2002 Champagne Salon Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil Grand Cru 750 ml

IPO, French Laundry, and Two Bottles of 2002 Salon Le Mesnil on Ice

You might recall the watershed $1B LendingClub IPO of December 2014. Shortly after the closing bell, a group of the Silicon Valley investors whose coffers were suddenly filled headed to Napa Valley for the weekend. They checked in at Meadowood, we learned, took a swim in the heated pool and a steam, dressed, and headed back down Highway 29 towards Yountville. At 7pm, they sat down at The French Laundry. Two bottles of the 2002 Salon Le Mesnil were already on ice.

When we asked the firm’s general partner why he’d chosen to spend $2,700 on Champagne, he didn’t hesitate: “It was the best deal on the wine list.”

2002 was indeed a phenomenal vintage in Champagne — one that’s been compared favorably to the extraordinary 1982 harvest. Moët & Chandon is said to have booked record profits, having produced 4,000,000 bottles of Dom Pérignon. At LVMH’s sister firm, Veuve Clicquot, total annual production would tally in the millions of cases.

But despite the piping-hot demand for the most prestigious tête de cuvée Champagne, at Salon, Didier Depond steadfastly refused to follow suit. Salon again resisted financial temptation, crafting just 62,000 bottles of the 2002 Salon Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil Grand Cru — a tiny fraction of which would be shipped stateside.

Thomas Keller, America’s most celebrated chef and restaurateur, took whatever he wanted. The same was true for sommelier Aldo Sohm at Le Bernardin in NYC. Daniel and Eleven Madison Park were both offered a shot. After all those guys, WineAccess came first.

How rigorous is M. Depond’s selection process? From 2009-2012, most houses declared at least one or two vintages. Salon declared none! In the 100-year history of the house, just 38 vintages have given birth to a Grand Cru Champagne that master sommeliers have compared to “a Grand Cru Montrachet with bubbles.” Of those 38, none would outpoint this exquisite 2002 drawn from a number of limestone parcels surrounding Le Mesnil.

The 2002 Salon Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil Grand Cru is brilliant light-yellow. Tiny bubbles of great intensity. Intensely aromatic, featuring tightly wound scents of ripe pear, poached apple, and ginger. Silken in texture, with densely packed flavors of ripe citrus, honey, and spice, gaining intensity and breadth with air. Finishes with terrific tautness and tension. Despite its age, the 2002 Salon is still a baby, and will benefit from another 7-10 years of bottle age. If there’s such a thing as a perfect Blanc de Blancs, this is it.

100 points from Wine Enthusiast. 99 points from James Suckling. 98 points from Wine Spectator. 97 from Antonio Galloni. 30 bottles are up for grabs. $375 each. Shipping included on all orders — and will arrive in time to ring in the new year!