Salon Blanc de Blancs Brut Cuvee Le Mesnil 2002 (750ML)

100 WE / 99 JS / 98 WS / 98 DE / 97 VM / 96 BH

100 Points Wine Enthusiast: The 35th and most recent vintage of Salon since the house was founded in 1905 is memorable and magnificent. Made only from Chardonnay grown in the Grand Cru village of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, it combines intense minerality, a crisp textured core and the beginnings of maturity. The depths of this wine, with its layers of fruit and steeliness, are superb. Even after 12 years, it still needs to age further. Drink from 2018. Roger Voss - Wine Enthusiast

99 Points James Suckling: Otherworldly in its piercing intensity, focus and sense of potential that is still remarkably yet to come, this is a staggeringly great Champagne. Superfine aromas of lemon and grapefruit plus commanding chalky minerals and an ethereal floral layer too, still very primary and unevolved. The palate is scintillating, moving with incredible velocity and lightning-like intensity - acidity is the driving force. Citrus flavors are locked in deep and the precision is almost impossible to comprehend, as is the length. Near perfect. Drink it in 10+ years.

98 Points The Wine Spectator: Ethereal, with a refined, delicate mousse and a haunting array of flavors, from the vein of chalky minerality to ripe pastry fruit to a skein of spice and richer accents of spun honey, creamed almond and fleur de sel. The finely meshed acidity is racy and persistent, pushing the flavor range on the long and lacy finish. Lovely. Drink now through 2032." — Alison Napjus

98 Decanter: An iconic single-vineyard vintage Champagne from the famed Mesnil-sur-Oger grand cru village, made from 100% Chardonnay. The fabulous 2002 vintage was one of the best in recent years, and this Champagne possesses beautiful precision to its citrussy, mandarin fruit. It's a vinous style with an opulent mouthfeel and an incredibly long, crystalline finish - a scintillating, pure expression of Chardonnay that calls for turbot with a creamy sauce. Yohan Castaing

97 Points Vinous Media: The 2002 Salon is in an ideal spot for drinking now. What a wine. The 2002 captures all the natural radiance of this benchmark vintage in its rich, sumptuous personality. All the elements are so well balanced. Apricot, yellow flowers, tropical fruit, menthol and spice are all amplified. It's a total stunner. Dosage is under 4 grams per liter. Disgorged: October 2023. -- Antonio Galloni — Antonio Galloni

96 Points Burghound (magnum): A cool and pure nose features notes of citrus, in particular lemon rind, along with plenty of yeast, green apple, floral and iodine elements. The refined and intense middle weight flavors are shaped by an ultra-fine mousse that contributes to the sense of subtlety and finesse, all wrapped in a fantastically long and deep finish. Moreover, this is absolutely nowhere near being ready as the '02 version of Salon is going to age for years, indeed my 2022+ estimate may very well be 5 years too early. Either way, this is an estimable vintage for one of my favorite wines. - Allen Meadows