Salon Champagne Cuvée S Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Brut Flaschengärung 1997

James Suckling: The intensity of flint, dried honeysuckle, jasmine and chalk comes through so clearly now. Full-bodied yet balanced and pure, with a sense of perfection and such harmony and balance. Goes on for minutes. You want to drink it now, but it will go on forever. 98/100

Robert Parker: A wine that just seems to go from strength to strength is Salon's 1997 Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil Brut. The Maison kept back large stocks that they have gradually been disgorging over the last half-dozen years—it's still a commercial release and well worth seeking out. From a bottle disgorged in 2020, the wine wafts from the glass with scents of honeycomb, white flowers and orange rind, complemented by hints of burnt marmalade and exotic fruit. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it's notably taut and chiseled for the vintage, with racy acids and a beautifully expressive mid-palate. This is really beginning to drink with real grace, and if it doesn't hit quite the same heights as the best bottles of 1996 Salon, I have found the 1997 notably more consistent. I suppose it was picked a touch early, given the botrytis pressure in 1997, but time is being very kind to this wine. 95/100

Jancis Robinson: Disgorged September 2018. Dosage 3 g/l. Didier Depond arrived just after the vintage in 1997.Very expressive with attractive and not excessive chewiness. Herbs and flowers and almost like the biodynamic wild-flower effect. Great spread of aromas and quite a tight texture. Real concentration. Easy to love. Still some chew. 18/20

Wine Enthusiast: The fabled Salon's latest release is much riper and softer than the great steely 1996 vintage. This suggests it is likely to be ready to drink soon. In the meantime, the acidity is supremely fresh, with grapefruit edges and green apple flavors. And then there is minerality and a tight, structured aftertaste as a reminder that this great Champagne is always going to be more than its fruit. 96/100