The wine is pearlescent - a pale, lustrous gold with a fine, lively mousse. The nose is complex yet ethereal.

Wonderfully refined, it is intriguing and enticing, its minerality complemented by hints of white flowers, acacia and hawthorn. A salty note enhances aromas of bread crust, brioche and the merest hint of green apple and hazelnut.

The palate is quintessentially pure, the very epitome of balance and restraint. Exuberant on entry, the mousse becomes more of a caress, while bubbles dance playfully on the palate. Elegance, finesse, bright vitality, depth and power allied with a lightness of touchit is difficult to encapsulate so many complementary and contradictory elements coming together in harmony.

Refined, feminine and seductive, voluptuous yet restrained, and superbly balanced, this vintage compares stylistically to the great 1988.

According to Didier Depond, Director of the House of Champagne Salon, this singular wine should be served in a tulip-shaped glass rather than a narrow champagne flute. He says, "We have found that Salon can be drunk in the same way as a great wine. Due to the richness and complexity of its aromas and its exceptional, lingering finish, this style of glass allows the wine to breathe more freely."