x
  • Country ranking ?

    612
  • Producer ranking ?

    14
  • Decanting time

    15min
  • When to drink

    now to 2035
  • Food Pairing

    Shrimps in cream curry sauce

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

1988 / After a mild and particularly rainy year, dry months alternated with wet months until ripeness.
The vegetative period of the vine was thus favoured by normal rainfall and rather high pressure. Harvesting took place in good weather, apart from a few scattered showers. Although words like "commonplace" and "average" were often employed to illustrate the development of 1988, the wines surprised by their strong and assertive personality. 1988 thus turned out to be a remarkable vintage, one reconciling finesse with strength.

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Vintage 1988

CHAMPAGNE: From this year, the most classic and refined champagnes were producedChampagnes are long-lived and mature slowly to their peak.

Winter and spring were fairly mild. Inflorescences began in good weather in June. Already during the next month, the cloud masses swarmed to the Champagne province. Finally, the sky broke right before harvest. The harvest remained smaller than in the previous year. Even though the weather was unstable, the vintage produced fine and elegant wines, of which many have just reached their peak. The wines are marked by high acids and a concentrated, precise style. A real classic vintage. There is no rush to enjoy these wines, as they endure storage well and will continue to develop well for the next 10–12 years. Indicative of a slowly maturing vintage is that Krug released to the market first the Clos du Mesnil 1989 vintage before the 1988 vintage. This year has also stayed in mind as the vintage when Jacquesson & Fils produced the first of its three late bottled special cuvées – the Jacquesson DT (Dégorgement Tardif).

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Average Bottle Price

2015 2012 2010 2005 2000
583€ +38.5% 421€ +5.8% 398€ +167.1% 149€ +58.5% 94€

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.

Latest Pro-tasting notes

22 tasting notes

Tasting note

color

Full, Amber and Evolved

ending

Long, Flavorful, Smooth and Neutral

flavors

Mineral, Bread, Apricot, Honey, Creamy and Floral

nose

Intense, Complex, Refined and Seductive

recommend

Yes

taste

Average in Acidity, Warming, Medium tannin, Complex, Well-structured, Perfectly balanced, Mature, Medium-bodied, Average, Elegant, Round, Ripe and Dry

Verdict

Transparent and nice but not special

Written Notes

We started with a superlative magnum of 1988 Salon which was pretty much perfect in every which way. It had a rich nose full of vanilla aromas that Big Boy quickly gave 98 points. It was long and scintillating with a nice sweetness and powdered goodness to it. This was rock star stuff with great acidity and still on the upswing. In the end, I agreed with Big Boy, which is always highly recommended (98M).!

  • 98p
1988 Salon 92 points (92) Usually, it tends to perform significantly better than this. Although we opened two bottles, the wine showed itself to be a bit too old this time. Normally a safe bet and delightful at all ages.
  • 92p
Salon 1988/ Bright, pale yellow colour with vivid small bubbles. Extremely elegant and complex developing nose. Walnuts, buttery aromas with cream and ripe pear aromas. Crisp acidity with strong mineral structure form a backbone to this delicious champagne which has expressive mousse and creamy intense taste and long walnutty finish. Beautifully aged elegant wine with great potential for further ageing.
  • 94p
Salon 1988 How spectacular the aromatics might be, it is still not what Salon is about. This, as with all great Salons, is about precision, harmony, refinement and grace. The 1988 has developed a superbly intense nose where the hallmark fresh almonds are now toasted, loads of minerality, salted lemon peel and white orchard fruit. The palate delivers complete pleasure for the ones not seeking explosions but subtlety. Actually to speak of different aromas is not very interesting when it’s the absolute stunner of structure that steels the show. Completely seamless, smooth and very very very long. A great Salon, still young. Drink 2016-2048 98p.
  • 98p
TASTINGNOTE Det tog tjugo år för detta vin att börja närma sig mognad. Nu är den finlemmade gräddigheten ersatt av stor nötig och bred halmliknande mogen äppelfrukt. Vinets längd och renhet är dess främsta tillgång på fortsatt resa in i framtiden. Årgångsbetyg: 5 av 5 poäng. Den trilogi som inleddes med 1988 saknar motstycke i champagnehistorien. Det är med fråga om stil än kvalitet när man väljer sin favorit bland de tre åren. Kommentar från provningen: Brukar prestera betydligt bättre än så här. Trots att vi öppnade två flaskor visade vinet en lite för gammal sida denna gång. Normalt sätt ett säkert kort och ljuvlig i alla åldrar. Rangordning i provningen: 7:a av 19.
  • 95p
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Information

Origin

Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Champagne

Vintage Quality

Excellent

Value For Money

Good

Investment potential

Average

Fake factory

Be Cautious

Glass time

45min
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