette, aging very well and drinking extremely beautifully now! I have paired it with food in the past but now it’s evolving into drink alone territory! What a wonderful wine, wow!
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7/4/2020 - dchain Likes this wine: 98 Points
Wow. This destroyed the Krug 96 which I had side by side and is usually my favorite champagne. Light gold. Looks like a 2006, so fresh with an amazing lemon citrus, mineral and floral nose. So exciting to drink, the balance and tension is something to behold. Unanimous winner of the champagne flight. Absolutely stunning and still upside!
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6/26/2020 - fcxj wrote: 92 Points
Sharp, linear palate. Still quite tight.
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6/19/2020 - Elvis1969 wrote: 91 Points
Fin gyllengul färg, initialt lite blyg på näsan men öppnade upp sig snabbt. Ung och fräsch med massor av frukt (grapefrukt, apelsin, mandarin). Lite autolytisk karaktär också. Bra syra och längd.
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6/10/2020 - BradE wrote:
Hard to find a new description. Terrific champagne that always pleases everyone.
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6/8/2020 - Ozen Likes this wine: 100 Points
It is not that often that I literally feel the urge to publish a tasting note, but this wine is just to die for. Easily one of the most beautiful wines I have ever tasted. My second bottle. The color alone is of a quality and beautiful golden yellow that displays nothing but "You are about to indulge a majestic wine". The bubbles are aristocratic, serious. The wine has a great depth, brilliance & quality & sophistication that make this instantly addictive. The after taste lasts over a minute and continuing. And although I am not necessarily a big Champagne addict, sometimes wines are just perfect. This is one them: if you want to understand what Champagne is at its very best, here it is. This is an experience, if not an event. And yes, the price is steep, very steep, but.... it is worth it. Now in the perfect drinking window, at its peak, albeit a long one no doubt. But I should add: don't make the mistake of drinking this without letting it breath (it deserves proper prep): Open the bottle several hours in advance, and easily up to 12 hours, with the cork back in, it is eternal joy! The second day it showed even more heavenly!
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5/31/2020 - englishman's claret wrote:
Ravishingly wonderful - fresh, intense, citrus and salt but also a wonderfully creamy, luxurious palate. Sublime and not yet at its apogee.
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5/22/2020 - Tartiflette wrote: 95 Points
Still very young and tight and needs time to give away its magic. Straw yellow colour and very fine bubbles + mousse. Initially very closed with high acidity ruling. Citrus and red apples dominating. After some time comes the toastiness, brioche and minerality. Very long aftertaste but also too young still.
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4/18/2020 - sbjm Likes this wine: 95 Points
J: more acidic. Pear flavor. Slightly tart. Clean finish. More complex.
S: buttery and rich scent. Extremely clean finish but complex on the palate
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3/6/2020 - paul195 wrote: 98 Points
Youngest of an impressive champagne flight, 66 DP, 75 DP Oenotheque, 85 Krug, 88 DP P3 (corked), 90 DP (mag), and 96 Salon to start a Crab feast at Wu’s.
This is a truly impressive young champagne, youthful light yellow color, fine bubbles, bright acidity, fantastic balance, layers and layers of white fruit, hints of green apple, a light chalkiness, both weightless and intense at the same time. I am relatively new to champagne but this is the fourth time I have had this over the last decade and each bottle has set a very high bar indeed. Just delicious.
Although I have only had the 2008 Cristal once, in MHO it is younger and will be just as memorable in a decade.
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3/5/2020 - dcwino wrote: 99 Points
Beautifully mature yet youthful nose displaying sweet yellow fruit with a hint of white, lemon curd, pineapple, granny smith, honey, cinnamon, white pepper, a hint of cream brulee and crushed rock. Exceptional precision, layers upon layers of concentrated sweet yellow fruit, rich yet beautifully detailed and perfectly precise, bright acidity, strong limestone mineral and a long sweet yellow fruit driven finish with a hint of white pepper and honey at the end. Although still remains very youthful, it is drinking incredibly well.
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2/12/2020 - Paul S wrote: 95 Points
Grands-Echézeaux Dinner (Summer Pavilion, Ritz Carlton, Singapore): Wow - still a long way away from peak, but this was absolutely lovely. The nose was pure Salon, with sleek, alluring aromas of red apples laced with flinty, stony minerality, and just that shade of yeastiness coming out at the edges. The palate was bursting with strength and energy, with a spine of juicy, lemony acidity racing its way through snappy flavours of red apples and some white fruit, all this still carried on a bed on fine, vigorous mousse, into a finish that had a lovely flint and mineral length to it. Sleek, polished, and full of sinewy tension and effortless strength - this showed a lot youthfully than the bottle I had a couple of years ago (which had the benefit of double-decanting and a couple of hours of air). This bottle seemed to be just about coming out from its awkward adolescence at the moment. All still quite tight then, but this is a superlative wine in the making. I would easily lay this aside for another 6-8 years on this showing.
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2/5/2020 - apward wrote: 99 Points
A wine with resounding brilliance, a crescendo at the very beginning of illustrious tasting line-up. Wild honeysuckle and key lime. Bubbles that make you laugh. A rose-colored glasses kind of wine.
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2/2/2020 - drjb Likes this wine: 96 Points
At Sumi Restaurant, Noosa Junction. This bottle of Salon was in perfect shape with just a touch of pale gold colour, fine vigorous bead and a terrific nose of green apple, lemon zest, freshly cut pears, nougat and a touch of honey. The palate is young and zesty with plenty of grip completed with touches of nougat and honey. There is plenty of length and a supreme elegance that makes this far too drinkable ! Chevalier with bubbles !
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1/13/2020 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 100 Points
Holiday dinner with friends at French Embassy, Washington D.C. (Petit Bouchon Restaurant, French Embassy): And then came one of the wines of the night and for me the wine of the night. Thank you David for bring the now rather legendary 1996 Salon Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil*. So laser like, with focus but still tasting like a baby! At the same time a pleasing creaminess, like a super high end, home made French butter, finishing with zest and lift, candied red apple freshness. The finish lasted for something like a minute. As we sipped through it (it was gone also rather quickly), the finesse and depth became more evident with just a tiny suggestion of hazelnut to show its age, but really just a smidgeon. "Such precision and laser focus, but bursting with flavor," remarked Chris. Indeed.
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12/31/2019 - fclarity wrote: 95 Points
Tasted blind, this bottle was very much like my last bottle but with a bit more effervescence. It was light but with with great acidity and length. This will evolve a bit but I doubt it will be more powerful. Drink over the next 10 years.
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12/28/2019 - Topper wrote: 96 Points
Drank my last bottle on my birthday. So sad to see it go. Probably my favorite champagne from my favorite vintage. Very nice recent notes by DCWino if you want more details on the flavor profile, but this time I just preferred to enjoy and not think about it too much.
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12/1/2019 - sburtt Likes this wine: 95 Points
very fine and still young bubble, drunk next to krug and dp from the same year and for me this was miles ahead
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11/16/2019 - dcwino wrote: 97 Points
The second Viking dinner (Undisclosed location then Morton's at Reston town center): Initially, a bit cold and coiled. With air and as gets warmer, expressive nose displaying ripe dense yellow fruit, lemon curd, granny smith, cool mountain stream, candied ginger, light caramel, honey and limestone. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of concentrated sweet yellow fruit, generous fine mousse, rich yet very focused, bright acidity and strong limestone mineral, and a seamless long concentrated yellow fruit driven finish. This bottle is drinking beautifully in a youthful way.
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11/2/2019 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Just a hint of mushroom from the cork and some baked apple notes that you don't tend to see in the better bottles of this usually fabulous Champagne. It still has the intense citrus and richness of fruit and super-fine bead and creamy mousse. Sadly, just a touch of oxidation planes off all the detail.
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10/26/2019 - cct wrote: 98 Points
1999 Piedmont Retrospective (Brooklyn): 1999 Retrospective in Brooklyn
For starters:
A fantastic, lifted nose with a touch of honey, white flowers, apple and lemon. Laser cut and a little chalky on the palate. Brilliant and gossamer having a weightless structure.. Filigree fine, effortlessly beautiful, precise, weightless graceful wine of incredibly beauty. One of the best Champagnes I have had. Drinking wonderfully. Wow
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10/24/2019 - beatles wrote: 95 Points
Intense, extremely concentrated - and I agree with other tasters, that this actually not very Chardonnay-like, a tight fist, vibrant, opens only slowly - a much younger showing than the last time I tasted this.
#AOC
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10/19/2019 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 96 Points
Great nose, on the palate a hint of yeast which signified age, honey, spice, good palate feel and long finish. A+
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9/30/2019 - BradE wrote:
Delicious as always.
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9/29/2019 - Jammy Wine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasted blind but the bottle shape underneath the sleeve revealed the it was a Salon due to its distinctive bottle shape – A concentrated array of ultra-ripe citrus and orchard fruits, showing the singularity of purity. 100% Chardonnay from 11ha vineyard in Mesnil sur Oger. No oak or malolactic fermentation (except in 1988). Bright lemons with sheer intensity. Full bodied with lots of tension. Razor sharp acidity with hints of maturing dried fruit and nutty aromas, this Salon is in its drinking window. The ripeness, intensity and slightly maturing nose suggest it was from 1996. Salon 1996? (94/100)
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9/19/2019 - salil wrote: 100 Points
Dinner at Nico Osteria: As usual this is a showstopper. Adrian is right that it's impossible to imagine this being any better, or asking anything more from this. Such depth and power conveyed with amazing energy and focus, the fruit's still youthful and very fresh but now augmented by some more mature savouriness, and the whole package is absolutely compelling.
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9/19/2019 - acyso wrote: 100 Points
Dinner at Nico Osteria (Chicago, IL): It's been eight years since I've had this and boy has it developed into something really, really good. Just incredibly intense and powerful, tons of chalk, lots of fruit, so balanced with the acidity and minerality. There's still some effervescence that's there, but it's certainly not the star of the show. The fruit here is layered and complex, rich and dense, with a sappiness that isn't overbearing, and there's really no way to see how this could be better. For my palate, this is at peak now and while there's no risk of this fading in the next few years, I'm going to be super happy opening more of these soon.
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9/17/2019 - La Flama Blanca Likes this wine: 99 Points
Easily in my top 5 of all-time Champagne possibly top 3?! The vibrancy and explosiveness of the vintage shines through this BdB like #kb24 in his prime! This Champagne is anything but typical...so powerful, unavoidable, invincible! ‘96 Salon is SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE!
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9/8/2019 - Kirk Grant wrote:
This was opened with great anticipation. Served just after the ‘96 Comte’s BdB and that did this wine no favors. It was like this was a well aged Blanc de Blanc from an “ok” producer. This was purchased from a store with a temp & humidity controlled wine room for “special” wines. Everyone that tasted this opted to drink something else after their first sip. We tried saving it and trying it 2 hours later and that did no good...the next morning, it was still “just ok”. Such a let-down. I’m never buying Salon again. However, I will be going as deep on Taittinger Comtes as I can afford to go. That wine was freaking epic!
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9/7/2019 - DAN BAILEY Likes this wine:
Much better showing than the first bottle. Still quite young and clenched but great balance and length.
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8/23/2019 - gutt22 Likes this wine:
Not much has changed in ten years -- this is one of the best wines I've ever had and probably the greatest Champagne I've ever drunk. It is remarkable and youthful, even at age 23! Modest yellow color, with stunning aromatics reminiscent of white Burgundy: stony, green apple, and an oyster shell quality. But that's mixed with surprisingly restrained-yet-bold toasty notes. There is just an elegant fullness about the bouquet that completely takes over your senses. In the mouth, the Salon 1996 is an exercise of power and finesse. The fruit is out front, hammering the palate, and the acidity is powerful. At the same time, there is an improbably light balance about this wine. The bubbles are tiny and caressing on the palate. It's really difficult to express in words how complete this wine is. And the finish? Feels eternal, especially when you couple the lifetime of memories this wine will supply. A+
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8/18/2019 - jhngo Likes this wine: 97 Points
So not ready. Very Primary and tons of acid. Just so tight and racy! Amazing champs.
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8/15/2019 - DAN BAILEY wrote:
Pale yellow to gold colour. Takes a lot of coaxing. Still so young but everything is in excellent balance. Some intense sweetness came with air but otherwise refused to come out and play at this stage.
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6/29/2019 - Mculfsson Likes this wine: 97 Points
A close to perfect wine. Complexity, freshness, length: all there. Absolutely no hurry to drink, this still appears young, also after almost 2 hours in an open bottle.
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6/27/2019 - beatles wrote: 94 Points
Fallen apples here, could have guessed vin nature; "do they make sparkling wine in Jura," AD asked, and I understand the question. It has the firmness and greatness of the vintage. Still young, though with slightly oxidative notes ...
#Enomania#Henrik&Musse
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6/15/2019 - ChristyLeighNY wrote:
I didn't want to think it was great given the price, but it is. On the nose, lots of toasty rich bread - buttered ritz crackers, brioche; toasted nuts, amaretto; lemon curd; thomas says toasted ginger. On the palate, smooth and rich, the acid doesn't hit until the end - high acid that lingers a long time. This had only medium bubbles left when opened, they quickly dissipated. Drink fast once open!
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6/13/2019 - Gcole42 wrote:
Great fruit, acidity, will be better after 2025. Still young. June 13th 2019
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5/10/2019 - Geoff7777 wrote:
The greatest Champagne I have had was a magnum of 1964 Salon enjoyed by four over dinner in the mid 1980's, so I was blown away by the opportunity to try this "unicorn" wine at a similar age. Light yellow in colour and with a chalky, malty-mealy BdeB bouquet with the piquancy of GC WB, minus the oak. It is missing the distinctive preserved walnuts, richness and power of the 1964, but this wine is still developing. Chalky dry palate, a mousse of ridiculously small bubbles, slowly developing flavours and with a long, long acid tinged finish. Seriously dry and developing superbly. An archetype blanc de blancs.
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4/28/2019 - Burgnick wrote: flawed
This nose was dominated by funk. Palate was flat without the fine bubbles.
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4/27/2019 - Ms. Bubblehead wrote:
We decided to host a Les Mesnil semi blind tasting, with champagnes from Salon (1996), Selosse (Carelles), Pierre Peters (2002 Les Chetillons Oenotheque) and Doquet (unfortunately it turned out the Doquet we had is not his Les mesnil, but the 100% blanc de Blancs from Coligny, 10mins south of Les Mesnil). Interestingly, during the semi blind tasting, four of us were all quite certain which glass was Selosse, while the other three were rather confusing and created divergence in opinions
For Selosse Carelles (disgorged in 2015), it just really stood out for the chalkiness and smokiness on the palate yet intriguing with that oxidative touch, acidity was at higher tone (precise but not overwhelming); fruits and minerals were also very generous, it really got that Selosse uniqueness that everyone immediately guessed the glass. Love the wine The other three bottles were rather confusing and our guesses were all over the place, which was a bit surprising to us - as big champagne lovers, we thought we can easily guess the Salon. It turned out Salon 1996 that night was probably slightly off, with some funkiness on the nose initially and much more mature than I would expect for a 96 salon. The funk did blow off with time, and got good weight and acidity on the palate, but certainly not the Salon I was expecting for, a disappointing bottle. Pierre Peters 2002 Les Chetillons Oenotheque was very fresh and seemed still young (I actually guessed this was Salon initially), with white flowers, light honey, raw almond, and steely minerality on both nose and palate; this wine can certainly still age a few more years before enjoying, a nice bottle. Doquet has been on my purchase radar for a while and so far the experience has been great, for all the bottles i consumed past four years they all delivered very well, very expressive, structured and mineral with power and grace at the same time, acidity was slightly high-tone but was quite my style.
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4/26/2019 - Alex G. Likes this wine:
Boisson Vadot White Wines & A Mix of Old Red Burgundy (Paradise Valley, AZ USA): Served blind, one of the tasters trying to decipher it said "Well it can't be Salon. And it's definitely not '96." Ah, the brutality of blind tasting... To his point, this came across as more accessible than many '96's. It's a beautiful Champagne, with pear, mineral, and yeast. Succulent and tense, this was unanimously loved at the table today.
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4/21/2019 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 98 Points
Bright yellow color. Super complex and bright nose of lemon, Japanese ginger, chamomile, bee’s wax, and mint. Quite high, mouthwatering acidity emerging on the palate followed by flavors of meyer lemon, minerals, and citrus. Very creamy mouthfeel. Super long, lingering finish (possibly the longest finish I’ve ever experienced in a wine). Simply outstanding, this wine has it all. It still tastes quite young, would never have guessed it’s 23 years old... Wow!
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3/3/2019 - Mossrose wrote: 99 Points
My wine of the night from a side by side pouring of 11 champagnes ranging in price from $100 to $700 and from 1995 to 2011 in vintage. Overwhelmingly the most powerful, concentrated, lush, layered, rich, smooth, and balanced, that improved the most from sitting in the glass. Overall, a magnificent experience of how great a wine Champagne can be, from what is arguably one the greatest Champagne vintages in the last century.
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3/2/2019 - BradE wrote:
It's hard to find new ways to describe this. Just great juice.
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2/17/2019 - BradE wrote:
The consistency of this vintage is amazing. Great bottle.
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12/31/2018 - Burgundy Mitch wrote: 93 Points
Well, this wine disappointed me. Not that it is not a fine wine, but for what the price tag is on these I really wanted more. Bested by an 08 and 96 Dom as well as 02 and 07 Cristal drank the same evening (NYE). Nice nose, very young still on the palate, maybe if this had been opened longer or maybe another decade in the cellar transforms this into something special, but as I’m sitting on almost a case and a half, I’m tempted to sell soome off given the price has doubled since I bought it on release. Just not enough excitement at $450/500/bottle IMHO.
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12/31/2018 - jdtonic Likes this wine: 98 Points
Yeah.
It’s better than the 1996 Billecart Liz.
It’s the richness of the wine which has been a bit invisible to me, tbh.
Not tonight.
Apotheotic and Stunning.
Whether the 96KcM is the better drink, as mentors maintain is an open question. Hope to answer it.
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12/27/2018 - Trydebull Likes this wine: 98 Points
Helblint
Färgen är mörkare rapsoljefärgad i tonen.
Doften – det första jag sa var ”oj! – Det här är någonting verkligt speciellt, eller hur?”. Det här är något stort! Otroligt lyxigt i doften från första sniffen – till sista slattarna för kvällen sisådär 10-11 timmar efter den första sniffen (jo, flaskorna stod i kylen när vi inte nallade av dem – men den här kakan ville man verkligen både äta upp och ha kvar!!!). Något mer empiriskt då – Smörkolaton! Smält smör (80%-igt såklart), sommarhonung, ringblomma (orange) samt rapsblommor lite där bakom.
Lite senare kommer än mer av allt som redan nämnts. Än tydligare. Plus lite härligt nyrostad fet kaffeton och smöriga popcorn. Än lite senare framträder redan nämnda kafffeton ytterligare.
Smaken då – Smörig, lätt och fint syrliga äpplen, gräddig mousse, lätt touch av grillad väl mogen citron och röd rabarber.
Jag skrev inte mer men ”tjatade” om det här glaset, nummer 4, hela kvällen, och lovade dyrt och heligt att sätta allt jag äger och har på att det här var något riktigt, riktigt bra! Vad? Ingen aning sådär rakt upp och ner. Borde betyda att jag aldrig druckit det…
Jag tror att den här flaskan, om den inte fått sätta korken till i slutet av nådens år 2018, hade kunnat nå upp till 100 poäng från mig, om jag hade fått den om fem år. Jag kan verkligen inte begära speciellt mycket mer av en flaska Champagne. Sagolikt!
98 poäng, som sagt.
En fantastisk upplevelse. Och någonstans blir jag ändå alltid extra, extra glad när det som ”sägs vara så stort, pompöst, omtalat, eftertraktat, etiketts-aktigt” osv ändå, för mig, (ofta gång på gång) visar att det finns en stor anledning till det. Det här var så otroligt bra!
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12/25/2018 - Tartiflette wrote: 96 Points
What a powerhouse of freshness and citrus. The acidity is overwhelming in my opinion. But giving it a good amount of air through the mouth you can feel the underlying fruit. But in my mind this wine is not yet open for business. The acidity is too much still. Good and persistent mousse fortunately.
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12/24/2018 - Mike V wrote: flawed
Badly oxidized. I bought 6 many years ago and stored them in the cellar. Hopefully just a bad bottle. I will have to try one of my remaining 4 sooner. Hopefully the remaining are not damaged
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12/23/2018 - wineappellation Likes this wine: 99 Points
Energetic, great tension on palate, so fine and precise and lingering. Can't ask for more, except if fortunate enough to wait for it to evolve and drink again. 99+
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12/22/2018 - jdtonic Likes this wine: 98 Points
Nothing except turpinol and molten rock —- and yes, perhaps the 96 KcM, as yet untasted— cuts thru variegated palate impediments, (physical and emotional both), so well as the 1996 Salon.
A small clutch of 96 Krug Neil has been obtained.
On verra— et tout suite, je suppose.
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12/12/2018 - dcwino wrote: 95 Points
Eric's visit to DC - Champagne, White Burgundy, Rhone, Piedmont and etc. (Officina - Washington D.C.): Expressive energetic nose displaying lemon curd, granny smith, white flowers, honey, beeswax, candied ginger, white pepper and limestone. There is a hint of apple peel which is a slight distraction. Excellent concentration, concentrated ripe yet pure yellow fruit, fine generous mousse, bright acidity, good limestone mineral and a long sweet yellow fruit and white pepper driven finish. Although coming from the same batch, not as youthful as the last bottle. Nevertheless, it is really enjoyable.
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12/10/2018 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Sheer perfection. A very fine nose of pure white peach, mineral, lemon and freshly baked bread. It is complex and full, with great intensity and supreme balance. A line of exquisite acidity carries the long finish.
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11/3/2018 - englishman's claret wrote: 95 Points
Absolutely superb - fresh, mineral, saline, lemon but also luscious with brioche and cream. What a fine mousse. Superb presence in the mouth. Really fabulous. 95-96 with the potential to improve even from there.
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10/20/2018 - dcwino wrote: 99 Points
2001 vs 2002 DRC tasting with a few others; 10/20/2018-10/21/2018 (Marcel's by Robert Wiedmaier, DC and Bryan's house): One of the best showings. Incredibly energetic nose displaying intense white and yellow fruit, pineapple, fresh apple juice, white peach, honey, white flowers, white pepper, spicy spices, cool mountain stream and crushed rocks. Perfectly balanced youthful palate, concentrated intense pure yellow and white fruit, abundant very fine mousse, exceptional energy and freshness, bright acidity, strong limestone mineral and a long intense finish with honey and limestone mineral at the end. Absolutely memorable showing, displaying richness and complexity while retaining youthful energy, purity and freshness. Incredibly showing.
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10/13/2018 - FYC wrote:
1996 Salon is always good. High toned lemon acidity and linear focus. Perfection if you love Blancs de Blancs. A perfect foil to the richness and power of krug.
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10/11/2018 - Ben F Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dinner at Mad Cap, St Anselmo. From 750ml. Purchased on release
A beautiful energetic wine with real depth and good cut. Tremendous length on the focused finish. It’s been a few years since my last chance to taste a Salon. These are superb wines even if prohibitively expensive these days.
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10/9/2018 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Complex aromatics of lemon, white peach, chalk, custard apple and spice. It is rich, intense and beautifully balanced. A Champagne of such elegance and authority. Brilliant!
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10/6/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote: 96 Points
DC/Chicago Wine Dinner Extravaganza (Rosewood Hotel Dining Room - Washington DC): I haven't had this wine in almost two months! Best bottle I have had in several years. Still incredibly fresh and almost backward, with a broad cross-section of apple flavors and aromas, then some le on notes on very, very long finish.
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10/6/2018 - dcwino wrote: 95 Points
Annual Chicago winos visit - Champagne, DRC, Yquem, SQN and etc. (The Grill Room at the Rosewood DC): Slightly coiled and restrained nose displaying lemon curd, baked apple, honey, smoke, biscotti and limestone mineral. Very precise and focused palate, sweet rich yellow fruit driven palate impression, generous fine mousse, bright acidity, strong mineral presence and a long baked apple and lemon curd driven finish. This seems a bit tight. I wonder if the 96 Salon is shutting down again and morphing into the next stage of development, gaining more tertiary and oxidative notes like the 88. For my palate, I like how the youthful examples of the 96 Salon have been drinking for the past few years. As much as I appreciate and enjoy the 88, I prefer a very little oxidative note in Salon.
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9/27/2018 - Redrunners Likes this wine: 95 Points
Great way to kick off a great meal.
Beautiful nose and crisp flavors of apple, lemon, tart pear and some mild vanilla with some slight oxidative qualities at the end of the palate. Still young and vibrant - a very nice wine
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9/27/2018 - retired_and_roving Likes this wine: 95 Points
Charleston Offlineorama IV; 9/27/2018-10/1/2018 (Charleston, NC (various locations)): Kicking off Burg Thurs dinner with the a real beauty here!! The nose on this is really singing with lemony fruit and hints of vanilla. Bright lemony acidity, some meyer lemon rind and then the layers unfold across the palate, chalk and minerals, a hint of bread dough and that sneaky vanilla note coming through on the finish. Paired with Sea Scallop with Shellfish Cream and a 62degree Quail Egg with Oestra Caviar (damn S1 is a fine chef!) Followed by a deconstructed Arancini Cacio e Pepe with Carolina Gold Rice & Fried Baby Sage. Two remarkable pairings with a killer wine.
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9/27/2018 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine: 95 Points
Charleston IV - Return of the Collectible; 9/27/2018-9/30/2018 (Charleston, SC (various locations)): This was in the super yum category. Interesting the amount of bottle variation in these. I'm not sure that the first one I had wasn't actually the best in terms of cleanness and crispness and that wonderful vanilla flavor that I appreciate. This was more oxidized than in the past. Had a bit of a bite to it (in a good way, added interest). Definitely get some meyer lemon and lemon peel in general. Tasty wine.
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9/8/2018 - BradE wrote:
Excellent.
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8/16/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote: 95 Points
Burgundy Dinner with Friends (Tasting Blind) (Officine Brera - Los Angeles CA): Still so amazingly fresh and vibrant, with so much green and yellow apple along with lemon. A real powerhouse and beauty, still just hinting at how great it will be.
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8/10/2018 - Keith Levenberg wrote:
So this is now technically 22 years old I guess but it tastes like it could have been bottled yesterday. Tasty lemony fruit aaaaaaaand that's the extent of my note. Beginning to suspect multiple generations might die waiting for this to mature.
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6/30/2018 - dcwino wrote: 98 Points
A lazy Sunday afternoon gathering - Champagne and DRC (Eddie V's - Tysons Corner, VA): Incredibly youthful and energetic nose displaying citrus, fresh apple juice, canned pear, white flowers, white pepper, honey and wet stone. Exceptional concentration, pure, intense and energetic white fruit driven palate impression, very fine abundant mousse, bright acidity, strong limestone mineral and an incredible long finish with a hint of honey and pepper at the end. This particular bottle is drinking so youthfully that it retains the perfect precision yet also displays intense pure white fruit. Absolutely gorgeous youthful example.
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6/8/2018 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 94 Points
World's Greatest, Hong Kong - Night II (Garden Suite, Peninsula Hotel): Fresh, vibrant, youthful, high acid. Laser beam focus, tension, and power. All citrus tonight, no brioche or toast yet here. Very good, but in this flight along with the '69 and '71 this is all about energy. Chiseled chalk minerality.
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5/26/2018 - drwine2001 wrote:
Fiftieth Birthday Dinner with 1968 Riojas and Other Treats (San Francisco): Medium yellow, transient fine mousse. Lemon cream. Medium weight, clean citrus, bracing acidity, just the barest hint of caramel, and a long mineral finish. Vivacious and intense. A great Champagne that is just edging into a phase of maturity flavors after 22 years.
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5/24/2018 - emzee.mc wrote: 97 Points
Edward's treat for Aveling's graduation. The wine pours a dark, brooding golden color with slick long legs. Bubbles are barely present now given the age. Though the champagne is tired, the vivacity on the wine is remarkable. Nose of apricots, brioche, lemon zest, white flowers and plastics dominate, along with some smoky and slight burnt oak notes. On the palate, the wine is voluptuous but barely an ounce of fat. Super acidity and extremely generous amount of minerals line the core to maintain that balance. It is so forceful yet so effortless and so graceful at the same time. Angular yet structured, restrained yet generous, this body screams of class. The acidity really helps define the structure. And then the tertiary notes of brioche, honey and lemon oils hit. It is a cataclysm of acids, minerals, and generous honeyed, toasty and nutty notes. The finish is super long as the wine ends in a smoky, honeyed finish. The balance, and more importantly the power, is incredible. This is simply mindbogglingly delicious now. But damn, I cannot imagine what beast this would become in the years to come.
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5/23/2018 - dcwino wrote: 96 Points
Brother Jeff's visit to DC - Mostly Bordeaux (The Grill Room at the Rosewood DC): This particular bottle shows a hint of oxidative note/oxidized apple peel. Fully mature nose displaying decadent yellow fruit, apple pie, honey, coriander, sweet spices and crushed rock. Excellent concentration, generous ripe yellow, fine mousse, bright acidity, medium mineral and a long sweet yellow fruit driven finish with coriander seed at the end. Very good but not great showing as it is not as precise and detailed as the best bottles.
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5/21/2018 - Diane (LI) wrote:
This did not disappoint. Clean with bready and floral aromas. Fine bubbles, crisp, lime, pear, well rounded. The intensity continues to build on the palate. Stunning.
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4/30/2018 - jdtonic Likes this wine: 97 Points
Pretty much the apotheosis of the term “inner mouth tension.” Just a fantastic wine. Kumquats with molten titanium? Yes: and a bit of fresh steaming baguette.
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4/12/2018 - conviction buy Likes this wine: 98 Points
Pnp, straw yellow with very fine beads. Very fine nose of toast/bread with ripe apple, pear and lime. Hint of floral too. Very concentrated on palate, sweet and fine acidity wrap the mouth, very smooth and yet refreshing without rough edges. Not the zesty soft drink like bubbles explosion but everything is so finely balanced. Wow !
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2/18/2018 - dcwino wrote: 93 Points
Small Champagne and Burgundy gathering (Eddie V's - Tysons Corner, VA): A bit strange cork, extremely tight and difficult to open yet lost elasticity, i.e. not expanding. The stem seems a bit dirty causing a metallic note. In a clean stem, it still lacks the detail and the complexity. Medium expressive nose displaying ripe sweet yellow fruit, smoke, honey, brioche and mineral. Excellent concentration, medium fine mousse, ripe yellow fruit driven palate impression, bright acidity, good mineral presence and a medium long baked apple and smoke driven finish. Although enjoyable not the best showing.
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2/14/2018 - fatboi Likes this wine:
Delicious- crisp and developed really nicely over ..lemon curds, even mineral in a certain way... great zest and acidity.
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2/7/2018 - reichken wrote: 94 Points
yello in color , nose had almost lemon drizzle cake smell, vibrant little bubble. in the mouth a razor like acidity but fruit was hanging in there and a long finish, better from this mag (orig release purchase) than last bottle i had (which was a good bottle)
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2/3/2018 - BradE wrote:
Excellent as always.
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2/2/2018 - reichken wrote: 94 Points
clean , light yellow , sharp citrus/lemon nose with touch of creme, acidity is high but mellowing a bit. very long finish. mags still a lot of life ahead
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1/30/2018 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 97 Points
Fireworks for January: plethora of top wines with great friends (Black Salt Restaurant, Washington D.C.): Seems to have just slight hazelnut aspects, at first, but very elegant and refined in approach. Like a fine white Burgundy. Gorgeous density. Really fitting for a lobster. Gorgeous full body. This is worthy of high 90s. Beats the Billecart overall and gets so vinous and mouth filling, yet elegant and refined. Candidate of wine of the evening.
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1/28/2018 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine: 95 Points
Some funk at the open - wet dog - that blew off in 10 minutes to reveal a crisp, precise wine. Lemon, citrus, lemon peel, yellow fruits. Great acidity and insane balance. A really fresh and clean wine. And for a 96 the acid/fruit balance is perfect. Great bottle highly enjoyable.
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1/1/2018 - dansamsoe Likes this wine:
Excellent showing. Some maturity now but still vibrant and fresh. Very good.
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12/31/2017 - psmith wrote: 97 Points
This is still so vibrant, but the overall impression is more fruit-driven than I remember from last tasting it a couple of years ago. It's starting to develop some apple and pear tones to complement the firm, citric framing that it's always had. The palate a still a touch hard, and the most evidence of age is in a somewhat softened mousse and the fact that the flavors now last through some of the structural components. This is clearly more tame than it was a few years back, and is starting to get to the point where it's enjoyable to drink, versus just immensely impressive, but I doubt I'll touch another of mine for a few years.
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12/25/2017 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 96 Points
[Magnum] Spectacularly bright and fresh nose that features chalky minerality, juicy green and yellow apple, mild saline, almond, lemon citrus zip, and soft toasty brioche. The palate is just an explosion of flavour, an immense mouthful of orchard and citrus fruits wth a warm and toasty mid palate. Great acid propels these rich flavours through a long and ascending finish. Nice balance of buttery Chardonnay and acid. Chalk and slate. Not at all oxidative but totally open. Really surprised by how approachable this is out of magnum; its pleasurable drinking and not unduly tight or screechy. Certainly chiseled and precise, but with a terrific blanc de blancs cream that some recent 750s have been missing. Very happy with this, pretty much ideal drinking... a ringing endorsement of why this champagne deserve a spot on the short list of greatest of modern time?
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12/21/2017 - FYC wrote:
What a difference 6 years makes. I initially opened this 6 years ago with the same group and at that time I felt the wine was too acidic. Tonight, next to the 96 Krug this was laser beamed precision and focus. The table was split between this and the 96 Krug as their favorite. I must admit. I was too. Both just outstanding right now.
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12/18/2017 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine: 95 Points
Better than the bottle I had last week. Much more silky with an amazing texture and clarity. Super smooth and creamy with lemon, lees and hints of toast. Incredible balance with crispness and freshness. Drinks young and vibrant. Really good bottle tonight.
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12/15/2017 - kr522 wrote: 94 Points
Served alongside the 96 Krug Mesnil and decidedly better. While the nose was controlled the flavors are showing more nuance than over the past 1-2 years, with an array of yellow fruits and a complement of nuts. I think this can get even better if it stays on its current course.
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12/12/2017 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 95 Points
Better bottle that last week in that this was far more approachable with more cream and toast than laser chalk and lemon and citrus fruit. This is easier to drink and is more expressive than tight. Still youthful and technically sound, just more ready somehow. Interesting... and great.
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12/7/2017 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine: 94 Points
Loads of acidity. Crisp and sharp. Not as much fruit as the 95 and way more structure. Yellow fruits and drinking pretty young. Not a ton of nuance yet but feel its coming. Primary but very good. Amazing how young this 96 is drinking vs the others.
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12/6/2017 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 94 Points
Champagne Showdown: 1995 v. 1996 (Atera): This nose is fresh, wet stone, slate, chalk, stone fruit, and lemon lime. Showing young and like a laser beam tonight. On the palate this is equally as vibrant and bright but packs in an amazing wallop of fruit flavours. Chalky minerality. This is obviously amazing drinking, but this this is one of those bottles which strongly suggests this needs a while longer in the bottle to show more development and secondary nuance. Frickin' laser beam.
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11/18/2017 - Boone's Farm Likes this wine: 94 Points
As with any champagne from the Cote de Blancs it is crisp, acid, and mineral driven. It is still very young and shows no tertiary flavors what so ever. It is focused, seamless, and spot on. A great young champagne despite it being 21 years old.
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11/13/2017 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Rich and powerful but with great elegance. It is starting to take on some grilled nuts and toasty development. There’s intense citrus fruit and great mineral line. It is rich and linear, with tangy freshness and fabulous complexity. Length is fantastic. A great, great Champagne.
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10/16/2017 - fcxj wrote: 92 Points
Served too warm and lacked usual crispness... benefit of doubt.
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10/11/2017 - sdr Does not like this wine: 82 Points
Well, clearly there is something wrong with my bottles of this reputed great champagne. Similar to a year ago but even weaker, it resembled water more than wine. Lively mousse suggests storage was good and I don’t detect any TCA or oxidation yet the wine has been stripped of flavor and character. I don’t think time will resurrect it.
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9/29/2017 - Jeffrey Silver Likes this wine: 98 Points
Utterly stunning wine. Wow 😮 is best description. 1996 Salon is wine for the century. It is still an infant today. Smell of cotton candy, honey succule and brioche toast. Taste has carmel apple 🍏, belgium waffles, and kiwi 🥝 fruit. Others have said this but at 21yrs of age it’s truly only at half it’s life and if that. It will age effortlessly for 20-25yrs. This is one Blanc to Blanc Champagne every collector should have in the collection. Further when you drink this use Chardonnay glasses not a Champagne flute.
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9/18/2017 - pigdaddy wrote: 96 Points
a superb bottle tonight, to celebrate an 85th birthday; showing noticeable positive evolution since the previous 3 years ago. remarkable bottle, w/considerable upside ahead. 2/6
2/15/19 superb bottle, considerably more expressive than the last one 8 months ago, w/vibrant mousse & perfect equilibrium, modest toast, ginger, pointed acidity that kept each sip fresh, a pleasure to drink (95)
caviar & accompaniments
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8/24/2017 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 95 Points
Crystalline with good focus. Smooth mineral notes and fine acids. Somewhat softer than other bottles I have had, but still incredibly young. 95+
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8/20/2017 - CamWheeler wrote: 95 Points
1967 Dinner with FV and Friends: Lemon, grapefruit, orange, white flags and pear. Piercing palate, tangy and support youthful still. The length is outrageous with the acidity pulling the fruit forward. Lovely stuff.
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8/4/2017 - dcwino wrote: 96 Points
All magnum Produttori dinner at Aromes (Aromes Restaurant, Baltimore): For the past couple of years, the 96 Salon has become sweeter and richer while retaining most of the energy and precision. Energetic nose displaying rich sweet yellow fruit, lemon curd, apple sauce, honey, anise, biscotti, white flowers, crushed white pepper and wet stone. Excellent concentration, rich yellow fruit driven palate impression, bright acidity, good mineral presence and a long sweet finish. Though excellent, It slightly lacks the energy compare to the best examples. It is also overshadowed by the near perfect Krug.
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7/28/2017 - retired_and_roving Likes this wine:
Wow - what a treat to get to share a bottle of this with good friends - a really special bottle of champagne. The nose on this is lovely and just continues to improve in the glass as it warms up. The palate is bright and lively, while having the yeasty bread dough and toasty characteristics that add so much. Reveals itself in layers and continues to improve with each sip.
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7/14/2017 - bconly Likes this wine: 98 Points
Sang last night at Shunji. Tons of depth but also extremely elegant. I think this must be just entering a very long drinking window.
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6/23/2017 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Simply fantastic. Has a gentle whiff of toasty development along with notes of citrus blossom, brioche, lemon and flint. It is so direct in the mouth. There's complexity and richness without excessive weight. It is fresh and energetic with incredible intensity and length. It is one of the greatest Champagnes ever made and still has so much in the tank.
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6/8/2017 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
My favorite champagne I think hands down. Not sure this was quite as 'on' as previous bottles, but it's still really lovely (and partially might have been my taste buds just weren't quite right last night I think). But nice and herbal and vanilla and toast and just very complex and interesting. Paired nicely with some burrata. I enjoyed quite a bit.
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5/16/2017 - botrytisvirtuoso1819 wrote: 100 Points
see prior notes
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4/23/2017 - BradE wrote:
Very good as always.
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4/21/2017 - dcwino wrote: flawed
Annual gathering with Chicago winos in Chicago - Burgs, old Bordeauxs and SQNs (Smyth and The Loyalist - Chicago IL): Alan mentions that it may be slightly corked. The first note is a cheap blue cheese. It is not corked but not correct and weird. Such a shame.
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4/21/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote: flawed
Wine Dinner Extravaganza; 4/21/2017-4/22/2017 (Smyth and The Loyalist - Chicago IL): I wondered if this was slightly corked, but somehow it was certainly imperfect - muted and less robust vs any previous bottle. Kevin found a bleu cheese note. Others thought it perhaps oxidized, but I found a persistent wet cardboard note, even if just faintly in the background.
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4/21/2017 - KenK wrote: 93 Points
A tad older than one would expect, slightly oxidized. Quite drinkable and good, just not a pristine bottle. Bit of butterscotch and nutty, some oily character with good acid. Enjoyable, just not great.
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4/19/2017 - dcwino wrote: 98 Points
Comprehensive 2000 St Emilion Blind Tasting (The Grill Room at the Rosewood DC): Decadent yet incredibly focused and precise nose displaying lemon curd, granny smith, honey, white pepper, wet stone and anise. Beautifully integrated youthful palate, exceptional precision and balance, beautiful interplay of decadent citrus and fresh/precise granny smith, fine mousse, perfectly amount of acidity, strong presence of mineral and a long energetic finish. It is drinking perfectly in very youthful and energetic way but will improve for a few more decades, gaining additional sweetness and complexity. At the age of twenty, it remains incredibly young, brilliant showing.
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4/7/2017 - Ramberg wrote: 98 Points
Goddamn!
This was, by far, the best bottle I have had up till today of the Salon – 96.
Previous bottles has been more unyielding and way grumpier, and so I guess this is now slowly starting to reveal some of it’s real true hidden colors?
Such a pure and yet deep and complex nose!
Like a fine Le Montrachet almost.
Loads of yellow fruit impressions, fine lemons and apples, smoky minerals, almonds, nuts, fresh bread, and loads of more impressions, almost making me dizzy.
This is still very primary, but yet extremely likable.
Green apples, ripe pears, creamy and chalky ripe citrus fruits; both lemons and grapefruits, in a mixture with more sour and citric citrus fruits.
Enormous length with such fine acidity and extremely clean
These bottle showed many layers, and kept improving until, way too fast, it was empty.
This is the essence of how pure Chardonnay with bubbles shall taste.
Just starting to burst out and open up from its long slumber, and will last and grow for decades to come from here.
(97 – 99+)
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4/1/2017 - Racer117 Likes this wine: 96 Points
What do they say about your first time being the best.... this was wonderful but not to the upper, upper, near triple digit lofty heights of the previous times I've had this.
I've yet to try a top notch Montrachet but if they came with bubbles, I bet it would taste like this. Luscious and acidic and sharp at the same time. Hazelnut, crushed rock, Meyer lemon. This tastes of purity.
Thanks to Javachip for sharing.
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4/1/2017 - Javachip wrote: 97 Points
Bucket List 3.0 (Sbicca Restaurant, Del Mar, California): Clear light straw color with persistent fine bead. Initial yeastiness leading into a glorious bouquet of bright fresh Meyer lemon, green apple, lemon blossom, fresh croissant, hint of chalk. Similar on the palate, fresh and pure, with laser-like acidity. Seems quite youthful. Racer117 says he will let his other bottle rest for another several years based on tonight's showing. My #1; group's SECOND PLACE in this flight.
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4/1/2017 - Sozzled-Me Likes this wine: 99 Points
Elegant youthful nose of green apple and citrus with gentle yeasty undertones. Explodes onto the palate with exhilarating effervescent intensity almost reminiscent of sherbet. Incredibly focused (still somewhat closed) and sharp on the palate but somehow perfectly balanced despite the acidity. Overwhelmingly mineral rather than fruity. Sparkles into a long finish of lime and sour apple that goes for a minute. Extraordinary.
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4/1/2017 - Mr Barsac Likes this wine: 99 Points
Astonishing. Expansive, exotic nose with jasmine and lychee notes, dominated by bramley apples supported by a savoury yeast structure. This plays a clever trick of being both intensely acidic and yet miraculously well balanced. A vibrant mousse. Very mineral palate of riverbed gravel but some unripened green orchard fruits too. Lengthy biscuit finish. Unforgettable.
[Drunk in Tokyo as aperiftif; out of fridge for 20 minutes; served in white Burgundy glasses.]
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3/16/2017 - pakabear Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very extracted as are a lot of the vintage '96 Champagnes, aged or well resolved white Burgundy nose, much more advanced then previous experience with this wine but the friend who brought it said he noticed a lot of bottle variation even from the same case with this wine. Citrus, lemon peel, brioche, toast with impeccable balance.
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3/9/2017 - Markus IWC wrote: 96 Points
Champagne 96 tasting, wine nr3. Best votes (2), Worst votes (4) out of 13. Amazingly young and fresh for a 21 year old wine, needs more cellar time. Rich nose with citrus, minerals, pears and yellow apples. Acidity driven with sharp citrus character, fresh mouthfeel with minerals and hints of meat. 96p
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3/3/2017 - BradE wrote:
This vintage continues to provide much joy.
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2/25/2017 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 100 Points
Dinner with Friends (Salon, Scarecrow, Ducru, Rhys+) (Pine Lake Trout Club): Wow. This is just wonderful and a real wow wine. Pop and pour, it continued to evolve all night long. Showing some signs of maturity but lots of youth as well, this has a long life ahead (wish I had more). Everyone at the table seemed to have a different feature that they found amazing. Light golden in color with a fair amount of tiny bubbles. The nose has some lemon, slight lemon peel/oil, a bit of apricot, slight nutty note and some chalk and minerals. Complex. On the palate, even better. So precise and at the same time so broad. Great acidity but so smooth one hardly notices. Layers of complexity. Flavors of lemons, lemon curd, slight honey, just a hint of mushroom. A finish that lasts forever. I originally scored this 99, because who scores a Champagne a 100, but I changed it. There was nothing to improve about this except the price.
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2/19/2017 - clayfu wrote: flawed
Night two: No more rain but a lot more Rousseau - a story of Fred's birthday in Orange County (J Zhou): flawed bottle. Complete flat on the palate. No nose, no palate. Some said corked, I do not dispute it.
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2/17/2017 - dcwino wrote: 93 Points
Another lost Friday afternoon gathering – Provenance, Power of Blind tasting and loving M. Gibourg CV (Charlie Palmer - Washington DC): I have been blessed to drink a lot of the 96 Salon and I consistently rate the wine in the high. Unfortunately, this is not a sound bottle. Still, quite attractive subtle nose displaying lemon curd, baked apple, creme brulee, smoke and white pepper. Subtle palate which is not how this wine should be, and very fine but shy mousse which once again is now how this wine should be. Very balanced but lacking the energy and precision. It is still a very fine Champagne. The 96 Salon is one of the greatest Champagnes… but at some point, this was not kept properly.
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1/21/2017 - BradE wrote:
A hit as always.
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1/16/2017 - Burgnick Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pob Gala dinner: shares by Thelittlehorse. Brief note: more complex and accessible than the 99 salon. It has precise and sharp yellow fruit with a long finish. It seems like it is entering its drinking window. 93-95
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1/11/2017 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 95 Points
Lots of body, great flavor,long finish.
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12/31/2016 - bthatton Likes this wine: 96 Points
A zinging knife edge of acidity and salinity supports still tightly wound citrus and chalky flavors with just the beginnings of creaminess. With caviar the wine tastes like a wave of sea water. I will revisit this astounding champagne, clearly above my taste bud's pay grade, in a decade.
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12/31/2016 - paul195 Likes this wine: 97 Points
A youthful pale yellow with green edge. Few visible bubbles, an initial nose of crisp chalky minerality, almost like a grand cru Chablis. Later some yeasty brioche notes joined in. Initial sip showed a burst of mousse and a blast of acidity. Perfect balance, firm structure, long finish. Very young but so delicious it will be hard to wait, glad its the first of a 12 pack.
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12/29/2016 - cridershow Likes this wine: 99 Points
This is the Rolls Royce of Champagne. We could certainly taste the beauty of this vintage. Still young but within an acceptable window but this will only get better for some time. Wonderful notes of lemon, lime, the beautiful taste for crushed rock. Just a hint of a lovely yeast flovor on the palate and nose but not too much. The finish was incredible went on for a solid 45 seconds. Later on my second glas developed this great creamy texture and flavor. A truly wonderful wine experience!
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12/29/2016 - dansamsoe Likes this wine:
This is great champagne. Very fresh and young looking. Lime, vibrant, electric. Balanced. One of the best 96.
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12/13/2016 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Acker BYO Holiday Dinner (Tribeca Grille): Wow - twice in one month! That's special. Still my favorite champagne although I'll say the Cristal gave it a run for its money. Beautiful and bright and vanilla and kindof some sweet notes but with great structure and maybe a hint of slate and apple and just very very very good. It was a great pairing with our first crab course.
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12/10/2016 - jdhannah wrote:
What to say about this exceptional wine. The best champagne I have ever had. Sweet but not too much honey. Doesn't have the acid profile of more youthful champagnes but enough to be in balance. Fantastic
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12/10/2016 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 95 Points
A private tasting (Restaurant De Ertepeller, Papendrecht. NL): Tasted blind. Light and lively colour, green tinge; light and fresh nose, primary, floral, almost Riesling-like, subtle and fragrant; the palate is elegant and fresh, gentle mousse, silky and harmonious, perfectly integrated acidity, with noticeable bitters on the back palate; layered and complex finish, very good length. Very stylish, almost impossibly young.
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12/3/2016 - Jeff Leve wrote: 98 Points
Mind blowing juice! If you have a special occasion that calls for a heart stopping bottle of Champagne, this is the bottle to pop. The bubbles are silk, the acidity delivers the perfect amount of lift, there is a purity of fruit, balanced by fresh baked brioche characteristics and the finish just keeps on going.
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11/28/2016 - MWiking wrote: 97 Points
krut, honung, kex och kaffe på doften på detta underbara vin, näsan är nästan perfekt.
smaken är nästan svår att besskriva men gräddig är ett ord jag hittar och helt ljuvlig, mogen och så jäkla bra. 97-98
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11/24/2016 - FamilyLarsson wrote: 97 Points
Otippat moget. Underbart doft med krut, kaffe, honung, viss blommighet och mineral. Otroligt balanserat med väldigt lång eftersmak
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11/24/2016 - Patrik H Likes this wine: 97 Points
Golden
On the nose: Gunpowder, coffee grounds, biscuit, honey.
On the palate: Brilliant balanced acidity when the whole palate is singing in harmony. Honey, gunpowder, lime, coffee, cream and some sherry tones.
Wow! 97+
Long lasting finish
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11/21/2016 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 96 Points
In very good shape, but not so cristal clear as 2 weeks before, but very nice drinkable, pure citrus finish with some limestone, at least 10 more years, 96-97
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11/20/2016 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 95 Points
Hawaiian Escape; 11/19/2016-11/26/2016 (Kuki'o): Consistently excellent. Big developed nose of rich Chardonnay fruit, honeycomb, and saline. Some reductive sulphur and a trace of smoke. Very creamy at the same time. Such a pleasure to drink right now as there is good maturity already but so much effervescence, energy, and acid to keep this going for a long time. A real classic.
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11/18/2016 - Burgundy Al wrote: 96 Points
Acker Pre-Auction Tasting Wines & In-Auction Dinner Wines (Zuma - New York NY): Small glass, brief note. Same as it ever was. Thankfully, not once in a lifetime.
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11/14/2016 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Ordered off the wine list at Shula's in Chicago (comparatively decent mark-up - in NYC this would have been a >$1k bottle in a restaurant). This was a celebration. To be fair I think we served the bottle a bit on the cold side and I didn't have quite the wow factor I had in the past. The acidity was a bit more biting which made the bubbles a bit less smooth. The softer, vanilla bean flavor still there. Very enjoyable and very good wine this night though. I love the way Salon has such a unique set of flavors and manages to maintain a great deal of complexity while also coming across as a bit softer in the profile (e.g. less brioche and yeasty).
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11/12/2016 - AV2012 wrote: 93 Points
Wow, the acidity is off the charts here - all about green apple. Mighty intense and sharp. Not sure if I can say it is THAT good, as for me it feels painfully young, but it is very different from all the other Salons in the tasting, that's for sure.
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11/5/2016 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 98 Points
Pretasting with a small Salon and VVF vertical Tasting (Elystan Street, London): What an austere, minimal champagne, unbelievable young, could be 2012 vintage, comparable to young Rieslings, crispy acidity, refreshing saltieness, fantastic finish, so pure and clean, a perfect Le Mesnil champagne, my 2 years old daughter will have fun in 30 years, much fresher than ten mighty and nutty 96 tasting 10 month ago in a big blind tasting, 98+, maybe 100 from a perfect bottle in a few decades
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10/17/2016 - KenK Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wonderful aromas of baked bread, citrus oil, and wet stones. Amazing depth and well integrated, yet great ying of rich fruit lifted high by the yang of the pretty bristly tension. This has really gained weight from the firm acidic driven wine I recall when first released years ago. Still long way to go and maybe even some upside with even more time. A classic Salon for the ages. Only the 1982 Salon was giving me more pleasure as we drank through 1982, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, and 2002.
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10/17/2016 - Burgundy Al wrote: 96 Points
Twenty Years of Salon (The Bristol - Chicago IL): In 96/02 flight. Great, as always. Just getting close to showing its full potential. Lots of upside from here.
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10/7/2016 - BSA Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tight. Comes across as young. Citrus and mineral driven. Some hints of development as the palate opens. Elegant. Strong backbone but will the fruit keep up? Understated elegance is perhaps what this is, but none the less I had been hoping for so much more. 91-93p.
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9/12/2016 - LWI wrote: 94 Points
1996 Champagne: Citrus soda, lime, almost some petrol and rubber, very closed; intense, acid driven wine. Difficult to know where this is heading. Will the fruit open up and overpower the gigantic acidity in this one, or will it slowly faint and become even more astringent?
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9/12/2016 - hajoha wrote: 93 Points
Champagnesmaking av 1996 årgangen (Oslo): Som vanlig den mest ungdommelige vinen for kvelden.
Friske epler, sitrus, steinmineraler og et lite hint av stilk.
Dette er rasepreget Blanc de blancs!
Intenst som bare Salon kan.
Det kiler helt opp til øra.
Bør lagres videre, men hvor ender dette?
Blir kanskje i det smaleste laget?
Lang og intens finish som biter godt.
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9/12/2016 - dcwino wrote: 96 Points
Sushi Taro Dinner: Another excellent showing. Drinking after the Spatlese is a bit challenging initially. Decadent sweet white and yellow fruits, anise, limestone, honey and strong presence of mineral. Excellent concentration, fine mousse, decadent yellow fruit driven palate impression, bright acidity, strong presence of mineral and lovely long finish. This particular bottle seems slightly less precise. Nevertheless, really enjoyable.
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9/11/2016 - BradE wrote:
Late night entry for the dining room disco session. Always a pleasure.
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8/25/2016 - Paul S wrote: 96 Points
Epic Champagne dinner (Taberna, Bukit Merah): By some distance my favourite of a very strong flight of 1996 vintage Champagnes, including Selosse, Krug and DP. This was still youthful, but boy was it impressive. The nose showed quiet notes of bread, yeast and mineral, some deeply seated white-fruit aromas, and then a hint of more lifted fruit peel and white melon accents at the back of the bouquet. Very nice. It had a lovely palate too - with clean, elegant lines, and a laser-like spine of mineral workng its way through flavours of white fruit kissed with more citrussy lime pip amd lemon juice notes. Past the midpalate and beyond, I got yeast, bread and a hint of white chocolate. There was a quiet sense of power and authority underlying all this, all the way into a long, juicy, minerally finish. Gorgeous stuff that just went on and on in the mouth. What really stood out for me though was the breathless purity and definition of it all, with brilliant acidity, the finest mousse and a beautiful mineral line just glowing amidst an almost crystalline expression. Depth without weight, strength without effort; so focused, so precise - the wine was truly a study in purity and finesse. Still young, but this could well be a perfect champagne in the making.
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8/22/2016 - ricknat1 Likes this wine: 97 Points
perfect bottle, fresh, clean, long and bright
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7/30/2016 - ricknat1 Likes this wine: 96 Points
another killer 96 Salon
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7/16/2016 - sandwich Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wow. It does not get any better than this. Subtle ginger and a bit of green apple come through the intense minerals. There is also a honeysuckle essence that hopefully will become more evident as this ages. This is wonderful right now and it seems like it will drink well for twenty more years.
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7/16/2016 - Tartiflette Likes this wine: 96 Points
It's time again. But it isn't even ready yet. So young and fresh. Straw yellow in color. So sharp initially in the nose with fresh lemon and lots of acidity. Chalk, hazelnuts, skifer stones. This wine really is very very special Champagne. An acquired taste I would say. I like it alot but my wife has her doubts. This is a razor sharp Champagne and especially in the '96 lot's of acid. It comes together with some good food. Here the fruit becomes more dominant. Citrus again but accompanied by pears, melon and peach. The last glass was however the best which tells me it isn't over yet. My conclusion is that it is a great wine. But it isn't balanced. The acid is still to dominant.
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6/24/2016 - BradE wrote:
Terrific bottle.
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6/23/2016 - ricknat1 wrote: 96 Points
a great bottle of salon but tough to have with the krug and krug mesnil. i like to have it first, appreciate its lightness and elegance and freshness and then move on to the krugs
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6/18/2016 - Corgi wrote:
Chalky. Overly acidic. Overrated.
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6/9/2016 - FYC wrote:
Maybe the best 96 salon I have had. Nothing else I can say that already hasn't been said about this wine. This particular bottle was showing very youthful.
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6/3/2016 - CamWheeler wrote: 97 Points
Decades of Decadence - x6s (Tetsuya's, Sydney, Australia): 1996 Salon is a wine that I have tried a few times now and it has always been immensely impressive. Lime, apple, floral/musk, orange peel and lemon - this is still decidedly primary but also intensely perfumed. The palate is precise, with the cut of razor sharp acidity bending the fruit to its will. Salivating, with superb depth - this is Champagne playing a totally different game to most others.
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5/21/2016 - yacobove wrote:
Many in the group immediately noticed this bottle was a bit flatter than previous bottles they had enjoyed. Not sure if it had to do with the fact that this bottle was not easy to drink...literally. The cork would not come out of the bottle, several of us tried and then eventually we had to saber the bottle open. There was a ton of honey on the nose with hints of vanilla and grapefruit. There was still some bubbles on this, but definitely flatter in the mouth. The honey was very present on the palate as well with orange and lemon. Super tasty, but a tad mature. Perhaps not the best version of this wine, but still showing its weight.
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5/20/2016 - Burgundy Al wrote: 96 Points
Wine Dinner Extravaganza (David Burke's Primehouse - Chicago IL): Incredibly bright and energetic apple and lemon. Long and slightly lean but with excellent concentration. Some preferred the Krug 1996, but this was my favorite Champagne tonight.
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5/20/2016 - dcwino wrote: 98 Points
Annual gathering with Chicago winos in Chicago - Burgs, SQNs and Cult cabs (David Burke's Primehouse): Another incredibly youthful yet perfectly drinking example. Fresh concentrated white fruit, granny smith, citrus, white flowers, wet stone, white pepper and honey. Exceptional concentration, very fine generous mousse, coil sweet white fruit driven palate impression, bright acidity, strong presence of mineral and seamless long clean finish. Excellent showing.
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5/16/2016 - ricknat1 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Clean, crisp and once again one of the finest aperitifs to start an evening with
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5/13/2016 - ricknat1 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Crisp, clean, fresh and delicious. This is an amazing aperitif that I love ion its own but pales next to more complex, more mature wines like tonight's DP and last weeks Krug. I think it is young and it will be exciting to follow this over the next 20 years
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5/8/2016 - sdr wrote: 88 Points
Rather disappointing showing for what I hoped would be a very special champagne. It's not bad but unimpressively linear and simple. Very pale, it opened with an intriguing note of spearmint, followed by austere citrus. Almost no toast and it finished abruptly. Could it just be many years short of blossoming?
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4/30/2016 - ricknat1 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Crisp, clean, long and delicious. It only got better the longer it was open yet it was totally eclipsed by the 1990 Krug which followed it. Salon is brighter, cleaner, fresher but Krug was like moving from white to red in complexity. always fun
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4/23/2016 - fcxj wrote: 96 Points
Excellent.
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4/15/2016 - WEB,III Likes this wine: 95 Points
Sensational and still youthful, too.
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4/8/2016 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fine acids, unripe pear, green apple notes and hints of citrus. Some bottle variation in my recent experience, although none of them yet showing significant complexity. 92-93
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3/27/2016 - reichken wrote: 95 Points
clean yellow color, very active bottle, nose of lemon and stones, clean as a whistle in the mouth and just races around, long finish.
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3/12/2016 - rlove wrote: 97 Points
Golden straw. Rich, forward nose of crème brûlée, honey, vanilla, and apple that come together with improbable concentration and intensity to suggest pain perdu. On the palate, incredible depth and complexity, yet beguiling weightlessness, with flavors of caramel and apple. This is an incredible blanc de blancs Champagne; the broad complexity coupled with deep intensity is stunning. This didn't show as well as an earlier bottle, but still a singular wine. Good now and for many years to come.
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2/8/2016 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 96 Points
The Ultimative 1996 Champagne Tasting with Richard Juhlin (Behrens am Kai in Düsseldorf 1 star restaurant): This was the biggest suprise for me. I was sure I would detect this one, This was not typical Le Mesnil. I had chocolate in the palate and a powerful finish, not a tart mouthwatering acidity. Very evolved in his stage, I liked it very much 95(96). Rytis had a nice hit. Richard told me sometimes Salons can go in this direction.
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2/3/2016 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 93 Points
Slatey and rocky notes with a finish of lemon and grapefruit oil and acid. Quite refined acids across the palate. Fresh but this bottle lacked a second level of depth, which I am hoping it develops over time. 93-94+
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1/8/2016 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 97 Points
Annual holiday dinner with DC winos: fabulous wines kick off 2016! (Ripple Restaurant in Washington D.C.): My, my. This was like drinking Montrachet with bubbles. Or at least a top notch Batard Montrachet. Very opulent, yet seashell fresh, maritime weather wine, beckoning oysters with lemon, grilled lobster, or some kind of fresh seafood platter, at a white glove treatment restaurant... It was crisp and precise, with fine bubbles, as it was broad on the palate - and long. As Howard said, we could have just continued to drink this for the rest of the evening ... Thanks Paul Marquardt for this most glorious Champagne. Certainly a top five of the wine dinner, if not top three.
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1/8/2016 - reichken wrote: 96 Points
eaten with sushi and good co. light yellow, creamy nose of lemons and minerals. tight , straight, impressive wine. these really are good bottles.
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1/3/2016 - reichken wrote: 95 Points
light color, lots of bubbles, been a while since i have had this but it hasnt really moved much, dry, lemony,razor like mineral driven champagne. fills the mouth, very long finish and really tasty. very good bottle bought on realese
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12/31/2015 - BradE wrote:
Two bottles. One good, one great.
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12/22/2015 - SFBill wrote: 99 Points
Enjoyed at WaterBar in San Francisco with oysters and bass carpaccio.
Poured and let breathe a few minutes and the unmistakeable Salon crispness just blossoms. Tart, but very dry, with citrus notes. Incredible finish that reveals the true depth of this wine.
I'm saving the 100 pt. rating for the one bottle I have left that I'll open in a few more years. Simply the best champagne I've ever had.
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12/10/2015 - giba ochman Likes this wine: 95 Points
Early stage of maturity. On of the most powerful champs that I had the opportunity to drink. Future promises even more, when understate the acidity and secondary flavors start to open. Historic Salon. Hold 5 years
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12/5/2015 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine: 97 Points
Zachys Holiday Auction - Winter 2015 (Smith & Wollensky (48th & 3rd Ave)): This is one of those wines that needs a level beyond just 'I like it'. It's just straight up special. Probably one of the best champagnes I have ever had and a flavor that haunts you for the rest of the day. It's perfectly elegant, nice and tart, the finish just keeps on going. A wine that will make you smile with every sip. Interestingly enough, I get quite a bit of vanilla flavor in addition to the standard champagne pieces. Had a number of champagnes at the Zachys auction, but this was the clear winner.
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11/15/2015 - chablis28 wrote: 98 Points
My WOTN. This was a complete head turner! Intense flavors of orange rind, grapefruit, ginger, apple, lime and drenching minerality. Not a delicate flower! Super fresh and vibrant as it reverberates on your tongue. I loved it and one of my best Champagne experiences, ever. ! Thanks Siggy!
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11/10/2015 - Sevencircles Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very long finish, a lot of acid and power and great body. Best Champagne i have had. Wait 5 more years at least.
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11/8/2015 - rc@ughey Likes this wine: 96 Points
What more needs to be said? A legend. Platonic ideal of Champagne for me. Intense, rich, and concentrated, but also elegant and damn-near electric in its vibrancy.
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11/7/2015 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 94 Points
Closed nose on this bottle offering up slatey notes and faint lemon. Caramel notes are barely there with some air time. Dry citrus acids on the palate. Score provides some benefit of the doubt that this will continue to evolve, as this bottle did not have as much "there" there as other bottles
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11/4/2015 - clayfu wrote:
WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE! A vertical of Roulot Perrieres (and other goodies) (Orange County): I can write a million notes on this and it's always the same. The wine is fantastic. It's one of the best champagnes made in 96. It's a full bodied precise champagne, filled with copious amounts of acidity and fruit.
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11/2/2015 - Lord Rayas wrote:
My MNSC (The Pawn): more developed than a few years ago. would still give it a few more years tho.
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10/3/2015 - BradE wrote:
A stud as always.
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10/1/2015 - Burgundy Al wrote: 96 Points
Wine Dinner Extravaganza (Capella Hotel Dining Room - Washington DC): Lots of lemon, lemon peel, lemon custard and apple throughout, this is incredibly powerful and energetic. Great minerality and textural charm. This is just now starting to show hints of its great potential with the acidity slightly softening.
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10/1/2015 - dcwino wrote: 99 Points
Annual Chicago winos visit - Dugat Py Chambertins, DRC RSVs, SQN and etc. (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): Very precise and energetic nose displaying youthful white and yellow fruits, apple, lemon curd, white flowers, smoke, cream soda, strong presence of mineral, white pepper and honey. Incredible concentration, youthful sweet white fruit driven palate impression, strong presence of acidity, strong presence of mineral, very creamy fine mousse and lovely long finish. Despite remaining incredibly youthful, the 96 Salon has been drinking incredibly well for this year. Just absolutely stunning.
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10/1/2015 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
Stunning nose with a hint of flint at first that blows off. Some lemon and flowers on the nose as well. The palate is broght and crisp with a light mousse and oh so balanced citrus notes. Amazing.
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9/23/2015 - ricknat1 Likes this wine: 97 Points
This was stunning as usual. Crisp, clean, long and delicious. It only got better the longer it was open
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9/18/2015 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
The 1996 Salon Champagne was as brilliant as ever. It showed some struck match on the aroma and was so fresh, pure and direct. It is powerful and intense, a wine of perfect poise and posture. The finish is so clear, precise and long.
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9/12/2015 - dcwino wrote: 97 Points
Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze event; 9/11/2015-9/12/2015 (Capella Hotel Georgetown): Another that seem sto reach the first stage of the peak. Energetic nose displaying decadent yellow fruits, lemon curd, anise, mineral, sweet spices and honey. Excellent concentration, generous fine mousse, decadent yellow fruit driven palate impression, strong presence of mineral, bright acidity and incredibly long sweet yellow fruit driven finish. Excellent showing once again.
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8/31/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 99 Points
I don't taste a lot of high end Champagne, but after just one sip of this wine, perhaps I've been missing out. Stunning in every way, the wine packed so much fresh, sweet, citrus, brioche and almond scents, paired with the perfect amount of effervescence to make this a real treat. The texture paired creaminess with acidity and length to keep this interesting all the way through. This was incredibly young and fresh and vibrant, it's hard to believe it's already 20 years of age. If only I could afford a bottle, or a case...
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8/26/2015 - Burgundy Al wrote: 96 Points
Great Wine Dinner with Friends (goosefoot - Chicago IL): Lemon and lemon peel throughout some some green apple. Everything has great concentration. Great length with machine gun-esque bursts of energy. Served alongside Krug 2000 Mesnil, this seems years younger.
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8/22/2015 - clayfu wrote:
copying my prior note since it's basically exactly the same
In the beginning it has mouth coating acidity and citrus but it toned down with some time in bottle. Just clear cut precise citrus fruit, saline that expands and coats your mouth with bright flavors.
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8/21/2015 - dcwino wrote: 99 Points
Viking dinner at RJs - 96 Salon, 09 Coche CC, 01 Rousseau, 06 CSS, 06 Masseto, 01 D'Yquem and etc. (Reston, Va): Extremely youthful and perfectly precise showing that buckles the recent trends of the kinder and gentler showing of the 96 Salon. Incredibly youthful nose displaying pear, granny smith, a hint of lemon curd, smoke, lanoline, strong presence of white flowers, wet stone, white pepper and honey. Incredible concentration and perfect precision, fresh white fruit driven palate impression, bright acidity, strong presence of mineral and incredibly long finish. This is one of the best showings of the 96 Salon for its youthfulness and perfect precision. It is unbelievable that this is a twenty year old champagne.
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8/8/2015 - godx wrote: flawed
Corked.
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8/6/2015 - dcwino wrote: 97 Points
Mostly French dinner - Rayas, 00 Lafite, 13 Trump, H Lignier CDR and etc. (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): This once again reaffirms that the 96 has reached the first stage of full maturity. No longer so precise but decadently sweet. Very vinous nose displaying ripe white fruits, apple and lemon curd, white and yellow fruits, anise, limestone, white pepper and honey. One unusual aspect of this particular bottle is a very strong Chardonnay/vinous note in the nose. Exceptional concentration, fine abundant medium size mousse, lemon curd and anise driven palate impression, quite dense yet precise, bright acidity and lovely long finish. Really drinking well. Although much sweeter and more open recently, still quite youthful and can improve for a few more decades if kept in very cold cellar, becoming like the best of the 71s and 73s like Dom or Krug albeit not the exact impression/expression.
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8/1/2015 - fclarity wrote: 94 Points
This wine had a light yellow center and clear rims. It seemed to have a low intensity effervescence. The nose was quite nice showing limestone, limes, and lemon.
In the mouth, the limestone flavors were impressive and it showed more than a hint of Chablis-like character. It had great length.
Just based on the flavors this was closer to a 95 or 96 point wine. However, I reduced my score due to the effervescence's lack of persistence. Maybe other bottles are different?
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7/22/2015 - BradE wrote:
Yes, as always a winner.
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7/18/2015 - Wine Canuck wrote: 92 Points
Year 3 - Super Tasting 2 of 5 - Andrew does 96 Chamapgne (Langdon Hall, Cambridge, ON): While I understand other bottles have been more open, we all kind of agreed this one was a bit tight. The nose reveals some really interesting but subtle notes of strawberry shortbread, white currants, oyster shell, white flowers, fresh ginger and fresh cut strawberry. The palate has very focused high acid with a long delecate finish repeating fresh cut strawberry, white currants and ginger. 92+ for it's future potential. It should be excellent in time, this bottle seems to have needed a bit more age.
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7/18/2015 - Dave Canada wrote: 93 Points
Year 3 - Super Tasting 2 of 5 - Andrew does 1996 Champagne (Langdon Hall - Andrew Little's Rooom (Also known as the Red Room)): This was quite tight on the nose initially....with some time strawberry shortcake came out...then red berries and strawberry leaf. This is was a weird place aromatically....just so closed down and very different from the last bottle that I had 3 years earlier it terms of its accessibility.
The palate is utter class...so broad and expansive with ginger, lemongrass, minerals, citrus, chalk, and strawberry coulis.
Finish is long, layered and lush.
Overall this wine is definetly not firing on all cylinders...it just seems like it is holding something back on this day.
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7/16/2015 - dcwino wrote: 98 Points
Monumental Barolo dinner - Monfortino, Giacosa, Taurasi and La Romanee (Fleet Street Kitchen - Baltimore, MD): Another stunning showing. This particular bottle combines the precision showed on its youth and the decadent sweet fruits of the recent bottles. Delicate yet decadent nose displaying white fruits, apple and citrus, strong presence of white flowers and wet stone, white pepper, anise and honey. As usual, exceptional concentration, decadent citrus and apple driven palate impression, bright acidity and lovely long sweet yet very precise and clean finish. Quite youthful, decadent yet very precise bottle. I prefer this to the Krug at the moment. I am yearning for another flirting with perfection kind of bottle. Very close but not quite.
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7/12/2015 - William Kelley Likes this wine: 94 Points
The 1996 Salon was quite a bit more forward than I had expected it to be, and the wine really seemed ready to drink which surprised me. The expressive bouquet is a lovely melange of caramelized lemon, brioche, buttered apple and spring flowers. On the palate the wine was wide open, with a refined mousse and great juicy fruit, but rather lower acidity than I had expected, but good persistence on the chalky finish. In fact, this was was really pretty similar to the just-released 2002.
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5/24/2015 - BradE wrote:
The 96 is consistently great, and this bottle was no exception. What a vintage for Salon.
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5/10/2015 - jmoon Likes this wine: 96 Points
Very fresh and increibly focused; sharp positive acidity and structure. school mistress with a sharp tongue, in all meanings of the word.
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5/3/2015 - jsebiri wrote:
after 20 -30 minutes of air this was a great champagne , excellent
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4/19/2015 - LWI wrote: 95 Points
Some Champagnes: Restrained, but has clearly a wonderful balance. The fruit is even quite mature, but hidden beneath acidity and structure. An intense wine with minerals. Way too young. Rating for now.
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4/12/2015 - FYC wrote:
Saturday with Some Charmers: Salon, Roulot, PYCM, Giacosa Riservas: This was an outstanding bottle. Wonderful fruit and acidity. Very bright but the depth and length was accented when tasted alongside the 2002 and 1990.
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4/3/2015 - hehimm Likes this wine: 99 Points
Probably deserves a 100 from me. Just my wife and me on Friday night with salmon. A beautiful yellow gold with a slight greenish tinge on the edge. Wonderful aromas and flavors of citrus, green apple, pear, honey, and much more. Minerally with a very long finish. I think it has years to go but then what do I know! Nice to have there left...
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4/1/2015 - FYC wrote:
This bottle had fewer bubbles than previous bottles. Color was still light bright yellow. Though lacking in bubbles, it still had a wonderful palate with plenty of fruit and balanced acidity. A touch more honey and fruit compared to other bottles I've had which I prefer. Again, a delicious wine.
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3/24/2015 - vincent kf Likes this wine: 98 Points
Clean, gentle bubbles, can imagine smelling a tropical fruit basket and honey toast in a flower garden... lots and lots of flavours developing and the length is great.
One of the very best champagne I ever had.
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2/26/2015 - doggman wrote: 99 Points
I've had a lot of champagne but this was hands down the best!
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1/27/2015 - karl.1480 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Medium lemon color.
Youthful, and a bit tight nose upon opening. Medium aroma intensity with aromas of yeast, brioche, ripe lemons, hint of coffee/toasted oak, tropical fruits and lots of flinty minerals.
Very dry on the palate with a medium+, tart acidity. The body is medium+ with a creamy, delicate mousse. The flavor intensity is medium+. Flavors of tropical fruits, yeast, yellow apples, coffee, hint of vanilla and lemons.
Really tasty but tight upon opening. With two-three hours in the glass it opened up and it became nothing short but outstanding. Should definitely have been decanted in the first place. Drinking good with aeration today but there is plenty of room for further developing.
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1/24/2015 - Darth Angelus Likes this wine: 96 Points
Fantastic youth and acidity, even approaching the 20 year mark. It required hours to open up, but when it did, it showed the signs of a fantastic champagne. There is a lot to be had, with more maturity, and I suspect this wine will live for a very, very long time yet. It will be very interesting to follow its journey.
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1/24/2015 - Lilja Likes this wine: 95 Points
FW-BYOB-HT-15#2; 1/24/2015-1/25/2015: Big and beautiful! Intense, fat nose nose with lots of yeast, bread, butter, roasted coffee, red berries and developed aromas of ripe yellow apples, cob on the corn and honey. Great when popped and outstanding after 2 hours.
Big and full bodied on the palate with a high, not fully developed acidity with quite a lot of tartness left. Very good length and high intensity. A fantastic wine, that is drinking very well right now with a good young freshness and developing complexity, will easily manage many more years in the cellar though.
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12/31/2014 - ricknat1 Likes this wine: 97 Points
clean, gorgeous, young, refreshing yet complex and long and only improves with air. Still love it
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12/31/2014 - BradE wrote:
Four bottles for Diane's 60th. Great as always.
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12/25/2014 - Tartiflette wrote: 93 Points
Again, much too young. The high acidity makes this wine very hard to enjoy young. It will be interesting to see how it evolves with time. Super mousse and clear minerality, lemon, yeast, and lots of shard acid.
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12/22/2014 - bill00 wrote: 95 Points
Classic Mesnil character with tons of lemon and chalky minerality. Laser-like with a borderline searing level of acidity that I have not experienced in previous bottles of this wine. And to be clear I view this as a good thing as this is really intense and focused vs. other bottles that I have found surprisingly and disappointingly easygoing for a '96. Frankly this is a wine that I admire today more than enjoy, but it certainly feels like this could be absolutely amazing many years from now. 95+
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12/13/2014 - rlove wrote: 99 Points
Deep, powerful style with toast, honey, white flowers, lemon curd and crème brûlée on the nose. Not youthful at all. Well structured with a never-ending finish. Just stunning. Will drink well for another 10+ years.
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12/6/2014 - BradE wrote:
As usual, this was a stunner. What a great champagne.
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11/22/2014 - Burgundy Al wrote: 96 Points
Tenth Annual White Truffle Dinner (Chez Weber - Chicago IL): Great start to the evening. Lemon, lemon peel and green apple aromas and flavors. Very energetic, incredibly long and precise. Still too young, but stunning from start-to-finish.
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11/22/2014 - Simply Wine Likes this wine: 97 Points
Spectacular showing. Still quite young and vibrant. Clear favorite of all of the 1996s.
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11/15/2014 - hajoha wrote: 94 Points
Virker rimelig lukket på nese.
Dette er stramme saker, strukturert som faen med sin lasersyre.
Til tross for dette leker den i munn, og danser ut i finishen.
Lang og mineralsk! 94p
Alt for ung!
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11/9/2014 - acidqueen wrote: 94 Points
Pale yellow. Intensely tight and hard to the point of being almost impossible to drink on first opening. Cork on this one was so tight that I couldn't open it easily. Opens up as it sits, but flavors are still all citrus and a bit of pear. too young to drink this now.
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10/19/2014 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Just a little more developed than some of the recent bottles I have had but still really good. Has a little toast and mushroom on the nose along with bright citrus fruits, bread and mineral. It is dense, chalky and piercing in the mouth with so much power yet supreme elegance. It really breathes up in the glass and is a Champagne of terrific authority and class.
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10/18/2014 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 96 Points
Tart green apple, watercress, lemon peel. Acid still too strong for pure enjoyment.
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10/4/2014 - rustyRudy wrote: 92 Points
Light yellow. Good small bubbles.complex nose. Dominated on the palate by saline, iodine, earthy minerals. Hint of lemon curd, and toast. Not my cup of tea. Many other Champagnes that I enjoy for a lot less $.
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10/3/2014 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Good qualitatively, but not what I love in Champgane. No yeasty bready goodness. Lemon, citrus, high high acid, golden. Similar to Jacques Salosse. Saline and iodine as observed by a fellow taster. Give me Krug instead any day.... Especially vintage Krug!
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9/29/2014 - Miceri Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lots of acidity (seems to be a sure characteristic for all 1996 champagne)
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9/19/2014 - punter wrote:
NR - Tightly wrapped and took time to unwind, yet did eventually show its potential greatness - wait 3 - 4 years before the next bottle
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8/26/2014 - cmbond Likes this wine:
Drank with Andrew and Camille at Anju (Calgary)
C: Gold-green, fine bubbles
N: Initially Granny Smith apple skins was pretty much all you could smell. No toast/oak, little else. Very primary. After 1 hour, toast/brioche became evident and fruit became caramelized apple, like a candy apple.
P:Searing acidity and green apple skins at first, the most acid I have ever tasted in a wine outside of a Sercial Madeira. The blazing acid carried the finish for at least a full minute, but again very primary. The candy apply and toast came out later but still great acid and wonderful finish.
Overall this is just super young. Would definitely decant for 1-2 hours next bottle. Really cool stuff, great evolution, and definitely identifiable based on the acidity and finish. Overall still prefer 96 Dom to this, but their prices are getting ever closer.
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8/16/2014 - Vinophiliac559 wrote: 99 Points
98-99+ pts; Great vintage, this is the pinnacle of champagne. Crisp mineral driven champagne with a strong acid spine. Hint of smokiness with perfect balance and the most effervescent microscopic bubbles I have experienced. Hands down the best champagne I have had with potential to be even better down the road.
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7/13/2014 - BradE wrote:
Two bottles, both terrific.
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7/13/2014 - reichken wrote: 95 Points
Clean, crisp, sharp. This wine remains super precise and drinks amazingly fast. Very salon in taste. Very good bottle
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6/30/2014 - Ludi Likes this wine: 95 Points
Giovanile paglierino con riflessi dorati. Naso elegante e sottile, con netti richiami floreali ed agrumati, mineralità presente ma soffusa, note dolci che richiamano la brioche e la crema pasticcera, il miele di tiglio. Bocca coerente, elegante, molto agrumata, freschezza mai sopra le righe. Lunghissimo su note di menta glaciale
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6/22/2014 - clayfu wrote:
what more needs to be said about this wine? Fantastic. Another great youthful bottle. In the beginning it has mouth coating acidity and citrus but it toned down with some time in bottle. Just clear cut precise citrus fruit, saline that expands and coats your mouth with bright flavors. My favorite 96 from the big houses hands down
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6/14/2014 - dougie wrote: 96 Points
Great!
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6/11/2014 - Colima74 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Still a young pup. Started off with loads of acidity. But after being open a whole, there was an elegant balance between acidity and what seemed like warm bread. The last couple of glasses were deeply profound. Big mouthfeel. Open an hour before consuming and serve near room temp.
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6/10/2014 - indiscriminate palate wrote: 97 Points
Belated celebrations: Very fine bead. Initially, a fairly muted nose of dried orange peel, lemon. Body feels weightless. Primarily very pure citrus fruit, yielding to some lemon rind, minerality, and finally a bit of brioche. Amazing acidity and elegance. It is decidedly on the opposite side of the spectrum from more powerful, oxidative, autolytic Champagnes, instead conveying absolutely pure fruit and minerality. Exceptional.
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6/10/2014 - salil wrote: 97 Points
Once again, this lives up to the hype. A thrilling wine, full of piercing, fresh citrus, pear and green apple fruit over a vivid chalky mineral base, framed by gentler brioche, doughy and yeasty notes that remain in the background. The power and intensity on the palate is hard to describe - there's such concentration and force here to the flavours, but there's also tremendous acidity that keeps it very focused and precise, and it has a remarkable sense of lightness and purity on the palate. Spectacular Champagne, and I'm glad I still have a couple left.
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6/10/2014 - BradE wrote:
Very good as usual.
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6/7/2014 - dcwino wrote: 98 Points
La Tache dinner (The Boardl Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): Ian Westcott posted that the bottle he tried recently was very tight. This is expressive and starting to be a bit more soft and generous, if that is even possible in a Salon, especially the 96. Intense sweet yellow citrus fruits, coriander, flowers, honey and limestone. First palate note is the strong presence of acidity followed by intensely sweet yellow fruits and honey, mineral, bright acidity once again then lovely long finish. This and the one prior seem to show more sweetness and roundness. It is hard to be absolute in this wine but it is starting to enter the second stage of development. Someone reminisces how perfectly precise this wine was upon release. If you have a lot, it won’t hurt to try one.
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5/23/2014 - ricknat1 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Very balanced, clean fruit, rich and light at the same time, smooth and delicious. Perfect with Oyster
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5/21/2014 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Another great bottle of this stunning Champagne. Has a hint of toast to the aroma along with pure white peach and citrus fruits. It is so fine and so direct in the mouth with a razor sharp spine and creamy fruit. It fills every crevice of the mouth with citrus and minerals, has great cut and phenomenal length.
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4/29/2014 - BradE wrote:
Two bottles, and continues to be stunning and consistent. A great champagne.
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4/22/2014 - godx wrote: 95 Points
Champagne Dinner: Painfully youthful but so enjoyable. Bread dough, citrus and minerals on the nose with an airy, elegant and citrus palate. Racy acidity yet so well balance. Finish is all fine citrus and minerals. Chevalier-Montrachet with bubbles. Needs another decade. 95+
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4/16/2014 - BradE wrote:
Continues to be a reference standard champagne. Excellent.
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4/13/2014 - Topper wrote: 96 Points
Third time with this wine and I've given it the same score each time. Seemingly light at first, the complexity builds and the wine starts to dance around your tongue and you can't think of anything else. Probably now my very favorite champagne.
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4/8/2014 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com Likes this wine: 94 Points
Brown Bag Wine Dinner at Two Chefs - Double Blind (TWO CHEFS, MIAMI, FL): The wine looks blonde colored. The legs are medium. It smells like lemon and leesy. It tastes like chrysanthemum.
The body is light. The wine has polished texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has low acidity. Luis' Champagne. Thank You!
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3/23/2014 - jhngo Likes this wine: 95 Points
So tight bursting with acidity and depth. Great vintage!
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3/20/2014 - Nanda Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wines that Charles loves (Cafe Pyrenees): Tight and shy on the nose. Palate is very young with laser focus and a crisp acidic edge. All about the fruit notes now with lemon, lime and green apple - not getting much bread or biscuit. Sleek, long finish. Lots of upside potential here.
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3/16/2014 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Brilliant wine, like a Roulot ‘Perrieres’ that has been run through a soda stream. Sharp, focussed, detailed. Crammed with citrus and minerals. So much poise, such elegance.
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3/2/2014 - bpj87 wrote: 97 Points
Still young but already open. Crystalline and weightless with incredible mouthfeel. Chalk, white fruits, florals, and mineral abound. Truly impressive.
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2/8/2014 - pakabear Likes this wine: 96 Points
First time having the 1996, great intensity and overall balance. I like the '96 dom better but that's probably a style preference as this was really really good.
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2/8/2014 - dcwino wrote: 97 Points
No note was taken. Starting to show a bit of honey. Still price and intense. Excellent showing and mostly in line with the previous bottles.
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2/1/2014 - ricknat1 Likes this wine: 96 Points
clean, delicious and as always stellar. drink now, drink for a long time to come and drink as often as you can
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1/20/2014 - Le Musigny wrote:
Another great bottle.
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1/18/2014 - Racer117 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Doesn't quite reach the crescendo of a previous bottle but this one flies high indeed.
From a restaurant's wine list and fairly priced at that. Right from the get go this was offering up so much. The nose was fairly shy all evening but it more than made up for it in the flavor department. There was lemon, hazelnut, and a distinct coconut icee flavor perfectly positioned in the mid-palate. After some air ( and a request for a white wine glass), this wine's tight steel core could be sensed. The last sips showed some caramel and toffee. This is a fabulous wine!
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1/18/2014 - PC73 wrote: 94 Points
Nose. Yeasty, biscuity, toasty. Hint of coffee. Caramel.
Palate. Very complex. This is a wine definitely to drink with food.
The hype around this wine probably meant it would never live up to expectations. I think the acidity means this is still too young.
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1/6/2014 - dpolivy Likes this wine: 95 Points
DRC Tasting Group: Bordeaux Night (Wild Ginger, Seattle, WA): Full, vibrant nose with lemon, green apple, and a touch of beeswax. Surprisingly full and round -- based on the reputation I was expecting something much more austere -- but still delicate. Fine, yet persistent, bubbles. Lemon, chalky minerals, and a little yeast/brioche on the body. Focused acidity. Gorgeous.
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12/31/2013 - hackey37 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Had this for New Years Eve and it was like a laser! It was straw colored and smelled like lime and apple. The tastes were apple, lime, lemon tea, fresh pear juice and was so precise. The acidity was just as precise and zingy with a long, clean finish. Wish I had more!
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12/30/2013 - BradE wrote:
96 Salon goes from strength to strength. Loved it.
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12/22/2013 - dcwino wrote: 99 Points
Lazy Sunday group Holiday dinner (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): Stunning showing from the get go, incredibly fresh and precise. Citrus, green apple, honey and mineral. Intense, fresh and precise. This particular bottle is flirting with perfection.
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12/21/2013 - -E- wrote: 96 Points
@ Bagatelle 21.12.13 (Oslo): Klar, lys strågul. Nydelig, dyp mineralsk nese, med dype, modne toner av sitrus og lime, samt innslag av flint, kruttlapp og lette honningtoner.
Dyp, fokusert, presis og intens frukt. Konsentert, utrolig ren, elegant og fokusert! Krisp, spisset syre. Finkornet, spenstig mousse. Nydelig lengde med sitrus og mineralsk preg. Imponerende oppvisning av kraft og eleganse. Ung, men drikker flott.
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12/20/2013 - JeffGMorris Likes this wine: 98 Points
Dena's Birthday Dinner with Mom at Il Palio. Very pale gold in the glass with a persistent stream of very tiny bubbles flowing up the middle of the glass in a straight line. Very young but extremely approachable. I wonder if this wine will ever go into a dumb phase or if it will just drink well throughout its' lifetime which is clearly many decades. Apples, brioche and a very vibrant and electrifying acidity. A spectacular wine that will be difficult to let age given how incredibly good it is today but I would like to see what one tastes like with another 20-30 years on it. 50+15+14+9.5+9.5=98+
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12/3/2013 - Nanda wrote: 95 Points
Wine Flock - Wines that Ken Loves Intro Retro (Highland Park): Nose is fresh, lively and seemingly young with green apples and citrus. Palate is very young with loads of acid and crisp apple notes. Terrific stuffing and length. Seems this is still wound up and needs time to evolve. Excellent.
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12/3/2013 - Burgundy Al wrote: 95 Points
Chicago Wine Flock..."Wines that Ken Loves" (Abigail's American Bistro - Highland Park IL): Tasted blind alongside Dom Perignon 1996. Salon was incredibly fresh and vibrant with lemon, lemon peel and green apple. Very long, energetic and precise. Still needs more cellar time.
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11/29/2013 - dcwino wrote: 98 Points
Impromptu lunch – 96 Salon, 02 Monfortino, 02 Jayer Gilles Echezeaux and etc. (Friend's house): Another great showing of this monumental Champagne. This particular bottle displays perfect precision with great mineral expression and piercing acidity. Yellow fruit driven noses, citrus, lime, quite floral, a hint of honey and limestone. Excellent concentration, sweet and dense palate, lovely mineral note and piercing acidity. This particular bottle is expressive yet still extremely youthful. Still long life ahead.
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11/28/2013 - Rieslingfan Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is showing very well, and makes me want to drink up all I have. Normally I would look past Salon in the cellar, favoring further aging (no matter the vintage), but this is so delicious now, that I see no reason to wait. There's more than enough lemon, apple, toast and light nut aromas and flavors for two bottles of Champagne. Pure happiness in a glass.
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11/28/2013 - salil wrote: 95 Points
Very much a knockout Champagne. Incredible intensity and power on the palate, yet there's also a sense of restraint and great finesse and purity to the flavours. Very pure citrus and pear fruit accented by chalky, toasty and nutty elements, and such focus and length to the flavours. This is incredible now, but I can barely imagine just how good this will be with some cellar time as it still comes across very youthful.
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11/28/2013 - PJRONeill wrote: 93 Points
A little muted at first and clearly still on the young side but with time and air its potential is obvious. For now, lemon, sea spray and some serious depth on the mid-palate which became particularly obvious when we drank the half bottle of Krug alongside. Increasingly complete with air. Three years to the next bottle if I have the patience.
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11/23/2013 - FYC wrote:
Such a treat to try them side by side with the 96 Krug. The Salon was brighter an more acidic. Lighter on the palate with great crispness and focus. Delicious but I do prefer the additional depth and power of the Krug tonight. I was in the minority though.
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11/23/2013 - ricknat1 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Very balanced, clean fruit, rich and light at the same time, smooth and delicious. The is a first class wine and another winner for 1996
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10/29/2013 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Showing a faint whiff of toasty development coupled with the most pure peach and lemon fruits one could imagine. Rich and intense with a razor sharp spine and tiny pin head bubbles.
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10/16/2013 - salil wrote: 95 Points
Doesn't show quite the same intensity as other bottles I've had recently, but this is still a really fantastic Champagne. A vivid stony/chalky mineral presence, incredibly pure citrus, pear and green apple fruit tinged with biscuit and doughy notes, and fantastic cut, purity and power on the palate while remaining light. Gets better and better with air, opening out aromatically to show more nuance and depth, and as it warms up a little the mouthfeel becomes incredibly polished and seamless.
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9/30/2013 - dcwino wrote: 98 Points
A small impromptu gathering at The Capital Grille – 85 La La, 61 HB, 52 CB, 90 Margaux and etc. (The Capital Grille at Tysons corner, VA): This is the most open example that I have drunk. Initially noticeable mint, sweet yellow fruits, lemon curd, honey and anise. Intense sweet fruit driven palate, exceptional concentration, bright acidity and extremely long finish. It seems to be opening up nicely, still precise and intense yet it seems to gain a bit of sweetness and more yellow fruits. A great example. Still long life ahead but it is opening up nicely.
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9/30/2013 - BradE wrote:
A great bottle. When its on, its really good, and this bottle was all that.
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9/14/2013 - jrkennedy37 wrote:
First Salon experience and holy cow. Prior to opening, was coaching myself to set expectations low after hearing so many rave reviews. This overdelivered in every regard. It's rich and concentrated while being so well balanced. The acid is bold, but perfectly in balance. It's quite youthful and will be a pleasure to explore this over the next few decades.
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9/13/2013 - WildeMeeuw Likes this wine: 98 Points
Kleur: Licht strogeel Aroma / bouquet: Verfijnd en 'bescheiden' bouquet met aroma's van stokbrood, gist en een vleugje caramel. Mooie 'gelaagde' structuur. Smaak / Afdronk: Verfijnde mousse. Start: friszuur, opvallend hoge zuurgraad, droog mondgevoel. Indrukwekkend lange afdronk. Aristrocratisch. Algemeen / potentieel: Prachtige Blanc de Blancs. Voor liefhebbers van frisse Champagne : nu op dronk. Ik wil de wijn graag in 2023 weer proeven ;-). 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 14 + Smaak / Afdronk: 19 + Algemeen / potentieel: 10 = 98/100
Google Translate:
Color: Light straw yellow Aroma / bouquet: Refined and "modest" bouquet with aromas of bread, yeast and a hint of caramel. Beautiful 'layered' structure Taste / Finish:. Refined mousse. Start: fresh acid, remarkably high acidity, dry mouthfeel. Impressively long finish. Aristocratic. General / potential: Beautiful Blanc de Blancs. For lovers of fresh Champagne: Ready to drink now. I would like to taste the wine in 2023 again;-). 50 + Color: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 14 + Taste / Finish: 19 + General / potential: 10 = 98/100
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8/20/2013 - BradE wrote:
Two bottles this past weekend. Showed well, but last weekend we had two bottles each of 75 Oeno, 96 Salon, and 02 Cristal, and the Salon was a distant third.
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8/15/2013 - botrytisvirtuoso1819 wrote: 99 Points
nose; minerals, campfire smoke, lemon meringue, and Madagascar vanilla.
palate; white currants, pickled ginger, white peach, and café crema.
high plus acidity.
75 plus second finish.
moderate plus tiny bubbles.
this is what a sparkling Domaine Leflaive Montrachet would taste like.
Chevalier, Puligny, or Batard I think.
this wine is truly great.
I opened this to celebrate getting a hole in one.
this was just as cool.
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8/8/2013 - Burgundy Al wrote: 95 Points
Small Post-Tasting Chablis Dinner...Then More Wine with Friends (GT Fish & Oyster - Chicago IL): Lean and crisp lemon and lemon peel aromas and flavors. Very long, precise and exciting. Still getting better.
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7/23/2013 - tooch wrote: 95 Points
Dinner at Patina (Patina - Los Angeles, CA): Bright nose with lemons, sage, lime and a lot of baking spices. With some air, I think this really blossomed. The palate seemed to ripen with time and good lord was this nice. I dare you to drink this and not concede that it's a perfecty ccomposed chardonnay. Beautiful stufff.
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7/17/2013 - dcwino wrote: 97 Points
RJ’s wine dinner – random wines – Krug, Salon, Leroy, Truchot, Dujac, La Turque, Chave, SQN and etc. (Mon Ami Gabi - Reston, VA): Initially somewhat coiled and dense, strong presence of acidity. It opens up nicely, honey, fresh granny smith, mineral, white pepper and anise. Impressive concentration, sweet, dense and mineral palate expression and bright acidity. Still young and fresh but start to show some yellow fruits. I just ready my TN from December, 2011 and this bottle is almost identical in that there is a beautiful interplay of sweet dense fruit, strong mineral presence and bright acidity. Perhaps one of the most dense and precise Champagnes. Still long life ahead but ready to be enjoyed.
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7/12/2013 - Le Musigny wrote:
Classic 96 Salon, gorgeous bottle.
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7/1/2013 - salil wrote: 98 Points
Champagne, Burgundy, and old Huët at the North End Grill (North End Grill, NYC): Another spectacular bottle of this. Incredibly young, yet so complex and compelling already. Amazing power and intensity conveyed with remarkable elegance, and there's such cut and vibrancy to the flavours with layers of fresh lemon and green apple fruit, doughy and toasty notes and a vivid chalky minerality all coming together seamlessly around a powerful acid spine. Wow.
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6/23/2013 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine: 96 Points
La Paulee 2.0 S.F.: Little more advanced than a very youthful bottle we had a couple weeks ago...more doughy yeast, salted caramels...but still pretty killer with crisp lemon citrus, flowers, creamy mousse, crushed minerals. Love it!
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6/12/2013 - aagrawal wrote: 95 Points
Epic Champagne Tasting (Fringale, San Francisco): Light gold color; nose has lovely balance and not very oxidative with slight yeast and pear fruit; fabulous acidity on the palate that adds great freshness and vibrancy to the wine, perfect bubbles, lovely tart green apple fruit, very young; finish is long and fresh. The most impressive characteristic of this wine is definitely the balance and the long finish. This seems very young with a lot of potential for improvement, and it seems like a good buy if you can find a decent price. (I would buy this over the 96 Krug for the same price, despite the fact that the Krug is arguably drinking slightly better today.) 95++ (95-98 with time)
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6/8/2013 - BradE wrote:
Not the typical "great" showing. Good, but with a lot of older champagne, it didn't show as strongly as usual.
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5/23/2013 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine: 99 Points
A revelation! My first Salon, and it impressed! I can't believe how fresh and alive, crystal clean, pure this was! Not tight at all...but did gain and gain, as the tiny bubbles went away through the night. The fruit was like tropical...yet loaded with fresh lemon/lime acidity...crunchy green apple skin and minerals galor! Tiny bubbles kept it so refreshing as well as the fresh squeezed citrus acidity...and later more caramel apple, vanilla cream, chalk dust came out....really creamy, yet STILL sharp as a tack! Yes...Chevalier with bubbles! I could have sipped on this all night!
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4/21/2013 - BradE wrote:
A good showing, but for me not as great as usual.
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3/19/2013 - Tartiflette wrote: 94 Points
It's always with a certain devotion that I try a Salon. Expectations are higher than most other Champagnes. Therefore it is easy to be let down. This is most definitely a great wine. Light yellow color, with a subtle but consistent mousse. Quite acidic. But the still hidden fruit only shows now and then over the evening. Tried both normal flutes and larger glass. In the larger glass it becomes more like a still vine still very complex. Citrus, apple, peach, toffee, hazelnuts, brioche, coffee, chalk...well an abondance of most good things. This one seemed like it still had a long way before reaching maturity. Has the potential to reach the highest score.
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3/15/2013 - Krugman wrote: 96 Points
Took me a while to get this review in, but the Salon was spectacular as expected. In fact, I believe that the 96 Salon is finally starting to enter the early stages of its drinking window as this bottle showed some nice depth with less youthful tightness than in the past. The thing that struck me the most about this bottle was the level of precision - which was off the charts. After about an hour of being open the flavors kept expanding and showed deep citrus, lime, nuts, honey, cookie dough, flint, strong minerality, and a wonderful level of acidity. The finish went on for well over one minute. This was a real treat and has to be one of the top 2-3 bottles of champagne I have had this year. I expect this to continue improving in the future, but it is certainly no sin to open one of these today the way it is drinking. A special experience that is highly recommended.
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2/25/2013 - dansamsoe Likes this wine:
This is about ready to drink. Great wine with a very changing nose. Anis, estragon, butter.. all sorts of flavours. Very good balance. Has opened up in recent years. Drinking very well.
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2/19/2013 - BradE wrote:
As usual, a gorgeous bottle. This is great champagne.
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2/7/2013 - dcwino wrote: 93 Points
Cityzen gathering – no great wines only great bottles (Cityzen, Washington DC): Not a Champagne day when neither the 96 Krug nor Salon are showing well. Clear and precise but something is not quite right. The nose is ever so slightly muted. Some thought closed. Not bad but not a representative bottle.
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2/1/2013 - Rupert wrote:
Richard Katz memorial dinner (28-50, London EC4): Sweaty, bready and broad. The consensus was that this needed a lot more time, but it seemed quite evolved to me.
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1/1/2013 - mappleton Likes this wine:
A special wine that has seemingly put on weight and body since last tasted. Rich and powerful with a beautiful toasted bread nose. The last bottle of 2012. Exciting wine.
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1/1/2013 - redwhiteandrich wrote: 95 Points
Wow. Creamy graham crackers and pears on the nose than a saturating palate of citrus, mineral and an almost savory quince note. Long finish, fine bead. Happy new year indeed.
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12/31/2012 - Javachip wrote: 95 Points
New Year's Eve: WineSpectator.com Offline, San Diego (San Diego): Clear straw yellow color. Scant mousse, very fine bead. Initial bouquet of brioche and mushrooms, leading into wondrous notes of apples and lemons, with chalky minerality. Complex, refined, with a great sense of purity and precision. My #4 and group's FIRST PLACE by a wide margin.
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12/31/2012 - Racer117 Likes this wine: 99 Points
This bottle has a few milestones for me: the highest I've yet to rate a bottle of wine and the most I've paid for 750ml!
Moderate yet tiny bubble structure with a medium golden color. Steely core dripping in Meyer lemon; hazelnut body followed by layers and layers of citrus (lemon, lime, unripe orange), along with drying minerality and a never ending finish. Mind blowing..... its as if a chemist has extracted all of the previous flavors and put a super concentrated drop of each into my glass.
This was an absolute joy to share with others. It is true, sometimes its better to give than receive..... this will not be the last time this crosses my lips.....
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12/31/2012 - Racer117 Likes this wine: 99 Points
This bottle has a few milestones for me: the highest I've yet to rate a bottle of wine and the most I've paid for 750ml!
Moderate yet tiny bubble structure with a medium golden color. Steely core dripping in Meyer lemon; hazelnut body followed by layers and layers of citrus (lemon, lime, unripe orange), along with drying minerality and a never ending finish. Mind blowing..... its as if a chemist has extracted all of the previous flavors and put a super concentrated drop of each into my glass.
This was an absolute joy to share with others. It is true, sometimes its better to give than receive.... This will not be the last time this crosses my lips.....
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12/30/2012 - JeffGMorris Likes this wine: 98 Points
Light gold in the glass with a never ending stream of extremely tiny bubbles. Vanilla and white peaches with both the nose & palate dominated by the smell of entering the finest of French Patisserie Shops. Extremely long finish. Drinking beautifully now but still very youthful with several decades of great drinking ahead of it. A 100 point wine in the making? 14.5+14.5+9.5+9.5 = 98+
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12/7/2012 - Blake Brown Likes this wine: 85 Points
As agreed by the one who brought it, this just did not open up and give as much as expected although one could tell the whole package is there, it was just not ready to present its gems; would it had been better to decant it? I`ll wait to open a few I have for 5-10 years.
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11/30/2012 - salil wrote: 98 Points
Round Table dinner at Jake's (NYC): Absolute stunner of a Champagne that brought the room to silence for a few minutes. So much complexity and depth here that it's hard to put into words; layers of rich fruit, chalky minerality, doughy and fresh baked brioche, all conveyed with remarkable power, finesse and purity, and amazing length. Wow!!
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11/29/2012 - paulevd wrote: 96 Points
Took a bottle to the San Francisco Opera (Tosca). My sibling had warned me that he didn't care for this producer's offerings. It was unlike any other champagne I've had. Minimal mousse, strong citrus. Five minutes after the last glass of the intermission I could still taste the citrus. I need time to ponder what I think of this, because it completely changes my conceptions of what a fine champagne should be. Notwithstanding the need for some reflection, for me it was exceptional.
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11/11/2012 - dbg wrote:
Pale yellow/gold, fine persistent stream of tiny bubbles. Doughy bread, yeast, honeysuckle, apple, citrus on the nose. Great palate feel, crisp fresh fruit and acidity hit first and follow through, joined by some honey and floral notes, very focused flavors on attack start to mingle with a nice complexity on the finish, but no sweet aged sherry-like notes often seen in older Salon, this has years of improvement ahead of it. Outstanding-extraordinary.
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11/9/2012 - cnordstr wrote:
Too young still?
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10/28/2012 - Dave Canada wrote: 95 Points
Drank with alittle, similar to his notes
Just a gorgeous bottle of champagne
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10/19/2012 - alittle wrote: 95 Points
Dinner at Crush Wine Bar (Crush Wine Bar, Toronto, ON): Popped and poured, followed over the course of the next couple hours. Medium gold in the glass, still showing some persistent micro bubbles. On the nose, lemon rind, slate, caramelized sugar, florals, brioche, yeast, and with time, showing light coffee grind, mushroom, roasted hazelnuts, honey and fresh grated ginger. On the palate, this is very crisp, with a strong acidic spine, but still showing some creamy richness and excellent depth, with notes of citrus zest, burnt sugar, mineral, with a touch of green apple skins. I was expecting this to be piercingly acidic on the palate, but that was not the case, as this showed tremendous balance, with a round, rich mouthfeel, while maintaining a good level of focus and precision. An exceptional pairing with the oysters. While this was excellent tonight, I would expect this to continue to improve and evolve for the next several years.
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10/13/2012 - BradE wrote:
Second bottle tonight, and gorgeous as always.
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10/13/2012 - BradE wrote:
Two bottles tonight, and gorgeous as always.
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9/30/2012 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 97 Points
2007 Cal Cult Cabs (SE, Harlan, etc.) and a bunch more: Light golden in color. The nose has green apples and a slight bread note. So smooth. I saved a glass to sip all night. With air, it got a sour lemon candy note which I really liked. Eventually, the nose got a bit of a nutty quality. The lemon candy turned a bit sweeter like "Lemonheads". Great acidity and still youthful. Wonderful way to start.
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9/27/2012 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
This thing is up and down like a toilet seat at a mixed party. This bottle was terrific. Lightly toasted it drinks like a very smart white burg that is just taking on a little development.It has zesty lemon fruit aromas and flavors, a little white peach and strong minerally line. The bead is super fine and as it warms in the glas there's a suggestion of rockmelon. It has great cut and focus.
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9/20/2012 - BradE wrote:
Terrific as always. Such a reliably great champagne.
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9/19/2012 - vindictive wrote:
Big dense champagne, fine mousse, nice nose. This was served in narrow flutes and perhaps that limited the experience - we are really enjoying our champagnes in larger wine glases these days. I think I prefer a livelier style, but perhaps this will become more compelling and complex with time - it certainly seems to have the stuffing to last. Enjoyable.
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9/1/2012 - fredb Likes this wine:
Pale yellow color. Abundant, fine bead. Aromas of lemon, apple, biscuit, and a hint of green fig. Palate is dominated by what I associate with Mesnil - hazelnut and yellow flowers with a lemon-apple fruit element that leads into a medium finish. The acid is still prominent. This is progressing and not a bad sip now (has it ever been?), but still needs time to come together fully. Drink or hold.
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8/11/2012 - jeff nowak wrote: 94 Points
pretty good for me; i hadn't opened one of these in 20 months. see previous multiple notes on it's legenday status in my drinking experience. this bottle was only fabulous and not stupendous
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8/11/2012 - kstoddard wrote: 94 Points
Golden color. Doughy aromas of apple and melon. Flavors of melon, apple, lemon, and lime with a limestone minerality. Beautiful balance. Long elegant finish.
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7/2/2012 - clayfu wrote:
Birthday Wines for Mr. Wei at Chateau De Husky; 6/29/2012-7/2/2012: Pretty similar notes as before. Very concentrated but linear flavors of citrus and acid. The acidity is almost piercing as it attacks the palate. Classic BDB with high toned flavors, this wine rarely disappoints as the flavors are so precise that you can almost pinpoint every sensation.
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6/23/2012 - SimonG wrote: 95 Points
R&Y & B&A @ Medlar (The Medlar, London): Fantasic wine. A very pale straw colour with a fast and persistent stream of very fine bubbles. Expresive and really quite chalky nose that gradually opens up to show slightly creamier and more honeyed notes. Very precise and effortlessly elegant on the attack and across the mid-palate. Minerally, and long with great line. Whilst oviously having good 96 acidity and great focus, this is softening and showing more floral and honeyed notes on the palate too. Just lovely. Years of development in this, but a wonderful wine at present. *****
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6/10/2012 - BradE wrote:
It's all been said. Great juice.
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5/21/2012 - Corgi wrote:
See my note for the 1982 Salon. In short, cellar away for the next ten years? While evolving into rounder buttery tones, it still has a fiercely lemony, acidic character. Did not have the same degree of depth to the 1982 yet...
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5/13/2012 - BradE wrote:
X2. Superb as always. A champagne for the ages.
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4/22/2012 - jrobs7777 wrote: 96 Points
When we tasted this, I knew we had drank it a few years back but I could not exactly recall my tasting note. Sure enough, the notes are very consistent. This really has not changed in the 2+ years since we had it last. Easy Champagne of the Night for me, and we drank very very well. This is painfully young but absolutely delicious right now. I am not great at estimating how long a wine will drink well, especially with Champagne but I am not sure this wine will fall off the table in any of our lifetimes. It should continue to drink really well for many years. Loaded with orchard fruits, lemon peel, a touch of dough. Fine bubbles. Terrific acidity and great length. A sublime bottle of Champagne. Probably the best I have ever had.
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4/21/2012 - dcwino wrote: 95 Points
Tuscan wine gathering at Bluegrass Restaurant - Showing my dedication to Baltimore winos (Bluegrass restaurant, Baltimore): Perhaps this is a good example of the flaw in believing 100 point wine. The last bottle was singing and I rated 99 points. This bottle came from the same source and cellared in the same condition. Initially served a bit too warm, it was very tight. The nose is like a closed Les Clos, a hint of lemon oil but dominated by the mineral expression. I tried this two hours later and a hint of Chardonnay fruit and richer mouthfeel but still not expressive.
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4/15/2012 - reichken wrote: 94 Points
Clean light color. Fills the mouth, fresh, acidity, layers of flavor, long finish
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4/14/2012 - reichken wrote: 93 Points
Drunk with sushi. Bright yellow gold with a nose of limestone and yeasty. In the mouth this is clean, high acidity, lemons and some biscuits. It is very precise, very long and tastes quite youthful. Good bottles
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4/13/2012 - Tartiflette wrote: 95 Points
(11 Madison Park, NY) This is the first time I have had this 1996 so ready to drink. Not at all on the top yet, but also very drinkable now. VERY... No notes, but in company with lovely food on a visit in New York
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3/24/2012 - ilee wrote: 95 Points
Dinner with a few burgundies (Fook Lam Moon, Hong Kong): Terrific champagne with laser like focus and precision, vibrant crispy apple flavours dominate the palate. I think it could open up a lot more given time, but as is the case for many other 1996 champagnes, this process isn't going to happen overnight is it! TH, who brought this to dinner, has a case so looks like we"ll have to stay friends as I'm looking forward to trying a bottle in 2020
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3/24/2012 - WillersC wrote: 94 Points
Super champagne. Started off remarkably elegant and just built up and up over the afternoon. Brilliant stuff but not without peer. Still very young, yet it is well integrated.
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3/24/2012 - wingc123 wrote:
This is a beautiful, beautiful bottle of wine. Opened to celebrate some good news, this was the perfect wine. Complete precision on the palate with layers of acidity that breaks over my palate. Beautiful, ethereal and precise. And so much in reserve.
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3/20/2012 - arniec wrote:
May.have been an off bottle. Did not taste like my first one last month. Unrated.
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1/18/2012 - dbg wrote:
Pale yellow. Toasty bread, honeysuckle, green apple on the nose. Fine mousse, piercing acidity balanced by great crisp fruit purity and concentration, minerality and green apple follow the nose, very nice finish. Still very young, outstanding now with plenty of upside potetntial for the next 10-20+ years.
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1/16/2012 - BradE wrote:
Brilliant with sushi after the Giants finished off the Packers.
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12/29/2011 - dcwino wrote: 99 Points
1982 Bordeaux dinner at Lavandou also bubblies, whites and stickies: Cornucopia of flowers, honey, limestone, white pepper, beeswax and etc. The nose hints the piercing acidity that is just about to hit the palate. The palate displays excellent concentration, freshness and bright acidity. The nose is not as expressive as Krug but is incredibly pure. Despite the piercing acidity, the palate gives the impression of roundness due to the dense perfectly matured fruit. Not sure whether it is appropriate to use “unctuous” for a champagne but it is just that. With air, it gained even more weight and the fruit got slightly sweeter/riper. I initially rated this 96 but ended with 99. A long life ahead.
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12/18/2011 - pacificoast wrote: 96 Points
A superbly elegant, balanced, beautifully crafted and utterly delightful Champagne. Even within the context of the outstanding 1996 vintage, arguably the best in the past 30 years, this one shines. Not too dry or austere, this one exudes a classy, refined elegance that is unmistakably Salon. A tantalizing nose that suggests a lot of minerality to come, the palate experience is instead concentrated ripe citrus notes of lemon and lime, with a finish that hints of green apples. Persistent finish that doesn't disappoint. Much more elegant, interesting and complex than the 1996 Krug, which seems very simply structured in comparison. A very refined wine.
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12/16/2011 - Lord Rayas wrote:
Long lunch with Alex, KH, 7, Mun, Rich, Gary, Cary and DF (The Principal): beautiful structure but still young and somewhat tight.
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12/10/2011 - Bisty wrote: 91 Points
Served blind.
This is the third time i taste the 1996 and it still embryonic. Please cellar it for another 10 years and it would probably gain 3-5 points in complexity!
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12/10/2011 - BradE wrote:
Great champagne that never fails to please.
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12/10/2011 - acyso wrote: 95 Points
HDH auction tasting at Tru (Chicago, IL): Saves me the trouble of popping one open come 2012. Liqueur-like nose, with notes of caramelized green apples, some brown spice notes, as well as faint bready aromas as well. There is a wealth of painfully concentrated green apple acidity. A hint of sweetness, as well as lovely yellow fruit flavours. Long, long, long. Like a grand cru Burgundy with a little bit of fizz (or, decant the fizz off and let it warm slightly). Simply delicious, and I can't wait for this to pick up some age.
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12/2/2011 - Burgundy Al wrote: 96 Points
Seventh Annual White Truffle Dinner (Chez Weber - Chicago IL): Exactly like another bottle from a few weeks ago, so I won't rewrite the same note. This classic Champagne is the archetype for the lean, linear, citrus style I prefer.
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11/27/2011 - Krugman wrote: 96 Points
This was my first opportunity to taste the 1996 Salon. Given the many comments and reviews I have read, I expected this to be extremely young with incredible acidity. While it was still certainly youthful, it had matured much more than I expected. In fact, the majority of the bubbles dissapeared after about 20 minutes in the glass. The nose was lovely with a sweet floral smell that could be smelled even if your nose was not right up to the glass. Once it touched my lips I could immediately tell just how wonderfully delicate and precise this champagne was. The flavors included almonds, white bread, a dolup of honey, deep saline infused minerality, chalk, white flowers, lemon oil, peaches, and subtle red apples. Everything was in perfect balance and the taste literally resonated for at least two minutes after the last sip. In fact, even a couple of hours after my wife and I had finished the bottle, we could still almost taste the esence of the Salon flavors.
This was a very welcome surprise. Even though it will no doubt continue to improve for another 10 to 15 years, 96 Salon is no longer too young to drink in my eyes at least. In fact, if you tend to be someone who prefers their champagne on the younger side, I would almost say that the next 2 to 3 years might be the ideal time to drink the 96 Salon. Just a wonderful champagne experience.
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11/21/2011 - Burgundy Al wrote: 96 Points
Leroy Dinner (Carlos - Highwood, IL): Amazing aromas of lemon, lemon peel, orange peel with some background anise. Same citrus fruit profile on palate with a bit of ripe apple and pear, all extended by massive acidity and minerality. Slightly more accessible than when tasted near release, this will most likely continue to improve for at least another 5 years and be a great Champagne for at least twenty.
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11/2/2011 - jeff nowak wrote: 96 Points
x-pensive winos dinner @ josie's in santa monica. i joked that it would be all downhill from this, and i was right. no other wine showed all the bells and whistles of this classic. delicious! as if we need another testimonial to it's greatness.
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10/29/2011 - fizz wrote: 95 Points
A pale yellow with a light green hue. Fine beading. Scented with lemon and talc and white flowers. Explodes in the mouth with freshness and intensity. Wow. You have to hang on your chair! Tight and taut, but with a rich creamy intensity. Lemon rind, lemon curd, lightly toasted bread. This bottle had decades of time left in it.
Tasted along side the 1996 Krug.
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10/23/2011 - Bisse Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fantastic but could do with at least another 5 years in the cellar
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10/16/2011 - reichken wrote: 94 Points
light gold, clean crisp, sharp , straight line acidity. great lift and length
love this champers
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10/15/2011 - Jeffrey Silver wrote: 99 Points
One of finest Champagnes I have ever had. It is soo young that it appears to be 1 year old but slowly aging. I suspect his wine will hold very well for 20 some years.
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10/1/2011 - clayfu wrote: 94 Points
Delicious as always. A white burgundy lover's champagne. Wonderful precise focused citrus fruit on the palate with piercing acidity. A hint of saline on the back that gave it a lift from that heavy dose of acidity. This is a wine that has everything you want in a bdb champagne, minerality, acidity, bright fruit wrapped into a tight package.
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9/25/2011 - reichken wrote: 95 Points
15EastNY- light yellow bright color. Lemon biscuity nose. Very lively. This maybe 15 years old but it is still razor sharp young acid line. Very much liked with sushi. This wine has a long time to go
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8/12/2011 - BradE wrote:
Fabulous, with sushi.
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7/29/2011 - BradE wrote:
Two bottles. Terrific as always.
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7/16/2011 - Topper wrote: 96 Points
Pull out the stops 50th bday party at Troquet: Served without food as we arrived. Bracing acidity and broad full flavors of flowers, fruits and nuts. Delicious wine that is beautiful now but will grow in richness and complexity with time. Will likely deserve more points then. Have been lucky to have this twice now and want more. For my taste, this is better than the 96 Dom at this moment and may well remain so.
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7/16/2011 - BradE wrote:
A couple of bottles recently that didn't seem to stand up as well as usual to the bottles drunk side by side had me worrying if the 96 was going into a challenging phase. Tonight's bottle was terrific, so hopefully the last couple were flukes.
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6/28/2011 - vespa110 wrote: 89 Points
Giallo paglierino riflessi verdolin, bolla fine, naso minerale, poi molto nocciola caramellata tostata, burro con pera in padella, bocca monumentale per sapidità e bellissima acidità, bollicina finissima , finale di crema pasticciera salata
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6/14/2011 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
There’s been a bit of bottle variation with this wine but this one was a ‘ripsnorter’. Piercing, precise, pure and persistent. Loaded with green apples, lemons and minerals. Great shape, finesse and drive in the mouth, just about perfect Champagne for mine.
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6/11/2011 - stevedg wrote: 97 Points
Great Champagne, still youthfull and full bodied. Absoulutely delicious.
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6/11/2011 - Rob MacKay wrote: 96 Points
Saturday night is Burg Night with Charlie and Edson (Maison MacKay): First time I've had Salon and it's easily one of the top Champagne I've tasted. Still tastes young and fresh with nice acidty, tropical fruits, and amazing balance with just a touch of yeastiness to add some complexity. A pure expression of Champagne that's a pleasure to drink.
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5/28/2011 - BradE wrote:
Absolutely rocking. Laser perfect.
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5/28/2011 - Nutty08 wrote: 95 Points
Honeymoon Wines; 5/21/2011-5/28/2011: Much different in style than I expected, as Krug CdM was my only Mesnil blanc de blanc comparison and this is much more reserved. Nose is rather shy but captivating with mild yeast, and stoney fruit. Palate is steely, taught with tension, but eventually opens up with floral character, with subtle lime and melon flavors. Despite the taught nature and acidity, mouthcoating and lush, with an incredibly lengthy dough and stone finish that last minutes.. Very balanced, smooth, with any hard edges or seams. As good as it was, I think the best is yet to come.
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5/15/2011 - Le Musigny wrote:
Drinking great. Just keeps getting better with time. This almost needs to be decanted as 3 hours after it was open just delightful.
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4/16/2011 - BradE wrote:
Beautiful.
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4/9/2011 - Sleepy Dave wrote:
Les Mesnil Masterclass (St-Regis Hotel): Nose was pretty tight but showing promising underlying material of pure white and yellow fruits intermixed with floral scent touch of honey and toasted oak. Palate is even tighter, restraint with medium weight and complexity, pure & elegance finished that seems lack a little bit of persistent and tension, quite charming though. This is certainly too young to judge and I believe with the total harmony and good underlying substance that the wine showed today, this will definitely add more weight and depth with additional bottle age, say, 10-15yrs. Buy - Not for what it is today.
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3/29/2011 - jantor wrote: 97 Points
Pale straw yellow. Impressive, elegant nose with astonishing mineral, green apples, unripe peach, walnuts and white bread. Dry and still very young with razor sharp acid and mineral, nuts, bitter chocolate, green apples, nuts. Good intensity and very long. Will keep another 8-10 years before next bottle. The point reflects the future potential.
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3/20/2011 - mappleton wrote:
Following the Bolly RD and the Krug 2 nights before, this was like the middle bear. "Just right". Lovely rich texture with a good bit of lemony acidic zing. Young too, but not nearly as tight as the Krug
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1/1/2011 - acyso wrote: 98 Points
Light golden colour. Somewhat reticent nose, with notes of canary melons, floral honey, a hint of Burgundian mushrooms, and bread. On the palate, this is simply loaded with everything imaginable from a Chardonnay. The Burgundian earthiness, citrus-based acidity, yellow fruits, and the champenois yeasty characteristics are all there. This is so mouth-numbingly concentrated it's painful to drink, and the finish just doesn't go away. Superlative now, but will only be more so in the future.
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1/1/2011 - KeithSurg wrote: 97 Points
The most interesting, delicious, and powerful Champagne I have experienced. Rich, yeasty nose with flavors of pear, caramelized apple, and spice. Wonderful on its own, and has the guts to stand up to food - even blue cheese. Maturing, but still very youthful. Truly a special wine.
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12/31/2010 - BradE wrote:
Continues to drink well, and is always well received when served. Continue to stock up!
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12/30/2010 - jeff nowak wrote: 96 Points
dinner with the goldbergers. this bottle is more like those tasted when it was first released, so a little bottle variation for me. vibrant and expressing a youthful zing on the palate. i served this initially too cold. warming up in the glass, and over an hour out of the ice, it opened and gave nice brioche and pear/tropical fruit notes. as my friend brad e says, "stock up!"
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12/29/2010 - numen wrote: 98 Points
From a 750ml, served at 52 degrees and enjoyed over 2 hours, along with some sweet prosciutto, honey-dew melon, and triple cream cheese. The mousse and beads were fine. On the nose, lemon, yeasty toast, green apple, and the hint of torrone. On the palate, intense acidity -- almost over the top, but never too much -- minerals, citric acid, and more yeastiness on the finish. Hard to believe that this is 14 years old; it is still so young and vibrant, and has many years of ageing ahead of it.
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12/25/2010 - stocksandbondage wrote: 96 Points
Stunning wine
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12/12/2010 - austinwinesalon wrote:
The Other Great French Blancs: Champagne and Sauternes (Wink Restaurant, Austin, Texas): What a treat to drink this with the 1995 Salon and other top 1996's. Compared with the 96, this Salon was way young, had a very “austere” nose, and lots of citrus. Pale yellow, its high acidity and youth took time for the wine to develop. Eventually the nose shed some minerality and had pecan pie and pie crust notes. Creamy, silky, chalky, and heavy on the palate, tasters found flavors of bright pear and apricot, very bright lemon, smoke, minerals, herbs, saline, and cracked black pepper. Wait 3-5 years and pop the cork, it might top the 1995's notes, but for now it did not show nearly as well.
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12/5/2010 - madeiradog wrote: 95 Points
Dinner with Herwig Janssen (Blue Duck Tavern): At first not giving much, with a slightly hazelnut nose, the Salon developed from a touch bitter finish to a yeasty, lemony finish. Still very tight.
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11/29/2010 - pdrago wrote: 97 Points
Decanted for 2.5 hours before diving in. Subtle oxidation, green apple, Meyer lemon, and a hint of mushroom on the nose. On the palate full and expansive with more apple, lemon zest, chalk, and pear liquor. The finish went on for 60 seconds. It was so youthful that I could not believe it was a 96...especially considering where the 96 Dom is at this point. Very Chablis like. The balance is extraordinary. In a league of it's own.
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11/18/2010 - CLDWLL wrote:
Bright yellow in color. On the nose, slightly oxidized apple, lemon, and a hint of bread. Precise and pure on the palate. Impeccably balanced. Decanting definitely help this wine show well- taming the acidity and opening up the aromatics. Excellent length. Although fun to try, not where it needs to be to WOW just yet.
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11/11/2010 - PatrikO wrote: 94 Points
Lovely as usual, it has filled out since my last bottle a couple of years ago, nice a precise.
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10/24/2010 - hudamang wrote:
Too young but tons of acidity and precision. Loads of bright lemons and reminds me of chablis. Will wait another decade before trying again.
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9/28/2010 - drycab wrote:
Same as last bottle and up against a 96 Krug, it was just an infant. While the Krug had a bunch of secondary characteristics, the Salon was light, airy, had a beautiful mousse and a balance that was almost etherial in nature. It is aging very gracefully!
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9/18/2010 - GraemeBell wrote: 95 Points
Drinking surprisingly well and although the acidity is still undoubtedly there it is kept in check. Very expressive and lively nose mainly of lemon curd, but with some cookie dough notes. Fine bead with a precise mousse. Will seek out some more as this is going to be even more impressive in a few years.
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9/4/2010 - BradE wrote:
Drinking well and lively, as usual.
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8/29/2010 - drycab wrote:
First 96 Salon I've had and the airy, light but amazingly complex wine that was just singing in the glass was really quite impressive. It was a treat for me to pour this for everyone!
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8/29/2010 - Serge Birbrair wrote:
I heard about Salon but never had a pleasure tasting it. Being a Champagne novice I can barely distinguish all the nuances Champagne brings to the table and still I was amazed by the quality, balance, and focus the wine brings. Probably, without exaggeration, the best Champagne I ever had.
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8/24/2010 - AJ72 wrote: 96 Points
Almost like Chablis with fizz, a real purists version of Champagne without the pomp and circumstance associated with many "sweeter" showy styles. I felt the edgy acidity and fruit purity matched really well creating a wonderfully steely like resolve but with a depth of flavour which was immensely satisfying. First time with this wine and very impressed.
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8/2/2010 - jeff nowak wrote: 92 Points
within the context of many tastes, this seemed a little shut down. i've experienced some bottle variation.
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8/2/2010 - kstoddard Likes this wine: 94 Points
G6 (Dave): Pale yellow color. Doughy nose of tropical fruit. Tastes of apple and melon with some note of lemon. Perfect balanced. Nice minerality on the mid palate. Long elegant finish.
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7/31/2010 - typh wrote: 98 Points
Awesome. I love this one. Like a great white burgundy. Revealed itself as we went through the bottle. Great acidity, minerality and fine. My favourite champagne.
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7/29/2010 - BradE wrote:
Drunk side by side with a 95 DP original release. Six of us, and a split verdict on favorites. I lean towards the DP (my bias), but as usual the 96 Salon is drinking beautifully.
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7/17/2010 - Tartiflette wrote: 89 Points
Quite uninterresting at this very point. Not as closed any longer, but still needs a few more years.
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6/13/2010 - BradE wrote:
Once again, lives up to its billing. Brilliant, bottle after bottle tonight. Ageing well, and as always just a beautiful young champagne. After two bottles, we inserted a 95 Oeno. Finished happily, but the dinner table demanded more Salon. After a few more bottles, we inserted an 85 Krug. The crowd demanded more Salon. A few of us quite enjoyed the Oeno, Krug, and a whole lot of Leroy as well.
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6/8/2010 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 93 Points
Champagnes and Burgundies (Gramercy Tavern): This is progressing very nicely since the last two times I had this wine closer to release, when it was behaved almost violently unready to drink. Now it's unfurled to the point where you can even call the fruit luscious. It's still very young and lemony, but it's a more sumptuous lemon than the wincingly acidic kind I remember, even starting to show the very beginning of its eventual transition to something more compote-like and tropical, and dense enough to border on the gelatinous. Certainly has a bright future ahead, and while I dunno if it's all that worthwhile peeking in now, at least it isn't punishing like it used to be.
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6/2/2010 - buckeye76 wrote: 96 Points
YEASTY FRUITS IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR WITH OAK AND CITRUS. STILL PLENTY OF TIME IN THE BOTTLE. MEDIUM TO LONG FINISH.
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5/13/2010 - Topper wrote: 96 Points
Just starting to open up and hitting all the right spots on the palate. Perfect balance, nothing out of place. One of my favorite champagnes with a terrific upside.
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4/23/2010 - JJL wrote: 94 Points
Like the '96 Krug, this has started to put on a little weight. Don't get me wrong, still very acidic, but the green apple of previous bottles is starting to soften a little bit and turn into a red apple. Long finish with a touch of brown sweetness (not bitterness of previous bottles). Will improve with age I am sure.
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4/20/2010 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
It is like Roulot’s Meursault ‘Perrieres’ that has been run through a ‘soda stream’. There’s so much harnessed power, purity and tension and it has added an extra dimension of creaminess over the past 12 months.
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4/17/2010 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Take a great Chevalier-Montrachet, run it through a soda stream and you have the 96 Salon. It is so pure, balanced and precise, loaded with citrus and minerals. It has a rapier spine and finishes with awesome cut and absurd length of flavour.
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4/15/2010 - jeff nowak wrote: 91 Points
nice, but not other worldly as many previous bottles. struck me as somewhat closed.
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4/13/2010 - Dave Dalluge wrote: 95 Points
'88 Northern Rhones at Siggy's: My second time with '96 Salon. Unfortunately this hit while I was getting the soup ready to serve and took almost no notes. The nose was an awesome combination of ripe fruit and yeast/dough aromas. In the mouth this is packed with clean fruit than fans out across the palate with great intensity. Light and elegant on the palate despite the obvious heft of the fruit. Very well balanced with plenty of acidity. Great length on the finish. This is a special bottle of wine that will be fun to follow for many years into the future.
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4/12/2010 - TomTom wrote: 98 Points
Far and away, the best champagne I've ever had. Perfectly balanced with a purity of chardonnay that was stunning. Top 10 bottles of wine, I've ever had.
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3/27/2010 - gorm wrote: 95 Points
Dinner at Søllerød Kro (Søllerød Kro): Light yellow. Intense and deep nose of sour yellow fruit (very pure and lemon like), dried flowers and some lightly nutty aromas. Shows great BdB elegance married to intensity and a clearly defined "96" acid. Also some Mesnil chalky minerality.
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3/1/2010 - kreavin wrote:
Solgt for 3.500,-
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2/11/2010 - rnellans wrote: 95 Points
Light lemon yellow. Apples with hint of brioche. Very bright...long tart finish. This should develop into a great Salon.
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2/11/2010 - jeff nowak wrote: 96 Points
pale color, robust acid, mild cashew, brioche, ridiculously young, still...superb. drink or hold.
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2/6/2010 - jkuanl wrote:
Very young and tight. Laser-focused, showing citrus and minerality. Zippy at the end but with balance. Impressive.
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1/4/2010 - Winetex wrote: 96 Points
Not much to say but amazingly good.
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12/31/2009 - gutt22 wrote:
This is one of the most stunning wines I've ever tasted. Gorgeous nose of citrus zest, lemon, minerals, green apple, and brioche. In the mouth, amazingly youthful, profoundly concentrated, and supremely complex. This is like the ultimate Chablis, with greater complexity -- and bubbles. It's winning all around, with a seemingly sharp but utterly weightless and precise palate presence. Bracingly beautiful, with amazingly pure fruit, but layers of complexity that change with each sip. Excellent acidity. And then this takes it into the ethereal plane on the finish. It's endless and details each aspect of the wine -- fruit, minerality, toasty notes. There is a creamy sensibility to the finish, too. Just tremendous. A memorable wine that makes you feel privileged to have drunk it. A+
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12/31/2009 - jrobs7777 wrote: 96 Points
New Year's Eve 2009-2010 (Our House (2033 Brandywine St., Philadelphia)): This is absolutely outstanding. Green apple, sourdough and yeast dominate the intoxicating nose. Great development and complexity on palate. Sweet and spicy with mouth tingling and mouth watering sensation. The finish keeps building and building. This is so young and fresh and has such a long time to go. The problem is that is that it is so good today. A knockout.
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12/31/2009 - ews3 wrote: 97 Points
New Years Eve (Collingswood and Philadelphia): really remarkable bottle. crisp green apple and a lovely yeastiness. very fine mousse tingles all over the palate like little miniature pinpricks. lovely med(+) finish sits on the midpalate. this ha extreme focus of the flavors and is remarkably youthful. amazing.
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12/29/2009 - christopher wish wrote: 97 Points
wow! this wine will need some time measured in decades. over 3 days i tasted this one (half a glass a day, champagne stoppr..etc). day 3 and the wine hardly had opened up. it hinted at what will come. and it will be stellar. if you have a bunch of bottles, try one! Otherwise have patients.
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12/22/2009 - Shorepower wrote:
Wonderful fragrance, and more open than the 1997 I drank a few weeks ago. Freshly squeezed green apples, smoky, almond, lots of nuts, rubber, flint, gunpowder, chopped stone. Strong from the start and held throughout the evening.
Underbar doft och mycket mer öppen än 1997:an som jag drack för några veckor sedan. Nypressade gröna äpplen, rökig, mandel, massor av nötter, gummi, flinta, krut, hackad sten. Stark från början och höll hela kvällen.
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12/9/2009 - Shorepower wrote:
Kvällen överraskning. Tror först Comtes 98. Samma toner och doft, Lite samma försynta tillgänglighet som Comtes har. I jämförelse med Salon 97 sist så känns den här flaskan som mycket mer tillgänglig. Konstig, tvårt emot vad som jag väntat mig. Doft av krut, kaffe, fläder och lite kaffe. Hög fin syra , fin mousse och smak av mogna äpplen. Det vin som håller längst i glaset
The surprise of the evening My first thought is a Comtes de Champagne 98. The same tones and fragrance and same modest availability that Comtes has. In comparison with Salon 97 it feels much more accessible. Weird, contrary to what I had expected. Smell of gunpowder, coffee, lilac, and some coffee. Fine acidity and mousse with flavors of ripe apples. The wine live long in the glass.
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12/6/2009 - N2Vin wrote: 97 Points
Dang, I want so bad to drink this stuff, but it remains painfully young! Wow, though. What great breeding. Perfect nose of apple, fresh breads, toast and creme brulee. Not fully evolved on the palate and there are more wonderful nuances waiting for the eternally patient! The unfortunate thing about a young vintage Champagne is that you really can't let it breathe. I seriously thought about letting a glass hold over to the following day and try it as a still wine. I'm betting it would be great then too!
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11/30/2009 - Peech wrote:
Yeasty nose, not too acidic on the palate with a very nice finish.
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11/28/2009 - taipanli wrote: 96 Points
Silky smooth. Beautifully meshed and elegant. My first example and will be hunting for more from now on. Very ready.
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11/9/2009 - Peech wrote:
Toasty, yeasty nose and fairly acidic on the palate. Needs time.
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10/21/2009 - premiercruclasse wrote: 92 Points
initally closed, but after 30 min in the bottle opened up a nose of creamy, honeyed, caramel apple. GREAT nose. taste was great and refreshing, but IMO the flavors were a little clumsy, and not as layered as i hoped for. finish was very refined and delicate. excellent finish.
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9/5/2009 - CamWheeler wrote: 96 Points
Intense floral, pears, toast and lemon aromas. The palate has incredible intensity and drive, with great integration of acidity. So much potential but it is still brilliant to drink now.
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8/25/2009 - JJL wrote:
I said I would try again soon, so opened this bottle after the last one was kicked. Same results. A less than satisfying burnt/browning finish.
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8/25/2009 - JJL wrote:
There was no green apple on this bottle tonight. The nose had some chalk, unami and toast. The palate had huge minerallity, good acidity, brioche, lemon and pear. The finish had a burnt (not smoky) vegetable thing going on that was not pleasant, and really hurt what was otherwise a good, but not great bottle. I will try again soon.
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8/2/2009 - rstark wrote: 95 Points
Old vs New World (Cabs, Pinots) at Cavaillon (Cavaillon Restaurant, Rancho Santa Fe, CA): Oh man, that nose just tells you everything you need to know. Starts with apples, moves to light biscuit, finishes with creme brulee (well, essence of creme brulee). Long long finish and already perfectly integrated. I had this 3 days ago and still can't stop thinking about it!
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6/27/2009 - ChinonRouge wrote: 94 Points
Superlative wine from a superlative vintage. Among the best.
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5/2/2009 - JJL wrote: 95 Points
The Big "Four-O": 40+ Wines for 40 Years: This was drinking much better than the last time I had it (Valentine's Day '09) when it was all green apple. This time there was actually a little red apple and pear, great body and crisp acidity.
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3/18/2009 - goofy Yno wrote: 94 Points
nice toasted almond nose with a nicey tart mouth, good acidity, some complexity and a slightly sweet finish.
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3/18/2009 - jivey wrote: 96 Points
Beautifully structured wine, with distinct Biscuit, yeast and a sweetness to the finish that kept me wanting more.
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3/18/2009 - kstoddard wrote: 93 Points
Italian Offline with Loren Sonkin (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix): Yellow color. Nutty nose. Apple, flint and pear. Excellent balance with crisp acidity. Layered mid palate but a bit closed on the finish. No where near the top of its game tonight.
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3/18/2009 - jeff nowak wrote:
seemed shut down. still, only great instead of spectacular.
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2/15/2009 - JJL wrote: 92 Points
This was all green apple, from the greenish tint in the glass to the nose to the palate. While much better than an Appletini, this was really tight and dry. I think this needs more bottle aging. In the meantime, I will drink 1995 Krug, which I think is drinking wonderfully now.
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2/14/2009 - Alex G. wrote:
Peach, orange, pear, and bread with a fine, creamy bead. Considerably more open than the last time I tasted this, and as before eminently more drinkable at this stage than the '96 Krug. A-
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1/3/2009 - henrychinaski wrote: flawed
Very disappointing. Closed. Second time this has happened with a 1996.
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1/3/2009 - sdr wrote: 98 Points
Greg's bottle and what a treat it was. The infinite stream of the tiniest possible bubbles is mesmerizing to watch. Very citric at first and obviously young but the balance and sheer class of the Mesnil fruit makes an indelible impression. As it warmed in the glass, deeper notes of green apple, butter and peach are stunningly beautiful. This is the epitome of elegance and surely one of the 3 greatest (very) young champagnes I have tasted.
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12/31/2008 - Kreutzer wrote: 96 Points
Fantastic fresh with good citrus flavours and elegant acidity. Nice minerals, mostly chalk. So fresh I want to swim in the glass..
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12/31/2008 - BradE wrote:
Ten Years Ago: Four bottles of this tonight. Drinking well as previously reported.
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12/21/2008 - idrinkvino wrote: 96 Points
Wonderful, but I'm a little concerned that it's shutting down as the flavours were not as pronounced as I expected - or, perhaps it's me that's shutting down at this stage of the holiday season...
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12/13/2008 - JeffGMorris wrote: 96 Points
Dinner at St. Jacques with Fred & Ronnie. Lot L9617807. Pale in color, this is an incredibly good young Champagne. A very complete wine even at this early stage and one that will only gain complexity with time. A perfect balance of acid and richness. Right up there with the '96 Krug. 50+14+14+9+9 = 96+
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12/13/2008 - fredb wrote:
Typical green/yellow/gold color in glass with a fine bead. Aromatically forward with lemon curd, baked apple, fresh apple, and butterscotch aromas. On the palate, the Mesnil signature shows over the fruit notes, which gravitate toward green apple, lemon, stones, and maybe a hint of fig. While very easy to drink and clearly a classy wine, this isn't as kaleidoscopic as it was on release. My remaining bottles will sleep until they have at least five years on the cork and I hope to be able to savor this at full maturity in a few decades time.
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12/5/2008 - beezer6 wrote: 94 Points
Binny's Champagne Gala Tasting (Binny's South Loop - Chicago, IL): Binny's South Loop Champagne Gala Tasting.
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11/22/2008 - Keith Levenberg wrote:
Nice treat to get another peak at this one. But it's getting even more difficult to taste. It retains its density and brightness but everything else has gone into hibernation.
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10/24/2008 - jordanj wrote: 96 Points
Casual Dinner at Le Titi -for an out of towner (Le titi de Paris): Best champagne I have ever had (although I have not had many great champagnes). Nose of Fruity pebbles, cookie dough, lemon, caramelized nuts. Rich in the mouth with just an elegant feel from beginning to end. Frankly this wine was just so enjoyable. I might have drink more of this and soon.
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10/24/2008 - KeithAkers wrote: 97 Points
John Chapman meets the three Headed Monster (Le Titi Paris(Arlington Heights, IL)): nose: this is a nose that one can just get lost in, and these weren't even all that great of champagne glasses. Wonderfully balanced and full tones of almonds, loaded amounts of various citrus fruits, a bakers dozen of busicuits, and wonderfully ripe tones of green apples. The nose is just so densely layered and so fine that its delicate yet robust at the same time
taste: explosive amounts of green apples, almond shavings, biscuits, and roasted cashews. Its just like fireworks going off in your mouth, but at the same time being sickly balance with deft precision. The flavors are beyond comprehension, but so youthful at the same time
overall: um, yea, this is amazing champagne. Quite frankly, this is probably one of the best wines that one can taste and experience. Insanely youthful with a ridiculous amount of acidity, this needs some time to calm it down. That said, with flavors this delicious, its hard to resisit to pop the cork and experience this opus of a wine. There is no substitute, this is extordinary stuff with amazing complexity and length, but still needs time to fully mature. this wine just says, "hello my son, welcome, to the machine."
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9/26/2008 - BradE wrote:
Very good.
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9/16/2008 - BradE wrote:
As usual.
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9/12/2008 - gorm wrote: 94 Points
Uncorked DK tastes Châteauneuf 2006 and Henri Bonneau (Premisse): Light yellow. Fine, yet persistent bubles. Delicious nose of apples, acid and certain wet stony minerality - almost a spätlese nose. In the mouth light, yet intense with roasted nuts and glue. Appeared a bit closed like many other 1996s at this stage.
(G94+/U93,7)
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9/6/2008 - jasonh wrote: 95 Points
I believe this is the 3rd time I have had a bottle of this. Previously I thought it was excellent but still carrying lots of structure and not truly showing itself. This bottle was downright fantastic. I was afraid I would be losing so more enamel off my teeth but the acid was actually perfectly balanced. Expressive aromatics, with white fruit and yeast. On the palate it was just plain tasty. The acid was in check enough to have as a cocktail but with food the tannin and acid popped out just enough. Extended finish. I must say I was looking forward to drinking this but didn’t think it would be the easy star of the night. Even my wife who doesn’t like Champaign or any white wine, was enamored with this.
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8/29/2008 - jeff nowak wrote: 96 Points
taken to the napa valley reserve dinner. like a broken record...fabulous!
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8/22/2008 - BenSlivka wrote: flawed
Tragic! The unmistakable whiff of moldy wet newspapers was immediately apparent after we chilled and opened the bottle.
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8/14/2008 - BradE wrote:
Lovely.
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8/13/2008 - BradE wrote:
Elegance personified. Great stuff.
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8/9/2008 - MightyMike wrote: 93 Points
Light yelolw/green texture, with very intense palate of minerals and citrus. Very highly concentrated but still elegant, I can understand the excitement this wine has generated but still have some problem understanding the exceptional scores. Maybe I was not made for champagne?
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7/11/2008 - WetRock wrote:
Prestige Cuvees at Woodland Hills Country Club (Woodland Hills Country Club): Light elegant nose of toast and chalky Chardonnay. Soft and light with a silky feel, bit tight and tart. This generated discussion next to the Winston Churchill. The Salon is certainly very pretty and I see what people enjoy about it but I prefer more complexity and depth in a Champagne....though I certainly never turn a taste down.
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6/25/2008 - Winetex wrote: 96 Points
Very light gold in color; 96+ points; Much has been said about this wine so I can't add a lot but to say WOW. Citrus and slight pear aromas. Complex and focused with lemon fruit and a long, chalky, minerally finish. Clearly very young and acidic with numerous but incredibly tiny bubbles. This screamed for caviar and/or sashimi. WOW.
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6/21/2008 - fireandice wrote: 96 Points
An incredible Champagne! Crisp, green apples on the palate. Exquisite!
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6/13/2008 - Totatalitarian wrote:
I decided to saber this with a small kitchen knife…quite an embarrassing scene. Ultimately, the bottle gave in, and the wine inside was what we’ve come to expect. Just a fantastic young champagne.
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6/1/2008 - BlumJ wrote:
My 4th time drinking this wine. Still amazing, but this could be tightening up a bit--maybe time to rest for a while.
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5/17/2008 - Totatalitarian wrote:
Racy and loaded with minerals. Served a little warm, this showed some green fruit on top of the lemon-centered citrus.
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4/24/2008 - Keith Levenberg wrote:
So young that it's really tough to see this as Salon right now. The fruit is bright and lemony with a thickness that reminds me of Selosse and a minerally finish in stark contrast to Salon's usual sumptuousness; this is almost gravelly.
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4/21/2008 - Thralow wrote: 94 Points
A great Champagne. However, one could probably get similar pleasure for $100 less.
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4/20/2008 - nash151 wrote: 97 Points
The wine is slowly reaching its greatness. The current phase is amazing. The acidity and the length are remarkable.
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4/5/2008 - BradE wrote:
Spring comes to Minneapolis.: Bottle #2 today. Beautiful.
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4/5/2008 - BradE wrote:
Spring comes to Minneapolis.: Its really all been said on this wine - great juice with a long life ahead. Thought we'd bought a lifetime supply, but Lady Di has adopted it as her house champagne, so I think I'm in trouble.
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3/15/2008 - jeff nowak wrote: 96 Points
rather tight. still incredible.
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3/1/2008 - BradE wrote:
Great, according to Diane.
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2/24/2008 - PeterC wrote:
To celebrate my father-in-laws retirement, we ordered up big on sashimi, and popped the cork on a '96 Salon. Wow! Rich and deep. Yeast, honey and nuances of lemon; wrapped around a core of steely minerality; with every component in harmonious balance. A sharp acidity, and an after taste that not only lingers but actually builds upon itself.
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2/16/2008 - BradE wrote:
Beautiful, smooth, and complete.
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2/5/2008 - jjclips2 wrote: 94 Points
I think it is a bit unfair giving this a numeric value at this point. Frighteningly young and austere. The aromatics are so destinct and unforgettable. Lightly crushed minerals and rocks, chalk, and lemon oil with a bit of green apple and steel. The piercing acidity attacks right away, making you take a few steps back. Citrus and minerals is all this offers at this point.. Give this one plenty of time to evolve and I'm sure it will be one of the greatest Champagnes. 94-97
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1/29/2008 - dre wrote:
clear, bright golden core with a heavy bead.
Clean, huge nose that really lept out of the bottle apon uncorking. Yeast, apple and multi vitamin notes are massive. Brioche, lemon and mineral are also noted.
The palate is bone dry, high but round crisp acids with huge lemon tart, limestone and green apple, very creamy. This makes me think of grape skins more than any other wine I've had. Very small bubbles, moderate + body with a long length of apple, pear and lemon-lime.
Very good, an exceptional expression of the varietal. I fear that while i very much enjoyed this wine it went over my head. That being said i might stash another bottle away and try it again when it is in its prime.
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12/27/2007 - lysholt wrote: 95 Points
Pleasant with lots of citrus - but needs at least a few years more.
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12/24/2007 - sybarite wrote:
Pale, golden yellow. Pours with thick mousse. Nose quite sharp at first, opens to reveal some smoke, white pepper, cream brulee. In the mouth, cream, lemon hard candy, and green apple. Ultimately some of the white pepper comes though on the palate, too. An amazingly complex wine that got better and better. Stunning.
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12/16/2007 - HKTraveler wrote: 96 Points
Immediately know it is going to be different in the mouth. Taste explosion of lemon and lime balanced by good acidity. Very fine bubble though not very bubbly.
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12/10/2007 - Paul Lin wrote: 92 Points
Vintage Champagne (Grape Radio - Tustin, CA): This is my third taste of this wine, and while I do think it is outstanding and very refined, I am having some trouble getting excited about it. Faint aromas of lemon rind and yeast are followed an elegant palate of nectarines, green apples, graphite, and biscuit. Tangy lemon on the finish. Racy acidity. Clearly a youngster and destined to improve, but at this price I would take two 1996 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne over one of these in a heartbeat.
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11/13/2007 - jasonh wrote:
Not much to say here. Just a great wine. Very young but already showing complexity as well as just being plain tasty.
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11/3/2007 - peternelson wrote: 93 Points
K&L: 8-10 yrs on lees; Minerals and cream! grt chablis style/char! conc. long long fin. Fine, elegant. Still not ready, though.
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10/29/2007 - Totatalitarian wrote:
Fresh, vigorous, zippy and light. Great stuff.
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10/25/2007 - winefool wrote: 97 Points
WS NYWE Grand Tastings; 10/25/2007-10/26/2007 (Marriott Marquis): One of the best young champagnes I've ever tasted and head and shoulders best of this tasting (with some good stiff competition). Incredible freshness, life, and richness all in balance.
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10/18/2007 - CamWheeler wrote: 97 Points
CIVC Champagne Tasting (Sydney, Australia): Immediately obvious on the nose and palate that this is a couple of steps up. Layered, beguiling aromas of flowers, slate, citrus, spice and toast. The palate is without doubt, superb. The depth and complexity of flavour is almost overwhelming to the senses but the focus is equal to the task with some incredible structural acidity. Impeccable length. An exciting, magnificent wine now and I am certain it is destined to obtain legendary status in years to come.
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9/29/2007 - BlumJ wrote: 96 Points
A bubbly elixr. Stunning concentration and finish tells you this is something special. Yeasty green apple, belgian white beer. Then comes an astounding chalky, steely minerality. Laser like acidity keeps everything in perfect balance. I'm not terribly experienced with Champagne, but this certainly seemed a bit tight and I'm excited to see how my other bottles will progress and improve over the years.
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7/30/2007 - jeff nowak wrote: 99 Points
astounding!
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7/30/2007 - kstoddard wrote: 99 Points
G7 (Jeff): Pale yellow in color. Tastes of pears and apples. Incredible mid palate depth and complexity. A knockout finish (with gorgeous acidity) that lasts almost forever. Probably the finest Champagne I have ever had the pleasure to drink.
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4/13/2007 - futronic wrote: 93 Points
Philly Pre-Game Champagne and Bordeaux Dinner (Marigold Restaurant, Philadelphia, PA): Very tight on the nose. Aromas of maraschino cherry, apple, lemon, and biscuit. Medium-full bodied, again somewhat closed, but shows good texture and a ton of acidity. Apple and lemon on the palate. Moderate finish, ~30-40s, with white fruit and citrus. To no surprise, this opened up with a couple hours air as all Salon does (old or young), but this wine is clearly extremely young. Salon does not really hit its stride until 20 years of age, and I think this wine is a benchmark that has potential to go significantly longer than that. 93+ points for now, but I think it could outclass even the 1982 with time.
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4/13/2007 - wineismylife wrote: 95 Points
Champagne & Bordeaux Offline (Marigold in Philadelphia, PA): WIML95,NOWA,WS93
Tasted April 13, 2007 at an offline. Opened about 30-minutes to an hour without decanting before serving. Light yellow color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of pears, whetstones, citrus fruits and eventually with more time opened a little brioche. Flavors of apples, lychee, peach and some steely minerality as well. Crisp and youthful acidity, medium to full bodied. Obviously a very young Champagne. I’d recommend holding myself.
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4/13/2007 - psmith wrote:
Initially really restrained. Lots of mineral and light citrus overtones. More expansive with time. Great focus and precision. Razor-sharp acidity. Just a wonderful young wine.
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1/18/2007 - Dejzan wrote:
Lime/golden color. A muted and very young scent with green apples, grapefruit (the bitter stuff) and a lot of mineral.
When tasting the first (and last) impression is the high acidity, razor sharp. Beneath all the acid is a full and very young taste with apples and mineral. The aftertaste goes on and on.
It's extremely hard to get a grip on this Salon, everything is very muted and closed down. In fact I saved most of this for an hour in the glass, hoping it would open up a bit. Nothing happened.
Sp would I buy this? Probably not but I'd love to taste it again in 10-15 years or so.
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7/21/2006 - psmith wrote: 96 Points
A few days in Paris; 7/18/2006-7/23/2006 (Paris): A rather toasty nose for such a young Salon. An austere palate as usual, but with a wonderful balance of citrus fruit and explosive mousse that I find the 1995 to be lacking. Tart and young but with so much clear potential. Firmly acidic. Wonderful young Champagne.
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6/2/2006 - jrufusj wrote:
TTG#8: Old Barolo and Young Bordeaux (Shunju in Tokyo): Deep straw/pale gold. Beautifully pointal mousse. Heavy ripe apple and slight horse urine (this is a scent I find in many young rich wines, though normally more pinot driven and is, surprisingly, a positive indication of good things to come) on the nose. With the shio-uni, a bit of a tinny taste, but the tin goes away with a beef gelée and potato and smoked bacon mousse. Young but not backward. Has a hidden elegance in finish and mousee but the ’96 size certainly shows. A great combination of elegance and size that just needs time. In the glass, a bit of welcome and refreshing lime comes out, along with the typical minerality. Toasted yeast bread and acid are great on the finish.
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