News: 2013 Salon has arrived like a Greek god

”The 2013 is the most powerful, dense young Salon I have ever tasted […] In a word: Magnificent.”
- Antonio Galloni, Vinous

2013 Salon is release number 44 in the house's 120-year history, and according to Champagne Salon itself, 2013 arrives like a Greek god - an "insolent beauty". And while healthy scepticism should be applied to the perception of such a statement from the producer's own mouth, the critics back up the postulate. And so it is a fact: 2013 Salon. Greek god. Insolent beauty. Ready for investment for the first time through RareWine Invest.

 

The Salon Tension Can Finally Be Released

The world has been eagerly awaiting the latest Salon release, which is obviously because Salon has cemented its rightful place as the producer of one of the world's best Champagnes. Add to this the fact that a Salon release is certainly not an everyday occurrence.

The 2013 Salon has been on the market for a few months, so why is this the first time it's coming up for investment? First of all, Salon is a crowd-pleaser, which is why it takes time to procure investment-grade quantities. Furthermore, high expectations and demand, especially for the hyped releases, can lead to fluctuating prices, making price formation difficult, and thus challenging to assess when the price reaches a level suitable for investment. 

We believe the price is now finding the right level, which is why you now have the opportunity to invest in 2013 Salon for the first time through RareWine Invest. The cheapest offer for 2013 Salon on Wine-searcher.com is currently € 1,054.5*. Your price is € 1,000*.

*Ex. Duty VAT and tax. In full cases and perfect condition.

The Quest For An Exceptional Champagne

The story of Eugéne-Aime Salon is rooted in a stubborn and quality-driven character who did not stop until he had achieved his goal. And so, in 1905, Eugéne Salon succeeded in presenting his first vintage Champagne made entirely from Chardonnay. It was the world's first blanc-de-blancs. And it was the first chapter in the adventure of the magnificent Champagne Salon, which has manifested its worth among the world's absolute best Champagnes.

Eugéne was uncompromising in his pursuit of an unrivalled champagne, which is why only very small quantities were produced to meet the demand for quality over quantity. In the beginning, only Eugéne's closest relations were able to enjoy the delights. In the 1920s, however, Eugéne began selling his Salon Champagne to the most exclusive venues in Paris, and his Salon treasure was well received.

Salon is only released in vintages where the quality of the grapes is good enough. This was the case when Eugéne was in charge of production, and it still is. Only around 60,000 bottles are released when the Salon releases come out. Salon is for the exclusive few champagne lovers who are lucky enough to get near them. Because the iconic green flakes with the golden "s" on the label are in high demand.

Read more about Salon in the article: Salon Champagne Is As Pure As Champagne Can Get

99 Points And Almost Perfect

Already at the beginning of this article, the stage was set for how formidable Antonio Galloni from Vinous thinks this 2013 Salon is. He recognises it with 99 points, which is only surpassed by the 2008 Salon, which scored 100 points, while the score matches the one Vinous awarded the 1996 Salon. Richard Juhlin gives the 2013 Salon 97 points, and Wine Advocate follows suit.

Across the three scores, 2013 Salon scores 97.7 points, and as the chart below shows, it is therefore in the top three of the last 10 releases. Note that Salon releases can be few and far between, which makes it all the more desirable.

How Salon performs

The fact that 2013 Salon represents some of the best Salon has released is in itself a solid investment argument. But in fact, Salon has performed well across recent vintages. This is obviously because there is no such thing as a bad Salon, but also because there is a high demand for Salon. In 2022, with a growth of 34.4% between January and October, Salon was one of the biggest contributing factors to the success of the Champagne 50 index. Add to this the fact that 2013 Salon was last week on the list of most traded wines by value at Liv-ex.

Salon is in demand.

According to Liv-ex, the last 10 vintages* of Salon that have been on the market for at least five years have returned an average of 144.7% over the last five years.

Normally, it would also be obvious to look at the performance of a similar vintage, but because there is no 1:1 comparison, here are the five-year returns of three vintages that are just below or just above 2012 Salon in terms of quality.

• 2007 Salon scores 95 points across the critics, and over the past five years under the management of RareWine Invest has achieved a return of 180%, which equates to an average annual return of 23%.
• 2002 Salon scores 96 points across the critics and has achieved a return of 162% over the past five years under the management of RareWine Invest, which corresponds to an average annual return of 21%.
• 1996 Salon scores 98.7 points across the critics, and over the past five years under the management of RareWine Invest has achieved a return of 150%, which corresponds to an average annual return of 20%.

Salon performs like this across vintages. Across scores. And according to Antonio Galloni, some Champagne prices are reaching Burgundy levels:

"Prices for a number of wines [Champagnes] have become stratospheric, à la Burgundy, as more and more consumers discover the most coveted growers and wines. Some of these prices strike me as absurd, but the market can move very, very quickly when production is tiny. For growers and wines that are established, it is what it is." - Antonio Galloni, Vinous May 2023.

And the point about limited production is interesting in relation to Salon. Only around 60,000 bottles of Salon are produced per vintage, which is a microscopic production from a Champagne perspective.

Salon is Champagne's best, and if you compare the price level with the best from Burgundy, the price level does not match at all. Burgundy has simply shown that there is no price ceiling here. Only time will tell if there is one in Champagne.

*Vintage 2007, 2006, 2004, 2002, 1999, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1990 and 1988.

RareWine Invest's Opinion

This is the first time you have the opportunity to invest in 2013 Salon through RareWine Invest. And while we can't quite use the phrase "to be in from the start", we believe that the current price level reflects a much more favourable investment entry point than it did two months ago.

Salon is a gem in Champagne. It is rare at release, and then it is released with inbuilt demand. Salon has also performed across vintages, which is inherently due to the fact that Salon also delivers a consistently high level of quality.

But even though Salon sizzles with exclusivity regardless of vintage, 99 points is not an everyday occurrence. Add 99 points prestige Champagne to your portfolio. "Join from a favourable start". The available quantities are of course limited, so as always, it's first come, first served.