Last November, a tasting of the Champagnes of the Maison Delamotte – Salon, including three Salon vintages, was held at the Pandolfini Auction House in Florence before the wine auction.
The event was organized by Francesco Tanzi, an expert in the Pandolfini wine sector together with the Ceretto company, distributor of Delamotte – Salon champagnes in Italy. The CEO of the Maison Didier Depond came for the event and the tasting was held by the Italian Master of Wine Gabriele Gorelli.
There were only forty guests invited to the tasting, all passionate about these champagnes.
The Pandolfini Auction House, to celebrate its 100 years of existence in April, had organized a vertical display of 6 vintages of Sassicaia, with double Magnum bottles and in November it organized this tasting of absolute importance. After the tasting there was a light lunch organized by the Enoteca Pinchiorri of Florence.
Let’s talk a little about the history of the Maison Delamotte and its prestigious champagne, the “Salon”.
At the end of the 19th century, Eugene Aiurè Salon, son of carters from Champagne, moved to Paris to start a fur tanning business. His work is booming and he makes his fortune. Aiurè loves life, pleasures, beautiful things and wants to produce the best champagne, he follows the advice of his brother-in-law who was a cave chef, he chooses to buy the land in the Côte de Blancs area, the best cru which was that of Mesnil sur Oger and the most prestigious plot which was the one above the church where the balance between sugar and acidity is perfect. At the beginning he produced champagne for himself, then also for friends and enthusiasts. The first vintage of release was 1905. Starting from 1928 Maxim’s will name it the house champagne.
Salon is a champagne that is produced only in the best years.
In the 20th century, 37 vintages were released from 1905 to 1999, while in the 21st century 7 vintages were released: 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 (only in magnum format), 2012 and 2013.
The characteristic of this champagne, apart from the minerality, is the citrus note and in particular the yellow or pink grapefruit. Its finish is normally a little bitter, typical of grapefruit.
Let us now examine the champagnes tasted.
MAISON DELAMOTTE
Blanc de Blancs, annata 2018
From the glass shines golden yellow, shiny, with quite fine and numerous bubbles.
Intense mineral aromas rise (rubbed flint), brioch, iodine, hints of brewer’s yeast and white pepper, white flowers, medicinal herbs, hints of paint enamel to end with whispers of peanut butter.
On the palate it is savory, mineral with pleasant and caressing bubbles. Flavor of slightly ripe rennet apple. The body is medium and the wine has a good taste balance with freshness that gives good salivation and completely envelops the alcoholic mass. Its persistence is long with a finish of yellow grapefruit and rennet apple.
(93/100)
MAISON DELAMOTTE
Blanc de Blancs Collection, Annata 2007
It shines through with a fairly intense golden yellow.
The bubbles are fine and numerous.
It unfolds on the nose aromas of ginger, mineral, ginger, candied grapefruit peel, sweets from the outside of the dragee, slightly ripe rennet apple, mandarin, cedar, brioch, hints of white pepper, finishing with whiffs of honey.
On the palate, a nice medium body is perceived, the bubbles are fine and the wine is well balanced with a generous freshness that dominates the alcoholic mass without second thoughts. Its persistence is long with a finish of chestnut honey and yellow grapefruit.
(95/100)
MAISON DELAMOTTE
Salon Blanc de Blancs
“Cuveè S Le Mesnil”, vintage 2013
Light golden yellow color. The bubbles are fine and numerous.
Olfactory mix composed of mineral, intense aromas of brioch bread, eggnog, rennet apple, LPG gas, almond shell, light vanilla, green banana peel, lemon, white flowers, finishing with hints of chestnut honey.
On the palate it displays generous flavor and minerality.
The body is medium and the bubbles are fine. Balanced and persistent wine with a finish of yellow grapefruit and chestnut honey.
(97/100)
MAISON DELAMOTTE
Salon Blanc de Blancs,
“Cuveè S Le Mesnil”, vintage 2006
It has a fairly intense golden yellow appearance.
The bubbles are fine and numerous.
Olfactory richness marked by aromas of ginger, vanilla, hints of dried white fig, white flowers, mineral, fireplace ash, GLP gas, sweets from the outside of the dragee, finishing with hints of champignon mushroom.
On the palate it is creamy, with medium body and fine bubbles. Savory and mineral wine with a body that settles a little and gradually fades away. Good taste balance with freshness dominating the alcoholic mass.
Its aromatic persistence is long with a chestnut honey finish. In the end you can feel the upper gum drying a little.
In my humble opinion the bottle was not perfect but nevertheless it is quite pleasant.
(93/100)
MAISON DELAMOTTE
Salon Blanc de Blancs,
“Cuveè S Le Mesnil”, vintage 1999
Shiny golden yellow.
The bubbles are fine and quite numerous.
It gives the sense of smell a rich range of aromas among which the rennet apple, black pepper, oregano, ginger, hints of honey, white pepper, vanilla, oil paint, candied ginger, almond shell, dried date and dried white fig stand out.
The body is medium plus and the bubbles are very fine. Rich, broad and vertical wine with a flavor of chestnut honey and pink grapefruit. Excellent gustatory balance with the alcoholic mass which is imperceptible. Its persistence is long with flavors of chestnut honey, pink grapefruit and dried dates.
Beautiful champagne that focuses more on power than delicacy.
(98/100)
