Author Archives: Andrew Hooper

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AUSTRIAN Whites and AUSTRALIAN Reds – a story of one wine-maker, two countries and a host of excellent wines

By on 01/07/2013

At the time of the infamous 1985 “antifreeze” scandal a story did the rounds that the Japanese government had briefly and erroneously banned the importation of Australian wine, comedically confusing Australian with Austrian.  It was, almost certainly, an urban myth but one does wonder what the fabled and lexicographically challenged Japanese civil servant would have made of Bert Salomon.

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Under the Radar Producers – Domaine Confuron-Cotetidot, the cream of the Côte de Nuits

By on 22/02/2013

UPDATE 20/01/14 You can browse all of our current Côte de Nuits listings here on our website. There can’t be too many wine making families with a type of grape named after them, but there exists a strain of Pinot Noir called Pinot Confuron, reflecting a tradition of careful vine selection and propogation in a family history which dates back to the times of the Sun King, Louis XIV.

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The pursuit of Pinot finds value and variety

By on 06/02/2013

If you agreed to try something tasty in the alcoholic beverage line from the Czech Republic you would, in all probability, be expecting a frothing glass full of chilled bright amber-gold lager beer.  Few of us, Czechs included, would expect to have a glass of wine thrust into our hand.

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2011 Burgundy – the Wine Gang have their say

By on 04/02/2013

The Wine Gang have published a list of their picks from the recent round of Burgundy 2011 tastings and, we are pleased to say, LEA & SANDEMAN's wines have performed predictably well. All prices quoted below are In Bond prices.  For Duty Paid prices and all other conditions please see the LEA & SANDEMAN web-site.

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2011 Burgundy – Jancis recommends

By on 24/01/2013

In these straitened times, splashing out on a few cases of 2011 Burgundy might seem a tad indulgent.  Well, with a miniscule (but, by all reports, excellent) 2012 vintage to follow and the Burgundians making ever more successful overtures toward the Chinese market, it could turn out that 2011 was the smart vintage to buy.

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Sacrificing wine to the Inca Gods

By on 05/09/2012

Many things have been done to wines over the centuries in the name of improved quality. Much of the world’s best wine, for instance, is poured into oak barrels for various (often surprising) lengths of time. Casks of Madeira used to be shipped to India and back and, even, left out in the rain.

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