Culinary
An evening of eternal youth
Johan Tidelius is a wonderfully passionate and un-Swedish Swedish man born in 1959. Over the years he has amassed one of the most impressive collections in the world of a very rare and collectable wine, Salon. As the generous man he is, the idea was always to one day share these bottles with like-minded people and organize the world’s most extensive testing of the gem from Le Mesnil.
After a lengthy search Johan concluded that the most comprehensive Salon collection so far consisted of 18 vintages but when the 1956 vintage showed up he knew that record had been broken. On a sunny, early spring day at the historic restaurant Operakällaren, in Johan’s hometown of Stockholm, we got started. The president from Salon, Didier Depond did not hesitate for a moment to bring two bottles of Salon Collection from the sixties with him, something that would indeed prove to be a wise decision. In addition to Mr. Depond and several Swedes, including yours truly who provided John with a little help along the way, there were far away guests from Canada, France, Russia, Lithuania and neighbouring Finland present during this two day adventure.
We began at my home with an intimate and casual dinner the evening before the tasting. It was so nice that John had to stop the rest of us from attacking the wine cellar and sent all home sufficiently wanting more and looking forward to escapades of the next day. When we met in the magnificent dining room at Operakällaren we could almost touch the nervous and excited atmosphere contained in the room. After a few sips of 2002 Delamotte, acting as a calibration wine, our minds and palates were ready to get to grips with the champagne world’s most contested and legendary beauty. Far too few have had the opportunity to be able to taste Salon in full bloom. Many argue, with some justification, that they are either steely, undeveloped acid parcels or oxidative fallen fruit bombs. It is certainly true that Salon will need many years to develop full maturity and that they are made in an old-fashioned, malic acid, test of patience style. However, that they sometimes would mature too quickly and even get over-matured is a misunderstanding. What happens is that the wines in an interphase get notes reminiscent of oxidation due to the high ripening of the grapes at harvest and before the rich, buttery and nutty style is fully developed, the flavour spectrum with shades of straw, overripe apples and figs are given much leeway. Odd but very obvious when you have time to follow a vintage of Salon through its journey in life.
My oldest Salon bottle comes from the rare and mediocre vintage of 1932 and it turned out to be both wonderful and youthful. Wines from the forties and fifties are probably the best and 1928 Salon is at the top of my wish list of champagnes that I have yet to taste.
We had several healthy skeptics within the group, but we all agreed on the need for mature experiences in order to fully be able to understand the very young specimens and agreed that time transforms these narrow and hard youths into complex mature beauties. The winner was 51 years old and still lively as a lark! If you are lucky enough to have a bottle of Salon in the basement and venture to open it, it is no guarantee that you will recognize everything from my following notes from Operak‰llaren as the bottle variation becomes bothersome after twenty years. ∞
1999 Salon 88 points (94) – Early days and impossible to really know where this wine is going. But a qualified guess is that far too many will taste their bottles much too early and defend it with that the wine is relatively inviting and available for a Salon. You will already find the tangerine and pineapple notes. The minerality is stunningly rocky and the butteriness has just begun to wrap around the chalk. The nuttiness and the depth requires patience if you’re going to experience these. You better believe me because it will show some beautiful day in the future.
1997 Salon 89 points (93) – One of the best champagnes of the year. The wine is fantastically caressing and silky with a spring-like seductive grace. The sublime scent breathes linen, lime and a hint of brioche. The taste is lighter and more directly accessible than usual, yet incredibly refined and crystal clear.
1996 Salon 93 points (97) – Probably one of the greatest Salon ever made. Very handsome and restrained on the nose with the clear tones of snow, static electricity and freshly laundered sheets. Polished and pretty, but with a muscular embracing body which wraps the rocky Mesnil minerals and bitter acids in a fraudulent cocoon.
1995 Salon 95 points (95) – Perhaps the biggest surprise of the tasting with a fully mature and charming style. Hardly typical of the house or classical, but full of Comtes-like pastry tones with hints of vanilla and saffron. A true Casanova.
1990 Salon 94 points (97) – A magnum you would serve to all detractors of the vintage of 1990. A pure package of gunpowder with an incipient coffee aroma and an insane youthful power. Many complained however that it appeared to be the youngest in the whole congregation.
1988 Salon 92 points (92) – Usually it tends to perform significantly better than this. Although we opened two bottles, the wine showed itself a bit too old this time. Normally a safe bet and delightful at all ages.
1985 Salon 91 points (92) – This one has always been a bit difficult to grasp. Perhaps this is a wine with phases that will one day provide great experiences. Still too bushy and broth fragrant for me personally. Structurally impeccable and aromatic, there were classic forest mushroom notes with autumn leaves and walnuts. Regardless, it is not really a friend of mine.
1983 Salon 88 points (88) – One of history’s weakest and most rapidly oxidizing vintages. But this time it felt younger than ever and the biting acid begins to be joined by nuttiness. The interfering drab oxided tones might be about to dry up?
1982 Salon 94 points (94) – Recently the wine had unfortunately lost some of its amazing butteriness and sweet vanilla draping. However, it was still grand and truffle-scented.
1979 Salon 92 points (92) – Both Didier and I sat and wrinkled our noses together. Why was this bottle so excessively dry and salty? It was like someone had torn the flesh off and only the beautiful skeleton remained. Normally, a winning candidate.
1976 Salon 96 points (96) – A wine that can not be misunderstood. Absolutely adorable with its fat, sweet warmth of the vintage´s generosity and an even fullness. Hardly a classic Salon, but what a pleasure.
1973 Salon 88 points (88) – It has never been a favourite of mine, but this time it stood up well. Good, round, nutty and flirtatious with the autumn woods in place. However, a little pulpy and unbalanced.
1971 Salon 93 points (93) – A wine that behaves differently every time I try it. This time it was youthfully light, sleek and stylish.
1969 Salon 94 points (94) – Basically a magnificent wine that has just begun its journey downwards. Round, abundantly caramelized and full of mushrooms, truffles and chicken broth. I like it even better in a younger, purer style.
1966 Salon Collection – Defect. When Didier took two perfect bottles from the cellar, we were set on an amazing experience. Instead, we received a bitter lesson. This wine was discorged about six months before the tasting, checked and was fitted with 1 gram of sugar. Unfortunately, this feminine and delicate wine did not have the strength to resist the chock of oxidation at the disgorgement. I’ve been through this on a few occasions. Old and late disgorged wines that are still bright, fresh and sparkling with floral notes present but very unpleasant cooked madeira notes that take over and kills the wine overall. I was about to cry...
1964 Salon – Defect. Unfortunately, an old bottle that did not pass the test of time. It can be magical though, especially in a magnum.
1961 Salon Collection 99 points (99) – If I was near tears of disappointment about the 1966, my tears were real when this bottle was disgorged at the same time and with exactly the same low dosage. It was so lovely that my emotions surged! In fact, this wonderfully youthful wine is the bottle that most reminded me of the world’s top wine - the 1928 Pol Roger Grauves. Here was the same improbable contrast between the youthful and attractive mature notes. The scent is so unreal with its euphoric and pheromone reeking perfume enhanced by linden, geranium, lily of the valley, acacia, ginger, fresh tarragon, mint, lime zest and lemon of Sorrento. Crystal-clear brilliance, laser-sharp clarity and delicate precision. Affectionate with faint undertones of vanilla, brioche and toast. A flinty mineral finesse and whirling small pearl necklace bubbles dancing ballet on the palate and bursting like caviar grains in the mouth. What is lacking in comparison to the 1928 Grauves is a hazy oiliness that may come in twenty years or so. Imagine a 51-year old that can personalize melted snow, late winter and life’s rebirth.
1959 Salon 94 points (94) –This may be among the greatest you can drink but unfortunately for John this bottle was at the beginning of a downward hill. Despite the walnuts and depths of the forest intact this was also mixed with plums, figs, dates, and light brown apples.
1956 Salon 89 points (89) – A leaking bottle that looked really messy showed a wine that was highly enjoyable and fudgy caramelized with an animal weight and tones of varnish and leather. Completely without madeirisation. It seems that the destructive forces of time does not break a Salon at all.