Product Description
The Champagne Salon Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs 2012 is a stunning vintage that proves the brilliance of Chardonnay from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, despite the challenges posed by the weather. Initially dismissed by Salon’s president Didier Depond as a year unfit for release, the 2012 vintage surprised even the most discerning critics. Known for its rich, expressive fruit and unmistakable chalky structure, this vintage is already being hailed as one of the finest Salon champagnes of the millennium, alongside the legendary 2008.
The 2012 vintage faced challenges early on, with frosts and hail damaging the vines during bud burst. However, a warm August and September helped rescue the vintage, bringing the grapes to perfect ripeness. This Champagne is a true expression of Salon’s philosophy—pure Chardonnay, made in the reductive style without oak, to preserve its freshness and elegance. The 2012 Salon is rich, generous, and has the potential to evolve beautifully. With eight years of ageing on the lees, it’s a Champagne with a powerful structure and elegant, complex character that will continue to develop for decades.
Maker
Founded in 1905 by Aimé Salon, Domaine Salon is one of Champagne’s most exclusive houses. Located in the Grand Cru village of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger in the Côte des Blancs, Salon produces only one wine—a pure Chardonnay Blanc de Blancs. Salon’s exceptional commitment to quality and purity is reflected in every vintage, and each release is the product of meticulous vineyard management and winemaking.
The house’s vineyards are located on deep chalk soils, and the grapes come from a one-hectare plot known as "The Salon Garden" along with 19 other small plots in the region. Salon’s singular focus is to produce Champagne that reflects the true expression of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger’s terroir. The wines are aged for a minimum of eight years on the lees, allowing them to develop complexity and finesse, while maintaining the vibrancy and freshness that Salon is known for.
Philosophy
Domaine Salon is built on the philosophy of purity and precision. The house produces only one wine—Blanc de Blancs Champagne made from 100% Chardonnay—reflecting the singular focus on showcasing the best expression of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger’s terroir. The philosophy of Domaine Salon is to create a Champagne that embodies the essence of the land, with no oak influence to preserve the purity of the fruit.
Salon’s commitment to quality is reflected in its selective production, with wines made only in exceptional vintages. Each bottle is aged for a minimum of eight years on the lees to develop complexity while retaining the wine’s characteristic freshness. The result is a Champagne that is both elegant and powerful, with an exceptional structure and a unique ability to evolve gracefully with age.
Tasting Notes
Nose
Fresh, Citrusy, Floral
A vibrant and complex nose, with bright citrus notes of lemon zest and orange blossom, complemented by delicate floral aromas and hints of chalky minerality.
Palate
Crisp, Rich, Structured
On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and crisp, with a rich texture that is balanced by the signature minerality of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. The fruit is expressive, with layers of citrus and subtle dried fruit notes, creating a complex and harmonious mouthfeel.
Finish
Long, Elegant, Mineral
The finish is long and persistent, with a delicate minerality that lingers, leaving a refreshing and elegant aftertaste. The wine’s structure ensures it will age beautifully, revealing further complexity over time.
Reviews + Accolades
This legendary Champagne, only produced in exceptional years, comes from the village of Le Mesnil in the Côte des Blancs. It is made from 100% Chardonnay and aged for many years before release. Its minerality, concentration and beautiful fruit are still astonishingly young and deserve further aging. Drink from 2020 - Wine Enthusiast - 99 Points
The Salon 2012 has scintillating aromatic brilliance and purity with seductive scents of white fruit, citrus zest and spring flowers capped by a touch of spice. With some air, pastry-like notes add to its complex yet elegant fragrance, which remains essentially citrussy in character. On the palate, it reverberates with kinetic energy coursing through its crystalline and elongated structure, making this vintage Champagne seem a bit atypical for Salon. Indeed, this edition is supremely elegant and subtle to a degree that surpasses those of other recent vintages. Salon 2012 is a racy thoroughbred that will go the distance without effort, a telltale sign being its chalk-infused yet airborne finish. In time, it will in all likelihood merit the ultimate accolade of a 100-point score.
Such an impressive wine for the detail in every respect. The nose delivers fresh lemon and grapefruit peel, together with white, stony minerals and very, very fresh and light pastry notes. Some grilled hazelnuts, too. The palate is super fine, supple and crisp with attractive, dry, salty minerals on the finish that holds super long, fine and focused. Elegant citrus and light brioche to close. Drink or hold. - James Suckling - 97 Points
There are pure chalk and lemon juice notes intertwined with perfectly ripe, sunny white and yellow-fleshed fruit expressions (even hints of pineapples) on the bright, fresh, subtle but most of all highly elegant and nobly expressive nose. Altogether, that makes the 2007 Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil Brut an outstanding Salon that already shows its class without any reservation but also without any compromises to its refined and terroir-driven style. Compared to the powerful and structured 2006 that, from my memories, showed wet chalk flavors but almost no fruit in its youth, the weightless and delicate 2007 is a coolish, elegant and smoky gentleman dressed in a white tie and silk hat—Max Raabe singing Berlin chansons from the 1920s! The performance on the palate is pure yet concentrated, fresh and linear, very elegant and perfectly balanced, but most of all, it is extremely fine and stimulating! There is a chalky-dusty texture in the aftertaste that makes this a great Salon with sublime finesse and elegance. Lovely lemon flavors are displayed on the pure, fresh and concentrated finish. The radiant 2007 Salon is one of the greatest Champagnes I have had from this vintage. - Stephan Reinhardt, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - 96 Points
The Finer Details
Style - Champagne
Varietal - Chardonnay
Country - France
Region - Champagne
Vintage - 2012
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 12%
Closure - Cork
