Champagne Salon

Salon 2013

Salon 2013, insolent beauty.

Only the 44th release in its 120 year history, Salon 2013 has arrived like some Greek god, with its chiselled profile and long limbs lithe and perfectly sculpted, primed to conquer our hearts and palates.

Salon is defined by its singularity, in so many ways: in its very creation, as the champagne of one man, Aime Salon; as a single terroir, the Côte des Blancs; a single Grand Cru, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger; a single grape variety, Chardonnay; and a single year, that of a great vintage.

2013 is distinctive for its extraordinary stature, which will forever set it apart. On approach, its fine features seem to crystallise; its line and curve coming into focus, drawing us in with their beauty.

Yet Salon 2013 was borne of one of the most thankless years, climatically speaking: one of excessive cold and rain; and heat too – in the end.

September brought decidedly autumnal conditions, bringing the grapes slowly to full ripeness in early October.

Hope was restored; harvests resulting from extreme conditions often produce the finest vintages in Champagne. And what a result! Splendour, intensity, elegance: who could have guessed the latent power contained within 2013?

Ten years of cellaring were required for this Proteus to develop its impressive physique and insolent beauty. White blossom, linden flowers, jasmine and bergamot zest form its bouquet, laced with the classic minerality of Le Mesnil. The magnitude of the terroir emerges, both subtle and profound.

At once rich and long, the palate shows perfect balance, its power contained. A natural masterpiece, wrought by time; sculpted slowly, gently, and with infinite care.