Critics Ratings

‘The 1999 Salon is approaching what must surely be its most seductive point of maturity, enchanting us with a smoky apricot fruit and a tropical note. On the palate, the texture is silky and rich. Although the wine lacks a bit of tension, it is approachable and friendly now. The 1999 vintage saw rain in September, diluting the fruit somewhat and removing the edge, but the complexity has increased over time as more mature notes of toffee and toast have developed since being disgorged in 2011. Dosage 5g/L.’ – Charles Curtis MW, Decanter.com, 95/100 (Nov 2020)

‘Gentle first impression, almost a touch floral – lavender? herbal? – spicy and biscuity too. Broader than the 2002 and less intense, not as concentrated on the mid palate but a little broader, less tightly wound, as you would expect. Still vey finely balanced and creamily textured. Amazingly long finish’ – Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com, 18/20 (Apr 2016)

‘The Salon 1999 Brut Le Mesnil – disgorged already in 2011 and dosed with a pretty typical six grams of residual sugar – displays faintly fusil and quarry dust notes as well as hickory nut, almond, walnut and toasted wheat piquancy on the nose. Polished and subtly creamy in texture yet brightly juicy with apple and lemon, this displays an uncanny sense of lift and refinement, perfectly complementing the honeysuckle and heliotrope perfume that waft inner-mouth. You could lose yourself in the ineffability of this wine’s floral diversity and in its resonantly nut and grain low tones. Hints of apple pip lend subtle additional piquancy on a long and at once soothing as well as stimulating finish, with suggestions of oyster liquor becoming prominent as the bottle stands open for a few minutes, and serving to milk the salivary glands for all that they are worth. Follow this for at least a decade.’ - David Schildknecht, Wine Advocate, 95/100 (Nov 2013)

‘There's a sense of finesse to this sleek, elegant Champagne, which has a creamy texture and seamlessly integrated structure, offering subtly layered flavors of ripe white peach, black raspberry fruit, lemon meringue pie, pickled ginger and blanched almond. Drink now through 2028.’ – Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator, 94/100 (Jul 2013)

Provenance

The Coats Family Cellar is arguably the most prestigious fine wine collection ever offered in South Africa. It contains a deep collection of the worlds finest, most sought-after wines, spanning over 150 years. Collected over many decades, the cellar was imported from Ireland to South Africa via reefer. Each bottle within the Coats Family Cellar was authenticated by Michael Egan in August 2022 and given an ID number for tracking.

Michael Egan is a world-expert in fine and rare wines with more than thirty five years of experience. He was the principal expert for the plaintiff in the two major wine counterfeiting trials in Koch v. Eric Greenberg and United States v. Rudy Kurniawan, both of which occurred in 2013.

Along with Michael Egan, the Strauss & Co Fine Wine team have tasted extensively through the cellar and are confident of the wine storage and hence quality. The entire collection is currently stored at Wine Cellar.