Champagne Salon — The Ultimate Blanc de Blancs
Salon is the most radical champagne house of all: a single cuvée, a single terroir, a single grape variety. Founded in 1920 by Eugène-Aimé Salon on the belief that a great champagne is born from a single location and a single exceptional season, the house produces Salon only in truly remarkable years — around four vintages per decade, forty-five in total since Aimé’s first selections in 1905. The result is a 100% Chardonnay blanc de blancs sourced exclusively from Mesnil-sur-Oger, a grand cru in the Côte des Blancs, aged for at least ten years on slats before disgorgement on demand. An absolute rarity, with chalky minerality and infinite length: Salon is the benchmark for prestigious blanc de blancs, sought after by connoisseurs and collectors alike all over the world.
Buy Salon champagnes online
The Salon cuvées — Blancs de blancs by vintage
The Salon range is stripped back to the essentials: a single cuvée bearing simply the house name and the vintage. The 2015 Salon, the forty-fifth vintage, displays a striking chalky minerality and a luminous golden colour — the perfect accompaniment to fine ‘de claire’ oysters, roasted langoustines or pearly turbot in beurre blanc. The 2013 Salon, rounder and fuller-bodied, comes into its own with Armoricaine-style lobster or veal sweetbreads with morel mushrooms. The 2012 Salon, with its perfect balance between tension and maturity, enhances pan-fried scallops or delicate poultry in a creamy sauce.
The age-worthy vintages reveal another dimension: the 2008 Salon, with its solid structure and pronounced chalky minerality, reaches its full potential when paired with sole meunière or a very mature Comté. These champagnes should be served at between 9 and 11 °C in a wide tulip-shaped glass, and can be cellared for twenty to thirty years depending on the vintage.
Pépites en Champagne offers the available vintages with personalised advice and careful delivery throughout France and Europe.
Exhibition — A region, a grape variety, a calling
It all began in the early 20th century, when Eugène-Aimé Salon, a man of refined taste fascinated by the purity of Chardonnay, patiently selected his plots in Mesnil-sur-Oger — including the now legendary one-hectare Jardin de Salon — and nineteen other micro-plots with the unique chalky soils of this grand cru in the Côte des Blancs. The house was officially founded in 1920. It is now owned by the Laurent-Perrier group, which scrupulously preserves its unique identity.
Under the guidance of Michel Fauconnet, cellar master, the philosophy remains unchanged: no fermentation in wooden barrels, no added yeast, and ageing for at least ten years in the cellar on slats. Disgorgement is carried out on demand rather than in batches, ensuring that every bottle expresses the full range of its aromas right down to the very last glass.
Your questions about Salon champagnes
How much does a bottle of Salon champagne cost?
Recent vintages (2012, 2013, 2015) generally sell for between €500 and €1,500 a bottle, depending on the vintage and the market. The most sought-after vintages, such as 2008, fetch much higher prices at auction — particularly on iDealwine, where demand regularly outstrips supply. Pépites en Champagne can advise you on availability and current prices.
What food and wine pairings go well with Salon champagne?
Salon’s chalky minerality calls for refined, sea-infused pairings: oysters, langoustines, lobster, scallops, turbot or sole. Matured vintages (2008, 2007) also pair well with mature soft-set cheeses — such as Brie or Coulommiers — or delicate poultry dishes with a creamy sauce. Avoid dishes that are too sweet or spicy, as these would overwhelm the Chardonnay’s mineral character.
How should Salon champagne be stored and served?
Salon is best stored between 10 and 12 °C, lying down, away from light and vibrations. The 2012, 2013 and 2015 vintages offer immediate enjoyment but will continue to develop until 2035–2040. The 2008, with its exceptional structure, can age until 2045 and beyond. Serve between 9 and 11 °C in a wide tulip-shaped glass to bring out its full aromatic complexity.
Where can I buy Salon champagne online?
Discover the full Salon range available at Pépites en Champagne — an artisan selection, expert advice, and express delivery throughout France and Europe.
Which vintage of Salon should I choose: 2008, 2012 or 2013?
Three distinct styles: the 2008, with its pronounced chalky minerality and solid structure, is the quintessential collector’s vintage — best reserved for long-term cellaring. The 2012 offers a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, and is more accessible to drink now. The 2013, which is rounder and fuller-bodied, will appeal to wine lovers who prefer richness to mineral tension.
Why is Salon champagne so rare and sought-after?
Salon produces wine only in years deemed truly exceptional: around four to five vintages per decade, forty-five in total since 1905. This extreme rarity, combined with ageing for at least ten years on slats, a unique terroir — the twenty micro-plots in Mesnil-sur-Oger — and disgorging on demand, explains the high prices at auction and the difficulty in sourcing the wine from wine merchants.
About
Champagne Living room — the essentials
- Founded in
- 1920
- Founder
- Eugène-Aimé Salon
- House / owner
- Laurent-Perrier
- Location
- Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Côte des Blancs, Marne
- Grape varieties
- Chardonnay
- Cellar master
- Michel Fauconnet
- Cuvées
- Salon 2015, Salon 2013, Salon 2012, Salon 2008, Salon 2007
