Salon 2002 | Wine Investment Offer

Estate background

Only 37 vintages have ever been produced since wealthy furrier Eugene-Aime Salon first began production of this original Blancs de Blancs Champagne in 1911. Given that Salon is 100% Chardonnay, the volume produced each year is restricted, which alongside the infrequency of production compounds how rare this Champagne is.

Connoisseurs consider Salon to be the quintessential Blancs-de-Blancs Champagne. Something that stuck with the late president of Laurent-Perrier, Bernard de Nonancourt. During the Second World War he was one of the first allied soldiers to reach Hitler's eagle's nest where he had the opportunity to taste one of the 200 or so stolen bottles of the 1928 vintage. In 1988 he fulfilled a lifelong ambition and bought the Champagne house.

Tasting Notes

"The 2002 Salon is phenomenal quality. I tasted it in New York City yesterday. I was mesmerized. It is a subtle and intense Champagne that shows complex character of lilac, minerals, sliced lemon, apple, and white pepper. It is full body and dense yet racy and agile with a lightness and freshness. It has a gloriously long finish. It changes every moment in the glass. It has such clarity. It's magnificent to drink now, but shows great texture and structure for aging. Best since 1982."

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com | Score: 99 | October 28th 2014

Consensus Critic View

Over and above the opinion of one particular critic, the one thing that the 2002 Salon le Mesnil has garnered is universal critic appraisal. Across four of the most respected wine publications, JancisRobinson.com, Wine Spectator Magazine, JamesSuckling.com and Antonio Galloni's vinousmedia.com it has achieved an average score of 97.75 pts.

Investment Analysis

A simple comparison between the great Salon vintages over the past 30 years clearly shows that due to its high quality the 2002 is significantly undervalued. With an average difference of 103.5%, this is option will add instant value to any portfolio.

Interestingly, a common theme with the best vintages of Salon is the rate at which they appreciate during the first five years that they are available on the market. As shown in the above table the average growth for the initial 5 years on the market is at 77%. The 2002 vintage is rated as arguably the highest quality that Salon have produced for the past 30 years so it is widely expected that this will follow suit.

The reason being that every vintage of Salon produced is aged for a minimum of 10 years before release onto the market, meaning that immediate consumption and a reduction in the availability will immediately impact the price of Salon vintages. This point is well emphasised as per James Suckling's comment in his tasting note in October 2014 that the 2002 is 'magnificent to drink now'.

1990 (97 points) - A Vintage Comparison

The closest comparable vintage in terms of quality is the 1990, with 97 points, which has appreciated 58.6% over the last three years, or 638.6% since release.

Summary Points