Sister houses don’t always play nicely together. Such is not the case with Salon and Delamotte, two of the great historic houses in Champagne. To say Salon is a unique Champagne would be a great understatement. Salon was initially founded by Aimé Salon who sought to showcase a single cru from the the Côte de Blancs known as le Mesnil-sur-Oger from purely Chardonnay, based from one single vintage, with no blending whatsoever. At the time this was quite revolutionary.
Pictured here in red is the famed Le Mesnil Vineyard.
Talking terroir now, Le Mesnil is one of the famed vineyards in the world, centrally located in the Côte des Blancs. This Grand Cru vineyard is entirely planted to Chardonnay and its vines create one of the great expressions of the varietal in the world. Salon was initially born in 1911 with their first vintage 1905. The response since then has been revolutionary. Salon wines are aged in the bottle for an average of 10 years. Led by Champagne pioneer, Aimé Salon, until his death in 1943, Salon was left to his nephew. In 1988, Champagne Laurent-Perrier became the majority shareholder of Champagne Salon. Today, the house of Salon, along with its ancient neighbour and sister, Champagne Delamotte (the fifth oldest Champagne house, founded in 1760) are led by Didier Depond.
The new release wine is the 2007 Salon ’S’ Champagne (WWB, 97) which was crafted from a one-hectare parcel known as ‘Salon’s garden’, as well as 19 other smaller parcels in Mesnil-sur-Oger, chosen by Aimé Salon at the beginning of the century. The resultant wine is breathtaking. The precision and incredible minerality, salinity and weight of the wine is like nothing else in the world.
A winery with an even older history, roots of Champagne Delamotte can be traced to the 1760s. Delamotte sources from some of the great vineyards in Champagne, including those located in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Avize and Oger, as well as the Cote des Blancs, marvelously highlight world class Chardonnay. I’ve been enchanted by these wines for many years. This year Delamotte has released an absolutely captivating release, their 2008 Delamotte ‘Blanc de Blancs’ Champagne (WWB, 95), a world-class wine that shows incredible range and tension. Very reasonably priced, considering the great quality, this is a must buy for Champagne collectors.
Learn more about these great wineries at https://www.salondelamotte.com Here are the gorgeous new Champagne releases by Salon and Delamotte.
2007 Salon ‘Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs 'Cuvée S'Champagne- One of the storied Champagne houses, first formed in 1905, Salon has produced another stunning release to add to their long list of legendary wines. The 2007 'Cuvée S' was given 5 g/l dosage. Golden in color, this fabulous bottling displays remarkable salinity on the nose, showing overt diatomaceous earth. White rose, with Challah bread, and Gravenstein apple aromatics complete this outstanding vintage Champagne. The mousse is thick and viscous, as it beautifully coats the mid-palate. Lazer focused and intense, marked by flavors lemon oil, nectarine rind, sour apple and suggestions of sourdough bread flavors all brightly align. This is a age-worthy Champagne which will likely need another two plus years of bottle age before it begins to show its best. Drink 2019-2040- 97
NV Delamotte Brut Champagne-This non-vintage Champagne has a wonderful bouquet of kumquat, green apple and Challah bread. The minerality and mousse entices, as lemon rind, green papaya and Gravenstein apple flavors mingle in the flute. Refreshing and satisfying, enjoy this delightful wine in the short-term. Drink 20180-2024- 90
NV Delamotte Brut Rose Champagne- As the fifth oldest Champagne House, Delamotte was founded in the mid-18th century. Primarily Pinot Noir with a smaller percentage of Chardonnay, this Rosé Champagne starts off with inviting aromatics of red cherry, red rose petal and blood orange. The palate mimics the nose with red fruits and a touch of citrus rounding out this delightful Rosé Champagne. Drink 2018-2028- 92
NV Delamotte ‘Blanc de Blancs’ Champagne- Only sourced from Grand Cru vineyards, the Blanc de Blancs from Delamotte was aged on the lees for five years prior to disgorgement in 2017. This opens with bright lemon peel, kumquat and Asian pear on the nose. Building in the glass, the wine shows off a sexy mousse, revealing a wonderful effervescence. Granny Smith apple, sourdough bread, and kumquat shortbread flavors come to mind. There is a wonderful elegance to this wine. Drink 2018-2033- 93
2008 Delamotte ‘Blanc de Blancs’ Champagne- A complete stunner from this challenging vintage in Champagne, the 2008 Delamotte Blanc de Blancs is entirely sourced from Le Mienil. The bouquet is highly musty and gratifying, with toasty brioche, cardamom and suggestions of both green apple and apricot which contines to bring you back to the glass. The mouthfeel is exceedingly rich and seductive, with Challah bread, wild mushroom, mulberry and Gravenstein apple flavors all marvelously woven together. A stunning Champagne, which should cellar marvelously for many years to come. Drink 2018-2035- 95