Salon Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil-sur-Oger 1997
| Winery: |
Salon |
| Varietals: |
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| Vintage: |
1997 |
| Region: |
France - Other regions - Champagne |
| Type: |
Champagne & Sparkling |
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| Past Vintage Rating History |
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| Retail: | $500.00 |
| Savings: |
0% |
| Price: |
$500.00 |
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The Wine
The wine is pearlescent - a pale, lustrous gold with a fine, lively mousse. The nose is complex yet ethereal.
Wonderfully refined, it is intriguing and enticing, its minerality complemented by hints of white flowers, acacia and
hawthorn. A salty note enhances aromas of bread crust, brioche and the merest hint of green apple and hazelnut.
The palate is quintessentially pure, the very epitome of balance and restraint. Exuberant on
entry, the mousse becomes more of a caress, while bubbles dance playfully on the palate.
Elegance, finesse, bright vitality, depth and power allied with a lightness of touch—it
is difficult to encapsulate so many complementary and contradictory elements coming
together in harmony.
Refined, feminine and seductive, voluptuous yet restrained, and superbly
balanced, this vintage compares stylistically to the great 1988.
According to Didier Depond, Director of the House of Champagne Salon, this singular
wine should be served in a tulip-shaped glass rather than a narrow champagne flute. He says,
"We have found that Salon can be drunk in the same way as a great wine. Due to the
richness and complexity of its aromas and its exceptional, lingering finish, this style of
glass allows the wine to breathe more freely.
The Growing Region - Champagne
Champagne is both a region and a method. The wines come from the northernmost vineyards in France and the name conjures an image like no other can. An 18th Century Benedictine monk named Dom Perignon is said to be the first to blend both varietals and vintages, making good wines not only great, but also special and unique to their winemaker. Today, nearly 75% of Champagne produced is non-vintage and made up by a blend of several years' harvests.
All Champagnes must be made by a strictly controlled process called "Méthode Champenoise." The grapes are pressed and fermented for the first time. The blending phase follows and the wine is bottled and temporarily capped. Then comes the second fermentation, a blend of sugar and yeast is added and, this time, the carbon dioxide is kept inside the bottle. This process leaves a great deal of sediment that is extracted through a process of "racking" or "riddling." The bottles are progressively turned upside down until all the sediment is collected in the neck. The necks are then frozen and the sediment is "disgorged." After this phase, the winemaker may decide to add sugar to sweeten the wine. Finally the wine is corked. Some wines move through this process in a couple of months, while others are aged after the riddling phase to build greater complexity and depth.
Champagnes range from dry, "Brut," to slightly sweet, "Demi-Sec." Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes are used in Champagne blends, but "Blancs de Noirs" is made entirely of Pinot Noir and "Blancs de Blanc" is made from only Chardonnay grapes. The high acidity achieved by the northern location is crucial to the balance and structure of these wines.
Not every year is a "vintage" declared. In years when it is not, the wines are blended with the produce from other years to create the non-vintage blend, the house style that remains constant from year to year. But in a great vintage year, champagne houses will bottle by itself the unblended year's produce, and use other portions as "reserve" wines to supplement and enrich the non-vintage blend. A vintage champagne can age quite gracefully, and gain complexity just like any other great still wine.
Mild cheeses like gruyere and shellfish pair nicely with Champagne. Also, oysters and Champagne is a popular combination. A full-flavored vintage Champagne can go with almost any meal.
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About France - Other regions:
When it comes to wine, France is a classic. Classic blends, grapes and styles began in the country and they still remain. Think about it - people ask for a Burgundian style Pinot Noir, they refer to wines as Bordeaux or Rhone blends - Champagne even had to pass a law to stop international wineries from putting their region on the label!
The top regions of France are: Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Languedoc-Roussillon, Loire, Rhone. And these regions are so diverse! It makes sense that wine regions throughout the world try to emulate their style. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are no longer French varieties, but international varieties. No matter your feeling on the country or its politics, there is no doubt that they are still producing wines of quality and diversity.
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