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  • Country ranking ?

    1 014
  • Producer ranking ?

    30
  • Decanting time

    15min
  • When to drink

    now to 2025
  • Food Pairing

    Pekin-style Duck

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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In 1958 the total area in production in the official wine producing zone was 11,500 hectares. By using a part, and that it was only a part should be emphasized, of the land entitled to the champagne appellation, the area of vineyards was doubled in twenty years with the planting of 12,460 hectares, which, taking into account the effect of the unused plantation rights in 1958, gave a total of 24,252 hectares in production in 1978, the highest level of the decade following the stop in new planting in 1975. Vines also reappeared on hillsides from which they had long been absent, especially in the Sézanne region, in the valleys of the Aube and along the Marne, from Dormans to Château-Thierry and even beyond.

It should be made clear that it was not only in the Aisne and the Aube that new vines were planted, in fact it was rather the opposite. The vineyards in these two counties or départements expanded by 16 and 17.5% respectively, against 22% in the Marne and in 1978 the latter represented 79.5% of the total area of vines in the Champagne's wine producing zone, i.e. about three quarters, the Aisne and the Aube accounting for 5.5% and 15% respectively. The grands crus, which were already well-stocked, had taken little interest in planting new vines and the average price of vineyard land had thus slightly fallen. But it should not be forgotten that all the smaller vineyards were graded, and presented characteristics which had always been recognized as being suitable for producing good quality champagne.

At the same time yields had increased as a result of improvements in the productivity of the vineyards, and rose from 33 hectolitres per hectare in the 1950s to more than 60 hectolitres in the 1970s. This was obtained not through changes in pruning techniques or increasing the amount of fertilizer used, which would have compromised quality, but through better growing techniques that reduced the number of factors that could adversely affect the yield, such as parasites and diseases. The annual capacity of the vineyards, which had been between 50 and 70 million bottles in 1950 was thus increased by 1980 to between 180 and 200 million, in accordance with demand.

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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

Champagne Vintage Report by Salon:  There was rapid emergence of vegetation, although spring frosts (between 27th and 29th April) affected 1000 hectares. The hailstorm of 27th May alone destroyed 650 hectares. Cold weather took hold in June, with flowering in very bad weather conditions, extending from June through to early July. Exceptional weather in July, but hail and windy weather from 27th July to 18th August completely annihilated 2650 hectares. Major erosion problems. Harvesting commenced on 18th September. Good quality.

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Average Bottle Price

2021 2015 2012 2010 2005 2000
2 650€ +27.4% 2 080€ +10.1% 1 890€ +45.5% 1 299€ +45.1% 895€ +305.0% 221€

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

Full

ending

Medium

Written Notes

The 1971 Salon was a bit mature and advanced, but I admired its caramel flavors and texture, but there was no fizz and it was clearly oxidzed (95A).

  • 95p
1971 Salon 93 points (93) A wine that behaves differently every time I try it. This time it was a classic, youthfully light, sleek and stylish 1971.
  • 93p

Disgorged 3 weeks ago without dosage - Didier Depond felt there was no need for make-up on this older wine, which had its own internal richness from long lees ageing.
Mid gold. Aroma like the 1988 but even more complex: woody, ginger, dried grasses, chamomile. Stunning wine. Very little fizz left but impeccable balance between all those complex yeast-derived bready flavours and intense zesty vitality on the palate. Just gorgeous and absolutely remarkable poise at the age of 45. My drinking date starts from the time this bottle was disgorged, not from the time bottles disgorged much earlier might have been broached.

  • 96p
TASTINGNOTE Ett vin som beter sig olika varje gång jag testar det. Denna gång var det en klassisk ungdomligt ljus och smäcker stilren 71:a. Stor flaskvariation. Vissa flaskor innehåller ciderlika äppeltoner och är på väg utför. Andra är mycket friska men lite tunna. Årgångsbetyg: 4 av 5 poäng. Året innehöll en serie oroligheter för vinstockarna, men ledde fram till en liten skörd den 18 september. Vinerna är tyvärr lite ojämna. Vanligtvis är de eleganta och lätta men utan tillräckligt med livsbejakande syror. ’71 Comtes de Champagne är antagligen den godaste rosé som världen skådat. Kommentar från provningen: Ett vin som finns i två versioner. Gjord i två helt olika buteljer och etiketteringar beroende på ägarbytet. Rangordning i provningen: 10:a av 19.
  • 93p
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Information

Origin

Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Champagne

Vintage Quality

Excellent

Value For Money

Good

Investment potential

Below Average

Fake factory

Be Cautious

Glass time

30min

Drinking temperature

6
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