By Charles Lea on 10/04/2012
Selection, Selection, Selection, seems to be the new mantra on Bordeaux in recent vintages, not only in terms of grapes before the fermentations, but also in terms of the wines that 'make the grade' into each of the different cuvées that the property produces.
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 Patrick Sandeman on 08/02/2012
Roberto Fuligni came to London this week to launch the new releases of Brunello, the 2006 'Riserva' and the 2007 'normale', and this gave us the perfect opportunity to show off a number of his wines to a select number of journalists and wine buyers over lunch in the private dining room of the River Cafe.
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.