Salon – rare treats

Something to get you in the mood for ringing in the New Year...May your celebrations be heartfelt. JR

One producer, one grape variety, one origin, one vintage and one heck of a price tag. The best never comes cheap, especially within an already luxurious category such as champagne. Salon is a 100% Chardonnay from the village of Mesnil-sur-Oger that has been made only 42 times in 107 years. When they do make it, they make something like 50,000 bottles. Such rarity inevitably costs dearly – the current vintage is around £235 a bottle.

Salon is disgorged every six months, so lees...