This is a perfect wine. I love how wines like this confuse the senses a little at first. Is it the fruit that’s making me crazy, is it the nose, is it hard to translate things like length, lift, openness, compactness? As it was, this wine was thrilling. The Chardonnay fruit, was perfectly pure, giving hints of apple skin, apple meat, lemon curd, citrus peel, and a hint of white cherry skin. Sweet biscuit, apricot, white peach, shine through with dusty mineral and wet stones. This was power, finesse, weightlessness. This was nuanced in the mouth with a compelling swallow.
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La Tache and '96 Champagne (Atlanta): PnP. Such precision. Really shows the Salon majesty in so many levels. Great, but yet unfortunately second in the flight.
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Wow, this really grabs your attention at the first sip. Totally open for business with tremendous density yet lots of fun, flashy orchard fruit that dances across the palate. In a great spot now.
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Sunday Salon (Chicago, IL): This seemed like a carbon copy of the 2007, but kicked up a slight notch. It's not that much appreciably better, but the maturity here seemed to give this a little more roundness and complexity on the palate. There's a lot of the same orchard fruit notes, but they come across a little sweeter, and there's a honeyed tone to it as well. On the palate, this has incredible, bright acidity just like the 2007, but with just a little more maturity to round it off.
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Perfectly mature nose displaying decadent yellow fruit, apple, baked apple, brioche, smoke, light caramel, sweet spices and mineral. Very good concentration, nicely layered sweet yellow fruit, fine medium generous mousse, rich and sweet but also showing a good balance, bright acidity and mineral, and a long sweet yellow fruit driven finish with a hint of caramel at the end. This seems a bit more evolved than expected.
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Aromas of brioche, baked yellow apple, faint baking spices. Smooth, but lively bubbles. Acidity is balanced with flavors of apple, marzipan, nutty. Utterly delicious.
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PnP. Down the middle tasty bubbly. Lots of rich orchard fruit, especially ripe pears. Good acidity although probably can use a touch more. The density of fruit persists throughout the meal. Always a treat to drink.
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blind I had no idea, too reluctant for me, but you could say elegant. Missing concentration and power. Precise finish, maybe a hint too sweet. Could age well. We will see. 92-93
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This is probably the youngest vintage I’d personally want to drink Salon as they age at a snails pace, and are so much more rewarding with age. Much more to offer at this point than 06 and 07. Swirls in a Zalto Burgundy glass reveal its amazing purity, intense minerality, chiseled palate and an incredible sense of place. It’s elegant and concentrated with a stunning texture and mouthfeel, offering plenty to be enjoyable now, but many many years ahead.
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Youthful exuberance turnt up to 10 - needed about a hour to settle in with more of the citrus rush as it was initially quite lean. Once it did the wine pulses with minerality and fruit. Very nice
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Nose was primary fruit, but loaded with peach, green apple. Palate was equally juicy with a touch of stoney minerality. Creamy smooth mouth feel, and only gains expressiveness with air. Delish.
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Good times in Seattle (The Butcher's Table, Seattle WA): Nose: And here we go! The nose is just so deep and wonderful that it is easy to get lost in. The tones of Vanilla, pears, apples, Meyer lemons, all sorts of white flowrs, almonds, crushed rocks, whisps of smoke, warm dough, and biscuits. The nose is still very much in the primary phase, but it was quite giving and profound.
Taste: The feel is Medium bodied with racy, high acidity. The feel is so deep and textured as it glides across the palate with pears, meyer lemons, apples, white flowers, almonds, vanilla, crushed rocks, warm dough, and biscuits.
Overall: This is just flat out amazing. It is beginning its ascent into maturity, but there’s still a few years to fully get there. There is very much a primary nature to it at the moment, but everything is in perfect harmony right now.
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One of the more enjoyable Salons in the series, it would be decent for a mid range Grande Marque vintage champagne but since it is from the iconic house of Salon in a vintage that favors Chardonnay it should be much, much better. Despite that, it is enjoyable if you’re not being too critical. But where is the intensity and flair?
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Medium hay color. Big explosion of foam at pour but the bubbles dissipate quickly thereafter.
Initial nose of marzipan, apple, saline air. No yeast notes to speak of.
On the palate green apple, Meyer lemon, more cheesy marzipan. Creamy.
No tertiary notes.
Medium- alcohol, medium- body, medium+ acidity.
It’s smooth. Almost too smooth. There is a wonderful creamy texture which come out as the wine warms up. Reminds me of grand cru Chablis a couple of hours after opening. Dangerously easy to drink.
I was hoping for a bit more in terms of tertiary development, but I was told Salon doesn’t start to develop until at least 20 years so this one was probably too early.
I don’t know if the experience quite matches up to the price tag, but I’m glad I finally got to try it.
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Much better than a previous bottle. Steely, with a very distinctive salty minerality, it clearly will benefit from more time. Despite its lack of obvious fruit there is real flavor interest. Challenging yet intriguing.
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Super tight cork, extremely explosive foam of medium size bubbles which surprisingly didn’t last especially long. There’s not a trace of yeast, toast or caramel in this young Blanc de Blancs. Very distinctive nose of Granny Smith apple and mountain stream. The palate is clean and pure - but there’s just not enough of it. Too light, too slight, too easy to drink. Perhaps in a few more years it will fill out. But with what I cannot guess. I want more from my luxury cuvées at every stage of development.
A thousand apologies. We drank this at Black Salt in DC to celebrate my wife passing her US citizenship exam and interview. Now we have to decide what champagne to drink next Friday when she takes the oath. On comment is that while the champagne speaks for itself and is phenomenal, I'm certain the moment enriched the experience.
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This champagne is spectacular. Compact bubbles and such a clean, mineral taste with beautiful floral and citrus notes. I could drink this all night. Drank this with a 2015 Roulot Clos des Boucheres and it made the Roulot taste flat.
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Dear Diary, this week our company blew our sales record, so it was time to open something cool. I always have a hard time picking up the nose on this wine. After 30 minutes and a little warmer, it’s becoming mouth watering on the nose, so that’s a plus. I’m not sure if it’s because of subtlety of BDB, the age of the wine, or the glass (Lehman Prestige on this bottle). The precision is so amazing. Fruit, acid, and overall balance on the palate is always incredible. This wine shows no sign of age whatsoever and will last longer than Biden’s mental faculties. I’m curious what 10-20 years will do, but I can’t imagine my remaining bottles surviving that long. The price I paid versus the current market for Salon, might deter future purchases, it’s not exactly a value wine. Still delicious and a cheaper than a lot of burgundy. As a tree growing professional, I rate this wine delicious and drinking well.
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I much preferred this to a 1999 and 2007 that I recently tried. Green apples. Cream. A glass of milk. High acidity. Refreshing. Great opening bottle. From DrK
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Did a 3 wine blind with the wife; Blanc de Blanc trio all from the same winemaker: NV Laurent-Perrier Blanc de Blanc NV Delamotte Blanc de Blanc 2004 Salon Blanc de Blanc
All three excellent, Salon stood out and is drinking very well right now.
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Drank at the end of the night, after many other bottles of champagne, so my tasting notes are in context. Having said that, I felt the salon was a cut above all else. Still young, but beautiful mouth feel - almost angelic. Mousse was super fine. Perfect balance and should age well.
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Birthday celebration wine! Unfortunately Salon is priced at a level these days that does tend to be more about special occasions, but always a treat to get to have! This was not perhaps the best year and yet this wine was absolutely delicious. Has that lovely vanilla bean note that is very Salon to me. And a bit of almost a crystallized ginger and lemon peel. Very soft bubbles that just kindof melt. Perfect paring with a burrata and lobster dish from Marea but held up ok with the pasta too.
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Just a wonderful expression of superior bubbly. Crisp clean lots of minerality. Nicest I’ve certainly ever had. Acid levels were just elegant. Highly recommend. Price a bit steep but nana only turns 80 once.
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Served alongside the 02 Cristal re-release...quite different. Probable consensus of the group was in favor of the Salon, however I gave the nod to the Cristal. Whereas the Salon is quite energetic, chisled, with minerality/ citrus notes....Need more time in the cellar.....The Cristal was beautifully balanced, I suspect a bit higher dosage, lovely fruit, yet excellent acidity and balance.
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Fruity and direct, very lively and inviting. The fuit is primary, Chardonnay speaks loudly here as so often in the 2004's; creamy texture, some butter here, citrus - great balance, easy drinking as of now, but will probably improve. #AOC
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Served blind at a Friday wine function. Flirts between too young to drink and right in the wheelhouse. You know this is going to be a good day when this is served as the aperitif to a meal. Although this had plenty of brioche and oxidative style with a hint of citrus and some rope pear, there was some green apple right on the other side, and a refreshing tart on the finish. Very powerful, yet never really seemed to give all that it had. I rather easily sucked down two glasses of this. I honestly think the 96 Vintage Krug outdid this by a little bit, but I think only because of 8 years of age difference. Want to give this a 97, but I will reserve that score for a couple of years from now.
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Day 1 Relatively quiet on the nose, but signature white fruits, steel, flowers. Not wow.
Day 2 Oh ya. Way more expressive on the nose and palate showed much more vibrantly, complex minerality, focused acidity, what you would expect from this producer. Really needs time, obviously.
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Rather young. Apple-heavy nose with an underlying chalky minerality. Texture shows weight without corresponding power. While certainly nice, the 2004 Salon hasn't yet come together. Even adjusting for potential, currently below expectations. Time will tell.
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One of the more approachable bottles of Salon that I've encountered, but still too young. Large scale with significant acid driven structure. I like my Champagne young, but this needs a decade +.
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Strong bubbles with persistent bead, surprisingly light slate color — surprising given the age. Nose and palate subtle at first, closed, but opened up a lot with time. Light wax initially, good freshness, white florals and white peach/apricot flavors, an appealing precision to the flavors — no muddiness, great acidity. A powerful wine, coiled, still quite young, no oxidative notes at all. Enjoyable now but would love to see this in 5-10 years. 94 pts for now but if grading for potential clearly a 95+ wine
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PnP. Initially nose was quite tight and on the palate, acidity is extremely precise. After a few hours it opened up to more white floral aromas. Very young and super light in color considering the age. Gained weight and that acidity precision still going strong. Should be awesome with some more age.
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Quite yeasty at nose with absolutely stunning and attractive nose of baked apple, cheese and caramel. Exceptionally long after-taste of very complex yeast and sweet fruits. Personally rate this higher than the Krug Clos du Mensil 2003 and at the same level of Bollinger VVF.
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Small Champagne and Burgundy gathering (Eddie V's - Tysons Corner, VA): Surprisingly open nose displaying fresh white fruit, pear, white peach, apple, white flowers and Chablis like mineral. Very good concentration and balance, fresh white fruit driven palate impression, very fine generous mousse, medium acidity, strong mineral presence and a medium to long white fruit and smoke driven finish. IMO, it doesn’t have the precision and the energy of the 96 at the similar stage. This reminds me the 04 Dom Perignon, i.e. fresh, clean and very approachable.
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Tasting: My first time with Salon and considering the price and reputation, I must say this was quite a disappointment. Probably needs another 5-10 years to really show what it has to offer.
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The nose was bright and energetic with lots of chalky minerality and pleasant tropical fruit. Quite approachable, a little surprised by the developing white peach. Crisp and precise with a fine mousse. The palate has nice vanilla with subtle almond and toasted nutty notes, imagine the bit of brioche that is beginning to show now will come out further in the future. Well rounded, very enjoyable.
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Festival of Alex - Grand Birthday Dinner: Apple, lime, pear and slate notes on the nose. Lovely richness across the palate, with punchy fruit power, while still showing the signature acid profile of Salon. Finds balance within its components right now, a relatively approachable young Salon. Not entirely what I expected, but an enjoyable encounter.
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Tasted along side '04 Giraud Argonne, and complete opposite. Still very young and light in color. Lemon, white peach, and white flower dominated profile. Great acidity, with very fine bubbles. Obviously still has a long, long ways to go in its life. For a young champagne, it just doesn't seem to have anything missing. Should be fun in the long haul.
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Somewhat subtle, closed nose, but after about 15 minutes revealed white chalk, white peach, light citrus notes, green apple; on the palate this was simply amazing with clean, delicate bubbles, almost dissipating as soon as they hit your tongue, but lasted for a very long time in the finish; concentrated but very pure, stream-lined, elegant, like a Goreki symphony. Yes, you could age this, or you could simply enjoy the stunning purity of this in its youth. Well worth it IMHO. I feel for MRBUZZ, and I am lucky we had this as the very first wine of the night, then Comtes '05, then Bollinger '04, then Bollinger RD '02. Perfect order, and all very distinctive and made good play mates, especially with the food. At Okumura sushi.
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Dinner at Trelio (Clovis Ca.): I was too far gone at the end of the night when this one appeared. What a shame...as I am a HUGE Salon fan! From what I remember...very high toned freshness, painfully so. Needs time?
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People will say this is too young, it's not ready. But I must say, it is so amazing right now! Yes, it is tight, but it is a sharp laser beam, with fine bubbles, and a depth and breadth that are astounding. Sharp white fruit with apple skin, and a hint of white cherry perception. As always, a little mineral or subdued dark earth hints. Weightless. Exceedingly terrific.
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Milder, rounder than Delamotte '07 we had alongside. Somewhat closed and quiet. Clean. Don't get why it costs what it costs, at this age it tastes very overpriced.
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This is an absolute show stopper! So this wine is young by Salon standards, but it is so absolutely rewarding today, especially if you have more than one. First, the wine is quite aromatic with barely hints of dried apple and pear peel, a hint of cistern, and an old glass or silica perception. Taste is a multifaceted assault. All at once I get perceptions of the brown soil/mineral I have tasted before in Mesnil, then there is fresh pear skin and apple skin, and a "white cherry" thought pops in. Then the sweetness; is that sugarcane, or "green sugar"? Maybe even a hint of tart zippy citrus. The wine is hauntingly fresh, and nimble... melodious. It is hard to describe a wine that is so serious but so light and easy, and fresh. A couple of things: Please don't think in any way that this wine is sugary sweet or cloying. I have given hints of sugar and sweet. But the nearest I can describe the sweetness is likened to sugarcane. It is sweet, but it has greenness, and can even be dusty, and it is also textured... Second, I thought of a perfect near or half trocken Riesling from the likes of Uli Stein, when I drank this...
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Uncles Fine Wine Club’s - Grand Cru Tasting (Bodø): The star of the night? Expectations were at least extremely high as it went in a flight along with Winston Churchill 2002 and Jacquesson Rosé 2007. I expected so much of this wine, and I am afraid it didn’t deliver up to expectations. Maybe too young, maybe too little air, I don’t know.. It was by all means still a beautiful wine. The nose was elegant and complex but you really needed to put your nose in to it to get anything out. Fresh raspberry and blackberry perfume. Lactic with a touch of licorice, sage and minty herbs. Creamy moth filling texture, fresh and balance with primary fruit aromas. 91-93 points.
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Uncle Fine Wine Club Fall BYO; 10/14/2016-10/15/2016 (Tord House): Clean and tidy. Blank towards golden, youthful. Medium intensity of the bubbles. Clean nose that feels as if it is under development. The nose has aromas of some spices initially before stone fruit and citrus comes. Fiercely opening with an enormous mousse. Good acidity. Eventually a delicious creamy mouthfeel with concentrated fruit and spices. Extremely long!
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Very pure, very young Blanc de Blanc. Salon S Mesnil is always a pleasure to taste. We had this at Lio Ibiza. Great elegant champagner with youthful freshness, lemon and minerality. I expect much more in the future.
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At a dozen years of age, this premium vintage label showed its class - straw colored, medium bodied, elegant, rich, crisp and clean, full bright flavors accented by a layer of zesty yeast, vibrant flavors of pear, apple, nut and hint of tangy citrus. I wish my palate for Champagne were more discriminating to appreciate the nuances of this elegant polished, nicely balanced feature.
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I was very excited to try (thanks Matt!) this after missing out on trying this at la Paulee in March. Lovely heady aromas of lemon chiffon, citrus oil, and white spring flowers that shout real breed and class. The palate took me a bit by surprise as it was fat, dense, and ripe showing pear, apple, and zesty lemon. Fine bubbles added nice lift and the finish showed good length. Overall, a very nice Champagne. This vintage seems to be a fatter and richer version versus the lean, crisp, fresh intense rocky style I typically associate with Salon in the best years. Still quite good and elegant, but makes me wonder if this will make really old bones.
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9/15/2023 - Charlie Carnes Likes this wine: 99 Points
This is a perfect wine. I love how wines like this confuse the senses a little at first. Is it the fruit that’s making me crazy, is it the nose, is it hard to translate things like length, lift, openness, compactness? As it was, this wine was thrilling. The Chardonnay fruit, was perfectly pure, giving hints of apple skin, apple meat, lemon curd, citrus peel, and a hint of white cherry skin. Sweet biscuit, apricot, white peach, shine through with dusty mineral and wet stones. This was power, finesse, weightlessness. This was nuanced in the mouth with a compelling swallow.
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6/30/2023 - hprphf wrote: 93 Points
Need a few hours of air, large in structure, bright, sweet. 93-94
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4/5/2023 - RayOB Likes this wine: 97 Points
Drank in London
Incredible depth and purity. What a palate, truely a master of Blanc de Blanc
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11/7/2022 - BradE wrote:
La Tache in Atlanta: Vibrant, concentrated, and excellent. This vintage has kicked in an extra gear.
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11/4/2022 - shifter wrote:
La Tache and '96 Champagne (Atlanta): PnP. Such precision. Really shows the Salon majesty in so many levels. Great, but yet unfortunately second in the flight.
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10/16/2022 - Nanda wrote: 95 Points
Wow, this really grabs your attention at the first sip. Totally open for business with tremendous density yet lots of fun, flashy orchard fruit that dances across the palate. In a great spot now.
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10/16/2022 - acyso wrote: 95 Points
Sunday Salon (Chicago, IL): This seemed like a carbon copy of the 2007, but kicked up a slight notch. It's not that much appreciably better, but the maturity here seemed to give this a little more roundness and complexity on the palate. There's a lot of the same orchard fruit notes, but they come across a little sweeter, and there's a honeyed tone to it as well. On the palate, this has incredible, bright acidity just like the 2007, but with just a little more maturity to round it off.
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9/28/2022 - dcwino wrote: 95 Points
Perfectly mature nose displaying decadent yellow fruit, apple, baked apple, brioche, smoke, light caramel, sweet spices and mineral. Very good concentration, nicely layered sweet yellow fruit, fine medium generous mousse, rich and sweet but also showing a good balance, bright acidity and mineral, and a long sweet yellow fruit driven finish with a hint of caramel at the end. This seems a bit more evolved than expected.
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9/21/2022 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine: 96 Points
From magnum while visiting Ducru Beaucaillou. Beautiful light and elegant mouthfeel. A real treat from our generous host.
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8/17/2022 - Ms. Bubblehead Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tasted blind. Clearly a Blanc de blancs with good tension, minerals and Cut white fruits. Solid champagne but don’t believe the Instagram hype.
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6/5/2022 - lkolick Likes this wine: 96 Points
Aromas of brioche, baked yellow apple, faint baking spices. Smooth, but lively bubbles. Acidity is balanced with flavors of apple, marzipan, nutty. Utterly delicious.
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5/28/2022 - muchomaas Likes this wine: 94 Points
Enjoyed in San Sebastián pre-dinner. This was open, direct, and delicious. Cellaring will obviously improve, but I found this drinking well now.
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3/18/2022 - merlotsmile wrote:
Vertical
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2/14/2022 - mye wrote:
PnP. Down the middle tasty bubbly. Lots of rich orchard fruit, especially ripe pears. Good acidity although probably can use a touch more. The density of fruit persists throughout the meal. Always a treat to drink.
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1/1/2022 - aquacongas wrote: 93 Points
blind
I had no idea, too reluctant for me, but you could say elegant. Missing concentration and power. Precise finish, maybe a hint too sweet. Could age well. We will see. 92-93
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12/15/2021 - finediningnyc Likes this wine: 96 Points
This is probably the youngest vintage I’d personally want to drink Salon as they age at a snails pace, and are so much more rewarding with age. Much more to offer at this point than 06 and 07. Swirls in a Zalto Burgundy glass reveal its amazing purity, intense minerality, chiseled palate and an incredible sense of place. It’s elegant and concentrated with a stunning texture and mouthfeel, offering plenty to be enjoyable now, but many many years ahead.
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12/11/2021 - hprphf wrote: 93 Points
Sweet, sharp, high residual sugar with good acidity. This is way too early to drink today. 93+
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12/9/2021 - clayfu wrote:
Youthful exuberance turnt up to 10 - needed about a hour to settle in with more of the citrus rush as it was initially quite lean. Once it did the wine pulses with minerality and fruit. Very nice
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11/10/2021 - joshabramson Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fresh and crisp, rich but with nice acidity.
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10/17/2021 - mye wrote:
Nose was primary fruit, but loaded with peach, green apple. Palate was equally juicy with a touch of stoney minerality. Creamy smooth mouth feel, and only gains expressiveness with air. Delish.
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10/16/2021 - KeithAkers wrote: 96 Points
Good times in Seattle (The Butcher's Table, Seattle WA): Nose: And here we go! The nose is just so deep and wonderful that it is easy to get lost in. The tones of Vanilla, pears, apples, Meyer lemons, all sorts of white flowrs, almonds, crushed rocks, whisps of smoke, warm dough, and biscuits. The nose is still very much in the primary phase, but it was quite giving and profound.
Taste: The feel is Medium bodied with racy, high acidity. The feel is so deep and textured as it glides across the palate with pears, meyer lemons, apples, white flowers, almonds, vanilla, crushed rocks, warm dough, and biscuits.
Overall: This is just flat out amazing. It is beginning its ascent into maturity, but there’s still a few years to fully get there. There is very much a primary nature to it at the moment, but everything is in perfect harmony right now.
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8/27/2021 - sdr Likes this wine: 92 Points
One of the more enjoyable Salons in the series, it would be decent for a mid range Grande Marque vintage champagne but since it is from the iconic house of Salon in a vintage that favors Chardonnay it should be much, much better. Despite that, it is enjoyable if you’re not being too critical. But where is the intensity and flair?
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8/2/2021 - Hojun-na-Wine Likes this wine:
Medium hay color. Big explosion of foam at pour but the bubbles dissipate quickly thereafter.
Initial nose of marzipan, apple, saline air. No yeast notes to speak of.
On the palate green apple, Meyer lemon, more cheesy marzipan. Creamy.
No tertiary notes.
Medium- alcohol, medium- body, medium+ acidity.
It’s smooth. Almost too smooth. There is a wonderful creamy texture which come out as the wine warms up. Reminds me of grand cru Chablis a couple of hours after opening. Dangerously easy to drink.
I was hoping for a bit more in terms of tertiary development, but I was told Salon doesn’t start to develop until at least 20 years so this one was probably too early.
I don’t know if the experience quite matches up to the price tag, but I’m glad I finally got to try it.
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6/4/2021 - sdr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Much better than a previous bottle. Steely, with a very distinctive salty minerality, it clearly will benefit from more time. Despite its lack of obvious fruit there is real flavor interest. Challenging yet intriguing.
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5/1/2021 - Dnordh wrote: 93 Points
Well balanced, had with Sushi was a good match. Will buy more
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3/13/2021 - sdr Likes this wine: 91 Points
Super tight cork, extremely explosive foam of medium size bubbles which surprisingly didn’t last especially long. There’s not a trace of yeast, toast or caramel in this young Blanc de Blancs. Very distinctive nose of Granny Smith apple and mountain stream. The palate is clean and pure - but there’s just not enough of it. Too light, too slight, too easy to drink. Perhaps in a few more years it will fill out. But with what I cannot guess. I want more from my luxury cuvées at every stage of development.
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2/25/2021 - BillyT wrote: 94 Points
A thousand apologies. We drank this at Black Salt in DC to celebrate my wife passing her US citizenship exam and interview. Now we have to decide what champagne to drink next Friday when she takes the oath. On comment is that while the champagne speaks for itself and is phenomenal, I'm certain the moment enriched the experience.
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1/16/2021 - Brolawa Likes this wine: 95 Points
This champagne is spectacular. Compact bubbles and such a clean, mineral taste with beautiful floral and citrus notes. I could drink this all night. Drank this with a 2015 Roulot Clos des Boucheres and it made the Roulot taste flat.
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12/18/2020 - JohnnyBark Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dear Diary, this week our company blew our sales record, so it was time to open something cool. I always have a hard time picking up the nose on this wine. After 30 minutes and a little warmer, it’s becoming mouth watering on the nose, so that’s a plus. I’m not sure if it’s because of subtlety of BDB, the age of the wine, or the glass (Lehman Prestige on this bottle). The precision is so amazing. Fruit, acid, and overall balance on the palate is always incredible. This wine shows no sign of age whatsoever and will last longer than Biden’s mental faculties. I’m curious what 10-20 years will do, but I can’t imagine my remaining bottles surviving that long. The price I paid versus the current market for Salon, might deter future purchases, it’s not exactly a value wine. Still delicious and a cheaper than a lot of burgundy. As a tree growing professional, I rate this wine delicious and drinking well.
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11/28/2020 - steinersing wrote: 95 Points
Drinking well, excellent acidity, laser sharp
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9/1/2020 - _water.into.wine_ Likes this wine: 95 Points
I much preferred this to a 1999 and 2007 that I recently tried. Green apples. Cream. A glass of milk. High acidity. Refreshing. Great opening bottle. From DrK
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8/14/2020 - tpoyser Likes this wine: 95 Points
Did a 3 wine blind with the wife; Blanc de Blanc trio all from the same winemaker:
NV Laurent-Perrier Blanc de Blanc
NV Delamotte Blanc de Blanc
2004 Salon Blanc de Blanc
All three excellent, Salon stood out and is drinking very well right now.
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5/10/2020 - ovenmitt wrote: 95 Points
Drank at the end of the night, after many other bottles of champagne, so my tasting notes are in context. Having said that, I felt the salon was a cut above all else. Still young, but beautiful mouth feel - almost angelic. Mousse was super fine. Perfect balance and should age well.
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4/27/2020 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Birthday celebration wine! Unfortunately Salon is priced at a level these days that does tend to be more about special occasions, but always a treat to get to have! This was not perhaps the best year and yet this wine was absolutely delicious. Has that lovely vanilla bean note that is very Salon to me. And a bit of almost a crystallized ginger and lemon peel. Very soft bubbles that just kindof melt. Perfect paring with a burrata and lobster dish from Marea but held up ok with the pasta too.
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1/30/2020 - BenBlu Likes this wine: 94 Points
2004 champagne horizontal (110 Taillevent London): Buttermilk, saline, moreish. Better than recent disappointments with 1995 and 2002 vintage of this overrated and overpriced cuvee.
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12/25/2019 - Swiller368 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Just a wonderful expression of superior bubbly. Crisp clean lots of minerality. Nicest I’ve certainly ever had. Acid levels were just elegant. Highly recommend. Price a bit steep but nana only turns 80 once.
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12/10/2019 - rnellans wrote: 97 Points
Served alongside the 02 Cristal re-release...quite different. Probable consensus of the group was in favor of the Salon, however I gave the nod to the Cristal. Whereas the Salon is quite energetic, chisled, with minerality/ citrus notes....Need more time in the cellar.....The Cristal was beautifully balanced, I suspect a bit higher dosage, lovely fruit, yet excellent acidity and balance.
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12/8/2019 - BradE wrote:
The 04 Salon was really, really good.
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10/24/2019 - beatles wrote: 95 Points
Fruity and direct, very lively and inviting. The fuit is primary, Chardonnay speaks loudly here as so often in the 2004's; creamy texture, some butter here, citrus - great balance, easy drinking as of now, but will probably improve.
#AOC
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8/2/2019 - mflesh wrote: 96 Points
Served blind at a Friday wine function. Flirts between too young to drink and right in the wheelhouse. You know this is going to be a good day when this is served as the aperitif to a meal. Although this had plenty of brioche and oxidative style with a hint of citrus and some rope pear, there was some green apple right on the other side, and a refreshing tart on the finish. Very powerful, yet never really seemed to give all that it had. I rather easily sucked down two glasses of this. I honestly think the 96 Vintage Krug outdid this by a little bit, but I think only because of 8 years of age difference. Want to give this a 97, but I will reserve that score for a couple of years from now.
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6/7/2019 - fcxj wrote: 92 Points
Painfully young to drink. Served as palate cleanser.
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6/3/2019 - Ms. Bubblehead Likes this wine:
No disgorgement date.
Day 1
Relatively quiet on the nose, but signature white fruits, steel, flowers. Not wow.
Day 2
Oh ya. Way more expressive on the nose and palate showed much more vibrantly, complex minerality, focused acidity, what you would expect from this producer. Really needs time, obviously.
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12/23/2018 - rlove wrote: 92 Points
Rather young. Apple-heavy nose with an underlying chalky minerality. Texture shows weight without corresponding power. While certainly nice, the 2004 Salon hasn't yet come together. Even adjusting for potential, currently below expectations. Time will tell.
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12/22/2018 - Nanda wrote: 93 Points
One of the more approachable bottles of Salon that I've encountered, but still too young. Large scale with significant acid driven structure. I like my Champagne young, but this needs a decade +.
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12/22/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Holiday Champagne Gala (Park Ridge Country Club): Small glass, brief note. Lots of apple with lemon peel and lemon curd. Very good depth and textures. Good length.
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9/9/2018 - sbjm Likes this wine: 70 Points
11/20: Updated tasting. No change. Short finish and not terribly memorable
Fruity smell, dry and woody taste. Perfectly lovely but not blowing us away. Well balanced
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6/1/2018 - soyhead wrote:
rich more than ready, I sense quince and other bitter white fished fruits. very good.
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5/25/2018 - fred o. Likes this wine:
Strong bubbles with persistent bead, surprisingly light slate color — surprising given the age. Nose and palate subtle at first, closed, but opened up a lot with time. Light wax initially, good freshness, white florals and white peach/apricot flavors, an appealing precision to the flavors — no muddiness, great acidity. A powerful wine, coiled, still quite young, no oxidative notes at all. Enjoyable now but would love to see this in 5-10 years. 94 pts for now but if grading for potential clearly a 95+ wine
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5/25/2018 - mrbry83 Likes this wine: 94 Points
PnP. Initially nose was quite tight and on the palate, acidity is extremely precise. After a few hours it opened up to more white floral aromas. Very young and super light in color considering the age. Gained weight and that acidity precision still going strong. Should be awesome with some more age.
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4/4/2018 - ETT95 wrote: 95 Points
Quite yeasty at nose with absolutely stunning and attractive nose of baked apple, cheese and caramel. Exceptionally long after-taste of very complex yeast and sweet fruits. Personally rate this higher than the Krug Clos du Mensil 2003 and at the same level of Bollinger VVF.
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3/3/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
La Paulée de San Francisco - Grand Tasting (The Fairmont - San Francisco CA): Tasting, brief note. Nicely floral start with lemon curd and apple aromas and flavors. Very nicely balanced and accessible, with good weight and length. A Salon that will drink nicely young.
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3/3/2018 - drwine2001 wrote:
Some Wines from the 2018 La Paulée Grand Tasting of 2015 Burgundy (The Fairmont, San Francisco): Dull yellow color, not that lively. Fragrant with flavors of cream and caramel. Medium to full bodied. Approaching or at maturity, and I was surprised at how far along it was.
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2/18/2018 - dcwino wrote: 96 Points
Small Champagne and Burgundy gathering (Eddie V's - Tysons Corner, VA): Surprisingly open nose displaying fresh white fruit, pear, white peach, apple, white flowers and Chablis like mineral. Very good concentration and balance, fresh white fruit driven palate impression, very fine generous mousse, medium acidity, strong mineral presence and a medium to long white fruit and smoke driven finish. IMO, it doesn’t have the precision and the energy of the 96 at the similar stage. This reminds me the 04 Dom Perignon, i.e. fresh, clean and very approachable.
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1/31/2018 - Sundbyberg wrote: 93 Points
Tasting: My first time with Salon and considering the price and reputation, I must say this was quite a disappointment.
Probably needs another 5-10 years to really show what it has to offer.
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1/26/2018 - steinersing wrote: 95 Points
bright and a bit more open now than it used to be. Good but not as forthcoming as the 2006
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1/10/2018 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 93 Points
The nose was bright and energetic with lots of chalky minerality and pleasant tropical fruit. Quite approachable, a little surprised by the developing white peach. Crisp and precise with a fine mousse. The palate has nice vanilla with subtle almond and toasted nutty notes, imagine the bit of brioche that is beginning to show now will come out further in the future. Well rounded, very enjoyable.
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12/4/2017 - bigdogflow Likes this wine: 96 Points
Tasted at Bear Dalton Luxury Cuvée Champagne tasting
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11/11/2017 - CamWheeler wrote: 94 Points
Festival of Alex - Grand Birthday Dinner: Apple, lime, pear and slate notes on the nose. Lovely richness across the palate, with punchy fruit power, while still showing the signature acid profile of Salon. Finds balance within its components right now, a relatively approachable young Salon. Not entirely what I expected, but an enjoyable encounter.
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9/10/2017 - JohnnyBark Likes this wine:
Tasted along side '04 Giraud Argonne, and complete opposite. Still very young and light in color. Lemon, white peach, and white flower dominated profile. Great acidity, with very fine bubbles. Obviously still has a long, long ways to go in its life. For a young champagne, it just doesn't seem to have anything missing. Should be fun in the long haul.
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7/30/2017 - peternelson Likes this wine: 96 Points
Somewhat subtle, closed nose, but after about 15 minutes revealed white chalk, white peach, light citrus notes, green apple; on the palate this was simply amazing with clean, delicate bubbles, almost dissipating as soon as they hit your tongue, but lasted for a very long time in the finish; concentrated but very pure, stream-lined, elegant, like a Goreki symphony. Yes, you could age this, or you could simply enjoy the stunning purity of this in its youth. Well worth it IMHO.
I feel for MRBUZZ, and I am lucky we had this as the very first wine of the night, then Comtes '05, then Bollinger '04, then Bollinger RD '02. Perfect order, and all very distinctive and made good play mates, especially with the food. At Okumura sushi.
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4/28/2017 - Charlie Carnes Likes this wine:
if only I could make these appear as fast as I make them disappear!!
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4/4/2017 - wineordeath Likes this wine: 95 Points
Lemon/grapefruit, lees, and white flowers. Very dry and salty but delicious in its savory character. Quite long. Very good.
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3/19/2017 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine:
Dinner at Trelio (Clovis Ca.): I was too far gone at the end of the night when this one appeared. What a shame...as I am a HUGE Salon fan! From what I remember...very high toned freshness, painfully so. Needs time?
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3/18/2017 - Charlie Carnes Likes this wine:
People will say this is too young, it's not ready. But I must say, it is so amazing right now! Yes, it is tight, but it is a sharp laser beam, with fine bubbles, and a depth and breadth that are astounding. Sharp white fruit with apple skin, and a hint of white cherry perception. As always, a little mineral or subdued dark earth hints. Weightless. Exceedingly terrific.
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3/14/2017 - BradE wrote:
Against high expectations, this is still not delivering. Still quite young.
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3/11/2017 - JOsgood wrote:
La Paulée de New York - Grand Tasting (Pier Sixty - Chelsea Piers): First taste of Salon out of magnum. A rich and young Champagne. Really nice now but this clearly is built for the cellar. A touch sweet for my taste which prefers minimal dosage.
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12/8/2016 - Charlie Carnes Likes this wine:
This was a mirror to the first amazing bottle!
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12/6/2016 - Rupert wrote:
Wine Gang Ultimate Champagne Evening (Polish Club, South Kensington , London): Bigger bubbles, a much bigger nose Buttery, powerful. Dry, fine, very young.
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11/30/2016 - fcxj wrote: 90 Points
Not my favorite Salon. Nice citrus notes, but lacks acidity and vitality. Bit too mellow.
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11/12/2016 - AV2012 wrote:
Milder, rounder than Delamotte '07 we had alongside. Somewhat closed and quiet. Clean. Don't get why it costs what it costs, at this age it tastes very overpriced.
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10/21/2016 - Charlie Carnes Likes this wine: 98 Points
This is an absolute show stopper! So this wine is young by Salon standards, but it is so absolutely rewarding today, especially if you have more than one. First, the wine is quite aromatic with barely hints of dried apple and pear peel, a hint of cistern, and an old glass or silica perception. Taste is a multifaceted assault. All at once I get perceptions of the brown soil/mineral I have tasted before in Mesnil, then there is fresh pear skin and apple skin, and a "white cherry" thought pops in. Then the sweetness; is that sugarcane, or "green sugar"? Maybe even a hint of tart zippy citrus. The wine is hauntingly fresh, and nimble... melodious. It is hard to describe a wine that is so serious but so light and easy, and fresh. A couple of things: Please don't think in any way that this wine is sugary sweet or cloying. I have given hints of sugar and sweet. But the nearest I can describe the sweetness is likened to sugarcane. It is sweet, but it has greenness, and can even be dusty, and it is also textured... Second, I thought of a perfect near or half trocken Riesling from the likes of Uli Stein, when I drank this...
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10/21/2016 - cos65 Likes this wine:
Some apple, cream, saline flavors. Lively attack, bone dry. Long finish. A bit austere at this point
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10/14/2016 - Bobhelge wrote: 92 Points
Uncles Fine Wine Club’s - Grand Cru Tasting (Bodø): The star of the night? Expectations were at least extremely high as it went in a flight along with Winston Churchill 2002 and Jacquesson Rosé 2007. I expected so much of this wine, and I am afraid it didn’t deliver up to expectations. Maybe too young, maybe too little air, I don’t know.. It was by all means still a beautiful wine. The nose was elegant and complex but you really needed to put your nose in to it to get anything out. Fresh raspberry and blackberry perfume. Lactic with a touch of licorice, sage and minty herbs. Creamy moth filling texture, fresh and balance with primary fruit aromas.
91-93 points.
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10/14/2016 - Torchy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Uncle Fine Wine Club Fall BYO; 10/14/2016-10/15/2016 (Tord House): Clean and tidy. Blank towards golden, youthful. Medium intensity of the bubbles. Clean nose that feels as if it is under development. The nose has aromas of some spices initially before stone fruit and citrus comes. Fiercely opening with an enormous mousse. Good acidity. Eventually a delicious creamy mouthfeel with concentrated fruit and spices. Extremely long!
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10/6/2016 - fcxj wrote: 90 Points
A bit short. Not my favorite Salon...
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9/26/2016 - bodyconsult Likes this wine: 96 Points
Very pure, very young Blanc de Blanc. Salon S Mesnil is always a pleasure to taste. We had this at Lio Ibiza. Great elegant champagner with youthful freshness, lemon and minerality. I expect much more in the future.
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9/18/2016 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 92 Points
At a dozen years of age, this premium vintage label showed its class - straw colored, medium bodied, elegant, rich, crisp and clean, full bright flavors accented by a layer of zesty yeast, vibrant flavors of pear, apple, nut and hint of tangy citrus. I wish my palate for Champagne were more discriminating to appreciate the nuances of this elegant polished, nicely balanced feature.
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7/7/2016 - KenK wrote: 93 Points
I was very excited to try (thanks Matt!) this after missing out on trying this at la Paulee in March. Lovely heady aromas of lemon chiffon, citrus oil, and white spring flowers that shout real breed and class. The palate took me a bit by surprise as it was fat, dense, and ripe showing pear, apple, and zesty lemon. Fine bubbles added nice lift and the finish showed good length. Overall, a very nice Champagne. This vintage seems to be a fatter and richer version versus the lean, crisp, fresh intense rocky style I typically associate with Salon in the best years. Still quite good and elegant, but makes me wonder if this will make really old bones.
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7/7/2016 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Casual Burg Dinner with Friends (The Bristol - Chicago IL): Floral aromas with apple and lemon. Same flavors with good concentration and moderate weight and acidity. Much less like the 2002 vintage, and more like the 1999.
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5/19/2016 - steinersing wrote: 95 Points
Nice yeast on nose and quite broad. I am told vintage similarities to 1982. Drinking young nicely.
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4/8/2016 - drwine2001 wrote:
Delamotte/Salon Champagne Current Releases Tasted at the Domain (Le-Mesnil-sur-Oger, France): Very light yellow and lively. Combination of yeast and vibrant citrus tending toward orange on the nose. Youthful but some leesiness, medium weight. Richness underneath, but elegant, long, and stony. A great young Salon that will need considerable aging. Bury this for now.
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