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  • Country ranking ?

    880
  • Producer ranking ?

    26
  • Decanting time

    15min
  • When to drink

    now to 2030
  • Food Pairing

    Smoked Salmon on Cucumber Rounds

The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.

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The Story

This Champagne is produced from a one-hectare parcel owned by Salon: "Salon’s garden", and from 19 other smaller parcels in Mesnil-sur-Oger, chosen by Aimé Salon at the beginning of the century. The wines are cellared in the bottle for an average of 10 years, gaining in complexity and finesse.

The proof that memory and history are important is shown by the bottles in the cellars from nearly all the vintages that have ever been produced at Salon. Headed by Aimé Salon until his death in 1943, the house was then left to his nephew. In 1988, Champagne Laurent-Perrier, a family-owned company, became the majority shareholder of Champagne Salon.

Made from 100% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs grand cru vineyard, Le Mesnil-sur- Oger. The densely planted vines are located on the mid-slope in chalky soil, and the Cordon de Royat method of trellising is used, which allows access to the soil at the base of the vines.

The grapes are picked and sorted by hand. Only the first pressing, or cuvée, is used. This is the lightest, freshest juice, containing the highest percentage of acidity, which is essential to the evolution and vivacity of the Champagne. The first fermentation takes place in a stainless steel tank. The wine receives no oak exposure and does not undergo malolactic fermentation.

The wine is cellared in the bottle for an average of 10 years, gaining in complexity and finesse. Riddling is done by hand. All bottles are disgorged within 8 months of the first disgorgement, also by hand.

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Wine Information

1985 / The year was terribly marked by January frosts (-25°C for several days). Vine stocks recovered poorly and several hundred hectares had to be uprooted. Late April frosts only added to the damage in some sectors. Fortunately July brought some splendid weather. Bunches were not numerous although, on average, weighty thanks to the volume acquired by the berries. Harvesting of very healthy grapes lasted from 30th September to about 11th October. The composition of the musts in 1985 was similar to that of 1975, a great vintage.

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Vintage 1985

Severe winter temperatures and spring frosts did great damage, leaving many in the region unhopeful of a good year. The destruction was excessive especially in the northern Montagne de Reims, in the hillside vineyards west of Reims and in the Aube. The early summer weather did not raise the hopes, but finally fine September weather came to the rescue and yields ended up being better than feared (albeit tiny, 6,827 kg/ha) when picking commenced on September 30th. Champagnes from 1985 are typically beautifully balanced and intense with great length and character that is still improving today. Dom Pérignon, Charles Heidsieck Champagne Charlie and Blanc des Millénaires, Krug Vintage and Perrier-Jouët Belle Époque excelled, to name a few.

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Average Bottle Price

2015 2014 2012 2010 2005 2000
673€ +7.0% 629€ +1.3% 621€ +30.2% 477€ +115.8% 221€ +71.3% 129€

This data comes from the FINE Auction Index, a composite of average prices for wines sold at commercial auctions in 20 countries. The average prices from each year have been collected since 1990. This chart plots the index value of the average price of the wines.

Tasting note

color

Medium

ending

Long and Extensive

nose

Mature

recommend

Yes

taste

Average in Acidity, Medium tannin, Concentrated, Complex, Full-bodied, Round and Rich

Written Notes

This has been a favorite vintage for a long while, but it was a very small
one. It is also one where Pinot Noir was generally regarded as the star
performer, so it was a little surprising to me that they released a Salon.
Very glad they did.

This is certainly into a stage where one can drink the wine without guilt
from it being too young, which is not to say that well cellared bottles
won’t go on from here. Coffee bean, orange rind, spices, figs, truffles,
nuts, and parmesan cheese. This is rich, layered, long, and with that
wonderful texture. Incredible complexity. 99. 

  • 99p
1985 Salon 91 points (92) This one has always been a bit difficult to grasp. Perhaps this is a wine whose phases will one day provide great experiences. Still too bushy and ‘broth fragrant’ for me, personally. Structurally impeccable and aromatic, there were classic forest mushroom notes, autumn leaves and walnuts. Nevertheless, it is not really a friend of mine.
  • 91p

Fairly light vaguely brioche nose. Like the Dom 1985, tight, but more to be expected in a Salon. Very long and neat. Marked freshness. Dry finish. Svelte. Scored 17.5 and to drink 2000-2020
A second bottle showed a much more evolved nose. Very much more interesting and nuanced. Hint of porcini dried mushrooms. Long and toasty. The score is for the second bottle.

  • 95p
TASTINGNOTE Vissa, inklusive Salon själva, hävdar att 85:an är mindre utvecklad än 88:an. Jag hävdar motsatsen och ifrågasätter beslutet att lansera årgångarna i omvänd ordning. Den fas som vinet var inne i just när nästa årgång skulle lanseras var kanske inte så hemskt upphetsande, men då fanns redan en del mognadstoner i form av lakrits och en svag rökighet. I början av seklets sista år börjar påfågelstjärten visa sig i sin fulla prakt. Dock ett vin Richard Juhlin totalt missbedömde på Millennieprovningen. Ojämnheten är fortfarande störande. Årgångsbetyg: 4 av 5 poäng. Ett intressant år som tyvärr stannade upp i sin utveckling under några år i början av 2000-talet. Om vinerna kommer ut ur tunneln och i så fall när får framtiden utvisa. Kommentar från provningen: Har alltid varit lite svår att få grepp om. Kanske är detta ett vin vars faser en dag kommer att ge stora upplevelser. Dock fortfarande för yvig och buljongdoftande för mig personligen. Strukturellt oklanderlig och aromatiskt finns det klassiska svampskogsdraget, höstlöven och valnötterna. Trots det är det inte riktigt ’my cup of tea’. Rangordning i provningen: 12:a av 19.
  • 92p
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Information

Origin

Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Champagne

Vintage Quality

Excellent

Value For Money

Good

Investment potential

Average

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