By Charles Lea on 10/04/2012
2011 Bordeaux en primeur Dense and concentrated with flashes of brilliance In 2009 and 2010 it was difficult not to make great wine. In 2011 it was less straightforward. Location mattered, both in terms of the localised weather events, especially hail, but also in terms of the ground the vines were growing in.
By Patrick Sandeman on 22/03/2012
Lea & Sandeman Pinot Noir - the Wine Gang report A selection of fabulous drinking Pinot Noirs as selected by the Wine Gang in their March report. 'This was in fact a tripartite tasting, with a substantial Nebbiolo flight between the Pinot Noirs and the Sangiovese, but we're putting the spotlight on the latter two this month and will cover the Piedmont reds in a forthcoming report.
By Charles Lea on 03/03/2012
Matthew Jukes, wine writing's ebullient enthusiast, came to our last tasting, and was very complimentary - like the Wine Gang, of which more shortly. He chose just one wine, as it happens it is the same vineyard that Neal Martin picked out in the 2010 vintage from our 2010 Burgundy tasting, but this is the 2009 which is available now.
By Charles Lea on 29/02/2012
Tim Atkin MW published his take on the 2010 Burgundies last week (while I was scooting about the Languedoc unearthing new jewels (of which more later) and attending the ViniSud wine fair in the not so romantic expo park next to Montpellier airport, so there's been a small delay in passing on his recommendations.
By Charles Lea on 16/02/2012
Jancis Robinson, in her article in the Financial Times on 2010 Burgundy, picked out some producers dear to our hearts, in particular Daniel Barraud, whose remarkable wines from his vineyards in Vergisson continue to thrill - (see previous post about Steven Spurrier's best wines of 2010), and Jean-Marc Boillot, particularly for his very reasonably-priced Montagny, but do note that we can also still offer a wide range of his Pulignys right up to Batard Montrachet.
By Charles Lea on 08/02/2012
In the recent Decanter Magazine Steven Spurrier writes "Compared to 2009, the 2010s are less rich but more precise. Compared to 2008, they are more rich and more balanced. Precision and purity were the buzzwords during the tastings, then character and depth; elegance wasn’t mentioned, as it was common to all.
By Patrick Sandeman on 04/02/2012
The Wine Gang will undoubtedly be familiar to many of our customers, but for those who are not the 'Gang' is made up of five of the UK's foremost wine writers and tasters: Tom Cannavan, Jane Parkinson, Anthony Rose, Joanna Simon, and David Williams.
By Patrick Sandeman on 14/12/2011
An Estuarine Christmas with the Sandemans The Sandeman family are heading to the depths of South Devon to spend another Christmas in the Goodshelter estuary, inland from Salcombe. Not actually 'in' the estuary, of course, but in the beautifully secluded and remote cottage which sits on the edge of the water at the head of the creek.
By Patrick Sandeman on 12/12/2011
Great Whites by Jancis Robinson In Jancis Robinson's penultimate round up of seasonal wines in the FT Weekend Magazine she highlights some of her selected 'great whites', to accompany the sparkling and red wines already published over the previous weekends. There's nothing quite like six of the best from Jancis! South African Sauvignon with class: Dombeya Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Stellenbosch £10.
By Patrick Sandeman on 06/12/2011
Dazzling reds for festive fare - selected by Jancis Robinson In Jancis Robinson's Top 100 festive wines: part two, published in the FT Weekend Magazine, she selected a number of cracking wines from Lea & Sandeman. Only four were published in the magazine because of space issues, while the full list is on her site JancisRobinson.
By Patrick Sandeman on 29/11/2011
BUBBLY TREATS for the festive season. Jancis Robinson recommended 25 'bubblys' in the first of her 'Top 100 festive wines' series, in Saturday's FT Weekend Magazine. Many of them were highlighted as stocked by Lea & Sandeman (indeed some are direct imports of ours), and here is that selection together with her tasting notes.