2002 Salon Cuvee 'S' Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs, Champagne, France 750ml

"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."

"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."