By Charles Lea on 19/05/2021
From Matt Walls, writing in Decanter, comes an article on top-quality and great-value Côte-Rôtie alternatives. As Matt puts it, “When a grape variety is given time to ripen slowly and gradually, it develops its aromas one by one. The grape has time to listen to those aromas, to remember them all, layering them like tints in a watercolour.
By Sophie Picheta on 30/04/2021
Did you do it? Did you brave the snow and sleet on the “Glorious 12th” – pint in one hand, brolly in the other, shivering away next to a tiny little patio heater that definitely was not recreating those visions of Southern Californian outdoor dining that we all had in mind when we made those bookings… Thankfully we’ve had a few nicer days since then, and (at time of writing!) the weather’s looking a little jollier for the bank holiday weekend, although I won’t quite be hanging up my thermals just yet.
By Jack Chapman on 15/04/2021
The 2020 vintage is beginning to reach us, with the first major sample arriving yesterday. These blog entries will keep track of my thoughts on the samples that I am able to taste, along with a few comments regarding the market and what pricing might be considered favourable.
By Eve-Marie Letondel on 14/04/2021
Our latest press reviews: The Times, The Mail on Sunday, Vineyard magazine, Jamie Goode's blog & Matthew Jukes' website. Benefit from our case price discount in red by buying any 12 bottles from this selection - in a mixed case of your design or simply by the dozen.
By Jack Chapman on 09/04/2021
The short answer is, from a first hand perspective, not a lot. Written reports compare the weather to that of 2016, 2018 and 2019 – mild and wet in the spring, which followed through to a hot, dry summer and an even more clement picking season.
By Sophie Picheta on 01/04/2021
We’ve made it. The clocks have just jumped forward, it’s still light at dinnertime, winter is over, long live Spring! And, for all foodies out there, restaurant re-openings are (fingers crossed) finally just on the horizon.
By Eve-Marie Letondel on 22/03/2021
Our latest press reviews: Decanter, The Guardian, The Telegraph & The Mail On Sunday. Benefit from our case price discount in red by buying any 12 bottles from this selection - in a mixed case of your design or simply by the dozen.
By Derek Robertson on 17/03/2021
It does it for me. I’m seduced by the exotic charm of Viognier, thrilled by its seductive appeal and constantly in awe of its many guises.
By Charles Lea on 09/03/2021
[caption id="attachment_32961" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Steven Spurrier at our Barnes shop for a book signing[/caption] We are very sad to hear the death today of the wine legend Steven Spurrier. Steven’s Paris shop ‘Les Caves de la Madeleine’ was a magnet for wine enthusiasts and has proved an enduring influence on those who worked there – which sometimes feels like a whole generation of the UK wine trade.
By Jack Chapman on 05/03/2021
I look at wine prices constantly. Partly, because it’s my living, but it also goes far, far beyond that – I’m one of those people who can’t stand getting over-charged for anything, whether it’s a holiday, a new coat or in this instance, a case of wine.
By Sophie Picheta on 01/03/2021
March – end of Winter, start of Spring. Snowdrops and Snapdragons, Daffodils bursting through the earth, lifting the spirits to push us through those final weeks of chilly weather. There’s a lot to look forward to in March (especially for the Irish), and though the produce isn’t quite as bountiful as April, when things really get going, there’s plenty of wonderful things to cook and eat.
By Phil Weeks on 18/02/2021
At Lea & Sandeman we like balance and rather unwittingly we appear to have struck a lovely equilibrium with our producers in Montalcino. By this I mean we have two in the North of the region and two in the South.