Salmon
pronounced sal-MOHNA family house in the Ardre valley, halfway between Reims and Épernay, which has made Meunier its speciality. The Salmons have one more passion: they fly hot-air balloons, and the basket and canopy made it into their logo and the name of their whole range of Champagnes.
See the bottlesAvailable at SZAMPAN.com.pl
3 Champagnes. Formats and packaging of the same bottle are on its page, not listed separately.
House signature
85% of the vineyards
Alexandre Salmon has set himself the goal of restoring Meunier's nobility and also makes single-plot wines from it.
The Montgolfière line
Olivier and Alexandre fly hot-air balloons, and the basket and envelope made it into the logo and into the name of their range of blends.
500 bottles
In 1958 Michel Salmon made the first 500 bottles under the family name.
At a glance
- Founded
- 1958
- Based in
- Chaumuzy (Vallée de l'Ardre), 21-23 rue du Capitaine Chesnais
- Type
- grower (récoltant-manipulant), member of the Vignerons Indépendants
- Owner
- the Salmon family
- President
- Alexandre Salmon, the founder's grandson; with his father Olivier
- Chef de cave
- Alexandre Salmon
- Vineyards
- 10 ha in and around Chaumuzy (Chambrecy, Ville-en-Tardenois, Sarcy); 85% Meunier, 9% Pinot Noir, 6% Chardonnay
- Production
- around 100,000 bottles (2017 figures), including around 30,000 bottles of 100% Meunier
- House style
- Meunier in many guises: fruity, rounded, with no dosage in the top cuvées; plot-by-plot vinification
Data checked: October 2026.
History
- 1958
Michel's 500 bottles
Michel Salmon was born in Chaumuzy and worked in the vineyards all his life. He patiently bought up plot after plot until in 1958 he made the first Champagne under his own name: 500 bottles. Until a few years ago he still welcomed guests to tastings himself.
- the 1980s.
Olivier scales up
Michel's son Olivier joined the estate in the 1980s and for three decades kept its récoltant-manipulant status. With his father he broadened the range of blends, and they moved early to farming with limited chemicals.
- 2013
Young talent
The 100% Meunier rosé received three stars and a “coup de cœur” in the Guide Hachette 2013, and the house reached the final of the Les Jeunes Talents du Champagne competition. These awards were listed in the Dom Szampana 2013/2014 catalogue.
- today
Alexandre and the nobility of Meunier
The founder's grandson Alexandre has set himself the goal of restoring Meunier's good name. He vinifies the plots separately, releases single lieu-dit wines with no dosage and plans one Meunier cuvée each year, made only once. The house belongs to the Club Trésors de Champagne and makes a Spécial Club.
People
Michel Salmon
The grower from Chaumuzy who in 1958 made the first 500 bottles under the family name.
Olivier Salmon
At the house since the 1980s. A balloon pilot, like his son.
Alexandre Salmon
He focuses on Meunier, single-plot cuvées and Champagnes with no dosage. He runs the house today.
House style
The Ardre valley has clays and limestone, enriched with millstone (meulière), which according to the house adds a mineral accent to the wines. Meunier copes well with this: it buds late in spring, so it suffers less from frost, and gives rounded, fruity wines. That is why it covers 85% of the vineyards. The rows are still ploughed by horse.
The range is divided into three lines. Montgolfière is blends of three grapes, Meunier is wines from this grape alone, and Club is the vintage Spécial Club. In addition, Salmon makes still Coteaux Champenois from the lieux-dits Les Grèves and Le Bouxin, and ratafia.
Key cuvées
- Sélection Montgolfière
- 50% Meunier, 25% each of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, 9 g/l. A Champagne for parties, also in magnum and jeroboam.Serving: for a party, with canapés, prawns and quiche.
- Blanc de Meunier
- 100% Meunier from Chaumuzy, 7 g/l. Tropical fruit, quince, honey, a slightly saline finish.Serving: mild chicken curry, pork with fruit, aged cheeses.
- Rosé de Meunier
- 100% Meunier, including 20% rosé de saignée and 5% red Meunier wine, 7 g/l.Serving: salmon, charcuterie, tartare, red fruit.
- Spécial Club
- A vintage Spécial Club with no dosage; the 2016 is 70% Meunier and 30% Chardonnay. The house also sells a 2017 Blanc de Noirs.Serving: scallops, oysters, veal.
- Les Grèves and Les Bariolles
- Blanc de Noirs from single lieux-dits in Chaumuzy, with no dosage.Serving: roast poultry, mushrooms, Comté.
- A.S.
- The cuvée d'exception of the Montgolfière line. In 2013, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the 2003 and 2004 vintages, 8 months in 200 l barrels.Serving: chicken in cream sauce, mushroom risotto, mature cheeses.
Curiosities
- Olivier and Alexandre fly hot-air balloons. A balloon sculpture stands in front of the house, and a balloon features in the logo and in the name of the Montgolfière line. source
- The house's first vintage, from 1958, ran to 500 bottles. source
- The Salmons plough their vineyards by horse. source
- The house says that every year it will release a “cuvée éphémère”, a one-off Meunier wine. source
- The Rosé Spécial Club is made by saignée in two stages and from the lieu-dit Les Grèves; the 2015 has no dosage. source
“I decided to take on a new challenge: to restore Meunier's nobility!”
Frequently asked questions
What is Blanc de Meunier?
A Champagne from Meunier alone, a red grape with white flesh. Salmon's comes from Chaumuzy and has 7 g/l of sugar, and on the palate tropical fruit, quince, honey and a slightly saline finish. It is a good way to get to know this grape in its pure form.
Which Salmon Champagne should you start with?
For a party, Sélection Montgolfière: half Meunier, a quarter each of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, also in magnum and jeroboam. If you want to get to know the house speciality, choose Blanc de Meunier or Rosé de meunier.
Why is there a balloon in the Salmon Champagne logo?
Olivier and Alexandre Salmon fly hot-air balloons. A balloon sculpture stands in front of the house, and a balloon features in the logo and in the name of the Montgolfière line, after the Montgolfier brothers, inventors of the balloon.
Where is Chaumuzy?
In the Ardre valley, halfway between Reims and Épernay. The soils are clays and limestone with millstone, which according to the house adds a mineral accent to the wines. Meunier buds late in spring and suffers less from frost, which is why it covers 85% of the family's vineyards.
What is Salmon Spécial Club?
A vintage Champagne approved by the Club Trésors de Champagne, to which the house belongs. Salmon's has no dosage: the 2016 is 70% Meunier and 30% Chardonnay. There is also a rosé Spécial Club from the lieu-dit Les Grèves.
Other houses
All houses
Moët & Chandonpronounced mo-ET ay shahn-DOHN50 bottles
Dom Pérignonpronounced dom peh-ree-NYOHN27 bottles
Bollingerpronounced boh-lan-ZHAY19 bottles
Krugpronounced kroog13 bottles
Charles Heidsieckpronounced sharl ED-sik10 bottles
Veuve Clicquotpronounced vuhv klee-KOH11 bottles- Marguetpronounced mar-GAY10 bottles
- J-M Sélèquepronounced zhee em seh-LEK10 bottles
Louis Roedererpronounced lwee ROH-duh-rer9 bottles
Lansonpronounced lahn-SOHN10 bottles
Deutzpronounced duhts10 bottles
Laurent-Perrierpronounced loh-RAHN peh-ree-AY8 bottles
Sources
- Champagne Salmon - Le domaine Salmon, grand nom du meunier
- Champagne Salmon - Notre expertise du meunier
- Champagne Salmon - Collection Montgolfière
- Champagne Salmon - Collection Meunier
- Champagne Salmon - Collection Spécial Club
- Club Trésors de Champagne - member page for Salmon
- Last Bottle Wines - Salmon Champagne: The meunier Experts (2017)
Photos: WCOMFR, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons); Garitan (scan), CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).
