Don’t Miss the Champagne Salon Masterclass at Matter of Taste Napa
-
RP Digital
- 12 Aug 2019 | News & Views
When Eugène-Aimé Salon founded a small Champagne house in 1905, his object was to indulge a purely personal passion. Produced exclusively from Chardonnay grown in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, and solely in the best vintages, his wine was exclusively for his private enjoyment. Only in 1921 did his friends prevail upon him to make the first small commercial release of Champagne Salon, to share the fruits of his labors with a wider public. The wine immediately won acclaim for its alliance of elegance with incisive intensity—and that rapidly established reputation has retained all its luster to this day.
Not much has changed since Eugène-Aimé Salon’s era. Champagne Salon is still sourced entirely from Mesnil-sur-Oger—both from the maison’s own vines and those of growers who supply their grapes exclusively to Salon—and Mesnil’s chalky tension and racy energy still define the wine’s style. Today the wine ferments in stainless steel in contrast to the old wooden demi-muids of Eugène-Aimé’s era, but its time sur lattes on the lees is if anything more protracted. And malolactic fermentation is systematically avoided—in contrast to the creamier, more enveloping style of Maison Delamotte, Salon’s sister house since 1988.
This masterclass, presented by The Wine Advocate’s Champagne reviewer, William Kelley, offers a rare opportunity to explore a series of superb vintages of Delamotte and Salon back to 1997. (Featured wines include NV Delamotte Blanc de Blancs, 2012 Delamotte Blanc de Blancs, 2008 Delamotte Blanc de Blancs and the 2007 Salon Brut Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil, among others.)
It’s a fantastic way to start the day. Don't miss this opportunity—reserve your spot now.