The 2002 Salon is phenomenal quality. 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.

– jamessuckling.com, July 2015

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.

Quality 975 | Brand 981 | Economics 943 |

buzz brand, investment staple
Quality: Predicted life of 18 years, one of the longest drinking windows in its peer group for the 2002 vintage, which averages 5 years Brand: Strong restaurant presence, featuring on 38 of the world's top wine lists, including L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon Economics: Above its peer group average price of £84 for the 2002 vintage Production: Higher production than its peer group average of 22,775 bottles

- www.wine-lister.com, June 2017

Salon is the most sought-after Champagne among connoisseurs. This magnificent wine is so rare that only a few people have had the chance to taste the quintessence of Le Mesnil.

–champagneclub.com, Richard Juhlin

The 2002 Salon is utterly mesmerizing. I have tasted the 2002 six or seven times since its release and even during those two months or so the wine has developed quite dramatically, as some of the exuberance that was present at the outset has begun to recede, revealing the wine's intense underlying minerality. The 2002 is a huge, dense wine loaded with fruit. All of the classic Salon citrus, slate and floral notes are present, but it is the wine's superb textural richness that stands out most. Even though I have not followed my own advice, I suggest readers to plan on cellaring the 2002 for a good number of years. Because of its density and depth, I expect the 2002 will develop into a fairly exotic, voluptuous Champagne, within the context of Salon, of course. I also suggest keeping an eye out for the magnums, which are sure to disappear from the market pretty much the minute they arrive.

– vinous.com, May 2014

I sacrificed a bottle of the 2002 Brut Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil from my own cellar to fill this gap in The Wine Advocate database and was interested to see that the wine has evolved a little since I last encountered it a couple of years ago. Subtle aromas of brioche, iodine and walnuts now inflect its bouquet of ripe lemon, green apple and crushed chalk, and on the palate, the wine is full-bodied, broad and powerful, with a fine mousse and considerable depth and dimension, concluding with a delicately chalky finish. This is an unusually ripe, muscular vintage of Salon, and my own palate tends to favor the brighter, more incisive vintages such as the 2007 or the 1996 at its best, but this is nonetheless a superb blanc de blancs that's maturing a touch faster than I expected.

Disgorged in 2014. Dosage 7 g/l. Tasted blind. Deep straw. Real evolution on the nose. Rich and much softer than the 2004. Some botrytis? Heavier and less refreshing than the 2004, as well. But flattering to taste now. Quite long. One of the first wines to show real persistence. (JR)

An almost ideal growing season with no periods of extreme weather, ending with a cool but sunny September. Harvest began on 16 September. The very classy nose has a mineral-infused character underlying its spicy, floral scents. This Salon has the power to be long-lived and the freshness and vivacity to be already enjoyable, but also to be an ideal companion for a gastronomic meal. Perfection. Drinking Window: 2020 - 2040
Tasted by: Yohan Castaing (at Mesnil-sur-Oger, 22 Jan 2020)
Part of Champagne Salon vertical: A retrospective