Salon, the Champagne preferred by a teetotaller called Hitler
Only 37 vintages made during the 1900’s, from the grapes coming from 20 very small vineyards in Mesnil-Sur-Oger, the Salon Champagne is the rarest Blanc de Blancs, it is the first cult wine
By Donatella Cinelli Colombini, Brunello, Casato Prime Donne
This was created to be something exclusive, in 1905, when the fur coat dealer decided to create Champagne, made only with Chardonnay, like no other. He chose the areas where the grapes reach perfection and crates a masterpiece that he keeps all for himself. No blends with other vintages, at least ten years ageing, which are decidedly enough for it to reach incredible levels of finesse and complexity in the aroma. In other words, the top! Finally the Salon 1920 gets put on sale and becomes the first cult wine.
It became such a myth to have even an unexpected teetotaller among the collectors: Hitler. The head of the Nazis had a hideaway in the Alps called “Eagles nest” built for his 50th birthday, at 1.820 m above sea level and accessible through a tunnel in the
Salon Champagne cellar
granite rock that reached a lift covered in marble, that was gifted to him by Mussolini. This place was used for official meeting and inside there was a cellar containing half a million prestigious bottles stolen from the French: Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne among which some of Salon 1928.
So together with the troupes headed by General Philippe Leclerc at the 
nest arrives a young Sergeant called Bernard de Nonancourt, who in the future will guide the house of Champagne Laurent-Perrier bringing it to become an international colossus. He is the one who discovered the Furhrer’s cellar and maybe it is from this episode that he gets the desire to by the Champagne Salon. And fate is favourable: in 1988 he buys the Champagne Salon. No changes during a whole century, not even in the label that is green and not so pretty <<it’s like coming out of a painting by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec>> says with diplomacy Luciano Ferraro who has dedicated a skilful piece to the Champagne Salon in his blog DiVini.
During the 20th century the Champagne Salon was produced only 37 times so about 4 
vintages every decade. And each time for a series of only 60.000 bottles, at the most. When the grapes are not perfect they are used for Champagne Delamotte or simply sold but into Salon go only the best. The last millesime on sale is 2002 and it costs more than 200$ per bottle but the number of bottles on sale is very low, this is a wine for collectors and for those who love all that is exclusive without any compromise. In fact at the Asta Pandolfini auction in the Centro Svizzero in Milan the Salon 1971 was paid 6.930€. But obviously such a legend is well worth the price!