I sacrificed a bottle of the 2002 Brut Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil from my own cellar to fill this gap in The Wine Advocate database and was interested to see that the wine has evolved a little since I last encountered it a couple of years ago. Subtle aromas of brioche, iodine and walnuts now inflect its bouquet of ripe lemon, green apple and crushed chalk, and on the palate, the wine is full-bodied, broad and powerful, with a fine mousse and considerable depth and dimension, concluding with a delicately chalky finish. This is an unusually ripe, muscular vintage of Salon, and my own palate tends to favor the brighter, more incisive vintages such as the 2007 or the 1996 at its best, but this is nonetheless a superb blanc de blancs that's maturing a touch faster than I expected. Drink 2018-2035.
Ethereal, with a refined, delicate mousse and a haunting array of flavors, from the vein of chalky minerality to ripe pastry fruit to a skein of spice and richer accents of spun honey, creamed almond and fleur de sel. The finely meshed acidity is racy and persistent, pushing the flavor range on the long, lacy finish. Lovely. Drink now through 2032. From France.
2002 Brut “Le Mesnil” Blanc de Blancs: (from magnum). As I commented the last time I reviewed this from 750 ml, I was mystified by the (relatively) poor showing as Salon is almost always excellent and often genuinely great. This example, though I underscore that this review is from magnum rather than 750 ml, displayed a quality and character that were literally worthy of being described as a night and day difference. So, the review from magnum format is: A cool and pure nose features notes of citrus, in particular lemon rind, along with plenty of yeast, green apple, floral and iodine elements. The refined and intense middle weight flavors are shaped by an ultra-fine mousse that contributes to the sense of subtlety and finesse, all wrapped in a fantastically long and deep finish. Moreover, this is absolutely nowhere near being ready as the ’02 version of Salon is going to age for years, indeed my 2022+ estimate may very well be 5 years too early. Either way, this is an estimable vintage for one of my favorite wines. 96/2022+
Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. Disgorged December 2012, dosage 6 g/l. Initial aroma is more creamy and open than the non-dosé but it seems to change less in the glass. More obviously generous than the non-dosé, has the same power but seems less driven. Rich, subtly yeasty and just slightly smoky/mineral. Tastes pretty dry, and dry enough for me. Very very long and beautifully balanced even though it is intensely fresh. Lovely definition and clarity and finesse and much more to come. Drink 2014-2032
