SALON BLANC DE BLANCS
CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE 2015
WHY BUY: This is just the 45th vintage to be declared worthy of the Champagne Salon name since the house began this tradition in 1905. And Salon has taken the rather unusual step of releasing it ahead of the 2014 vintage. So you know that this one’s special, but then you take that first celestial sip and realize what this legend’s fanatical pursuit of perfection really means. Sourced from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger's finest parcels, and aged a full decade on the lees, it’s a marvel of the winemaking art, and embodies everything that's made Salon such a transcendent force.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: “Exquisite … gorgeous,” sighed Vinous, noting, in its 97-point rave, how "the flavor profile leans towards the more citrus, floral and mineral-driven end of the spectrum typical of cooler years, and yet the wine is also wonderfully open-knit and accessible, with no hard edges and the textural balance that is more common in warmer years.” In sum: "a Champagne of cool sophistication and total polish."
OUR TASTING NOTES: What struck us, in our recent tasting, was how it manages to be both steely and generous, finely structured yet approachable. Exactly the kind of paradox, in other words, that only truly great Champagne can pull off. There's an almost electric minerality running through everything, that signature Salon chalk that builds slowly in the mouth until it makes its presence really and truly felt. Citrus and floral notes dip and dance around this mineral core, never upstaging it, while nearly a decade on the lees has created a texture that leans into the creamy. The finish goes on and on, and you’re left with the rare sensation of having tasted something that cannot be repeated. Sublime.
THE STORY: During the early 20th century, Eugène-Aimé Salon perceived something extraordinary … something that escaped his contemporaries. While Champagne remained committed to turning out robust Pinot Noir blends, he had a thought to attempt something radical: to make a Champagne from a single grape variety (Chardonnay), a single exceptional terroir (Le Mesnil-sur-Oger), and exclusively vintage years of uncompromising quality. His ideas upended all expectations. No Champagne producer had dared to market a single-varietal wine since before the Great War. Salon became a massive success. The wine's earliest advocates included Maxim's, the world’s most celebrated nightclub, where it became the signature pour throughout the Jazz Age. Its long list of admirers reads like a celebrity Who’s Who: Maria Callas, Brigitte Bardot, Clint Eastwood, Diana Ross, and countless other cultural icons. Today, the identical plots that Eugène-Aimé selected over a century ago (that precious one-hectare "Salon garden" plus nineteen additional parcels in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger) still provide the grapes. Each vintage is accorded a decade of patient aging before release, and in years that are deemed unworthy, the fruit goes instead to sister house Delamotte.
THE METHOD: The grapes originate from the identical plots Eugène-Aimé that first selected over a century ago: that precious one-hectare parcel known as Jardin de Salon and nineteen additional small plots in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, where Chardonnay's most profound expression emerges. Each vintage spends approximately ten years developing in their cellars, enabling the wine's complexity and refinement to reach full maturity.
WHAT TO PAIR IT WITH: If ever there were a wine that was meant for a tray of oysters on the halfshell, it’s this one. But Salon is a fitting and nimble partner with all manner of fish and shellfish, too. And, of course (and it can hardly be emphasized enough) it shines bright and brilliant all by itself.
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Spring 2026. With the supply chain issues that we are seeing globally, there may be some unforeseen delays which could affect the ETA. All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. Offer not valid in KS, MI, NE, NY, OK & TN. This offer will expire on Thursday, December 25th, 2025.