Wine barrel ©Unsplash/Edgar Moran, Parfum d’Empire Saluté Bottle ©Parfum d’Empire, montage and collage ©Emmanuelle Varron.
“Mescetemi il vino! Tu solo, o bicchiero,
Fra gaudi terreni non sei menzognero,
Tu, vita de’ sensi, letizia del cor! L’amico, l’amante col tempo ne fugge; ma tu non paventi chi tutto distrugge: l’eta non t’offende, t’accresce virtú.” ~ Giuseppe Verdi’s Brindisi, lyrics attributed to Andrea Maffei
“Pour me wine! You alone, oh glass, among earthly pleasures are not a liar. You, life of the senses, my heart’s joy! The friend, the lover flee in time; but you have no fear of that which destroys all: age doesn’t offend you, it increases your value.” ~ my translation
2019 Héritage Corse launches: Immortelle Corse, Parfum d’Empire Salute! and Acqua di Scandola at Paris Marie-Antoinette perfumery – ©Emmanuelle Varron.
This lesser-known Verdi drinking song has always been a favorite: stereotypically sung by men, I sang it anyway, often as a rousing concert finale. When I smelt Parfum d’Empire Saluté it sprang immediately to mind. Brindisi celebrates the fruit of the vine which only improves with age. Brilliant native Corsican independent perfumer Marc-Antoine Corticchiato of Parfum d’Empire has fêted his native land with fierté and rendered it lucid and irresistible through intimate aromatic association. One can feel that a part of him is inherent in each of his perfumes, and his L’Héritage Corse Collection exemplifies the perfumer’s love of nature, natural materials and the specific terroir so dear to him. Intricately interwoven are pride, respect and profound appreciation – which is why his fragrances resemble no other. Whether or not they endear him to you (and they most certainly have that effect on me!), you will never be bored by anything which M. Corticchiato composes. That’s a promise.
Marc-Antoine Corticchiato in his Labo Emmanuelle Varron©
Over the years, I’ve purchased a number of the Parfum d’Empire fragrances with no regrets and many resultant favorites. They represent haute parfumerie to me: exquisitely composed and memorable, each one conjuring a journey of the senses and a reverence for the natural world. I was unaware that M.Corticchiato has actually been taken to task by his contemporaries for his lavish use of rare, costly natural materials. This is likely why he judiciously guards his independence, and why his perfumes are able to sing their siren song. Saluté evokes Marc-Antoine’s fond recollection of his grandfather’s cellar and the wine he lovingly produced: redolent of oaken cask, but not smoky. Earthy yet never weighty Parfum d’Empire Saluté greets my greedy nose with scintillant citrus tones, sprightly and spirited. You are transported to the vineyard with a grape leaf accord that smells delightfully musty, accompanied by sparkling eau de vie notes as beautiful as brandy. These qualities are flawlessly underlined with oakmoss; it’s heavenly. Concomitantly, M. Corticchiato wished to invoke the angel’s share – the amount of an alcoholic drink (such as cognac, brandy, or whiskey) that is lost to evaporation when it is being aged in porous oak barrels – via the medium of fleecy musks and the tender caress of iris. The entire voyage is a masterful one. I am borne to a place at once familiar yet foreign, deep-seated in visceral memory.
Many reviewers have referred to a chocolate nuance which they experience upon application of Parfum d’Empire Saluté. On my own skin, this chocolate is but a whisper. I draw a great deal of fortified wine (the lovely wine lees/dregs), a promise of rose, ethereal iris, and enough oakmoss for bliss’ sake. Others remark that this fragrance is a bit more fleeting than they expected, to which I posit: if the topic is ephemeral, why should a perfume shout? Who benefits? If one seeks a louder spirit-inflected fragrance there are a great many from which to choose – primarily very sweet in nature. Saluté is a far cry from these honeyed, liquor-inspired perfumes. Its very character is a spiritual, poignant earthiness enwreathed in celestial raiment – and while it is quiet fragrance, its longevity is considerable. For me, that is more than sufficient.
Plantons la vigne, la voilà la jolie vigne!
Vigni, vignez, vignons le vin!
La voilà la jolie vigne au vin, la voilà la jolie vigne! ~16th C. folk song from the Champagne region
Notes: grapefruit, lemon, mandarin orange, wine lees, grape leaf accord, iris, eau de vie accord, rose, oak, musk (smells like ambrette), oakmoss
Review based upon a bottle of Parfum d’Empire Saluté which I purchased.
~ Ida Meister, Deputy and Natural Perfumery Editor
Parfum d’Empire Saluté courtesy of the brand
Thanks to the generosity of Marc-Antoine Corticchiato, we have a 50 ml bottle of Parfum d’Empire Saluté! for one registered reader worldwide. YOU MUST REGISTER HERE FOR YOUR COMMENT TO COUNT. To be eligible, please leave a comment on what you enjoyed about Ida’s review, where you live, your favorite Parfum d’Empire perfume. Draw closes 3/10/2022
Note: We at ÇaFleureBon have reviewed so many Parfum d’Empire fragrances! Our Editor-in-Chief interviewed Marc Antoine Corticchiato here Emmanuelle Varron has reviewed the other perfumes in L’Héritage Corse Collection. Please read her reviews of Acqua di Scandola and Mal-Aimé (which was awarded Best of 2021 from Michelyn Emmanuelle and Ermano). Ermano Picco awarded Parfum d’Empire 2021 Best of Scent best independent perfume house
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