100% Chardonnay.

Price unknown, as it's not available in Ontario.

Pale yellow-gold. Nose of cream, caramel, toast, oatmeal biscuit and yeast. Delicious fine bubbles that dance on the tongue and make your mouth tingle. Cream, oatmeal, pear, creme brulee, apple, citrus, tea leaf on the palate. Wonderfully complex. Still has good acidity and is just reaching its drinking window according to Mr. Depond. Long, long nutty finish. Delicious. 94 points

1988 Salon.

A nice nose with plenty of citrus, chalky, Granny Smith apple tartness found in young Salon accompanied by a soft furry peach skin character. On the palate it was not as rich as any of the previous three but indeed more elegant, showing its Chardonnay breed. Soft white fruit abound and I think it is finally turning the corner towards some vinosity after only 16 years with a touch of nuttiness and butter on the finish. A sleek and classy Champagne that will surely get better over the next 5-10 years and last well beyond that. This will be another classic. -rv

I recently had the '95 Salon. Laser-like focus and tremendous stuff, but still many years away from being the wine it wants to and will be. I would like to pick up a few bottles and come back to them in 10 yrs.

Does anyone know how much the 88 is going for?

jb

The LCBO here in Ontario received a shipment from Salon a few months ago. The going rate is $425CAD a bottle up here, but I wouldn't expect you to pay anywhere near that in the U.S.

The bottle I got two years ago was $70 USD.

Great price Skwid, I have usually seen it around $125+

WOW, skwid, that is an excellent price!

I haven't sen the 1990 for less than $150.

a

1988 Salon - Drank at offline at Corkage's house last weekend.

Noticably minimal fizz. Medium bodied and very dry. Flavors of earth, dried flowers, and grilled nuts. Lots of people got a strong yeasty note which I did not pick up. Most of it was drank rather quickly after popping, but the little bit left over showed a markedly increased complexity on the nose and palate after an hour open in the bottle. The tasting profile itself did not suggest a wine that was too young, but the development after the bottle was opened suggests that this wine has many years left to go. Elegant, sophisticated, and excellent.

This is not a wine to guzzle. This is a wine to savour.

Hmmm ... maybe that's why skwid says a magnum of Champagne is enough for two people?

There were 10 people sharing a bottle, so I guess if we only had one bottle, we would have been better off with a salmanazar.

• 1988 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil - France, Champagne, Côte des Blancs, Champagne (8/6/2005)
  I liked this quite a lot! Even better than the other champagne that day. This was drunk at Corkage's dinner in August. (92 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Another 'brief' TN impression. I really liked this. Terrific champagne. Why don't I buy more of this? And yes, Corkage's food make's me forget to take TNs.