By Ed H-B on 11/02/2013
As per tradition (and after a false start due to a technical hitch!) we are pleased to announce our annual bin end sale is now open. There's plenty of great wines in there which is why we hesitate to use the phrase 'Bin End' - so feel free to go ahead and fill your boots, shoes and shopping carts.
By Andrew Hooper on 29/01/2013
Another exhaustive taster of new vintage Burgundies is Tim Atkin MW, who has been hard at work, both at the tasting table and the lap-top, of late. If for nothing else than the beautiful photographs, his opus on the 2011 vintage is well worth a look.
By Andrew Hooper 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.
By Charles Lea on 19/12/2012
The deadline for deliveries before Christmas outside London is past, but if you live in (central-ish) London, you can still order online for delivery today (Wednesday), or, if you really insist on taking it to the wire, tomorrow (Thursday). Even then our magnificent warehouse crew will get your wine to you before Christmas.
By Charles Lea on 13/12/2012
The L&S Christmas Hamper case The cut-off for country deliveries is fast aproaching (you need to get your order in by Sunday night to be sure of getting your wine for Christmas). Part of the problem is often just making a choice, so here is a mixed case of our favourites in our enormous range which will sort out a multitude of Christmas drinking opportunities.
By Charles Lea on 01/11/2012
I had heard little whispers in the trade along the lines of 'I gather the 2011s are showing pretty well', and taken them with a large dose of scepticism. But my first day of tasting today has left me feeling that the rumours did not say the half of it.
By Patrick Sandeman on 29/08/2012
Very generous friends of mine recently invited me to join them for a grouse dinner at White's club in St James'. Having ordered a very fine Chablis to accompany our starters (delicious smoked eel with a fiery but creamy horseradish sauce) the conversation turned to red wine, and what to drink with our grouse.
By Patrick Sandeman on 15/08/2012
Wine & the art of seduction - Victoria Moore 'Does it matter what wine is poured when the intention is to seduce? And if so, what bottles might it be good to open? I ask these questions because I was browsing in wine merchants Lea & Sandeman last Friday when a chap, who I’ll call Mr X, walked in and asked for help.
By Charles Lea on 13/06/2012
Quoted in Decanter.com, Pierre Lurton, who runs both Cheval Blanc and Yquem for the LVMH group, has said that he will not be releasing Yquem en primeur for the moment: 'There is no question that we are following the example of Latour, (who have announced they will not be releasing their wines en primeur after this year) or legitimising their commercial decision,' Lurton told Decanter.
By Charles Lea on 07/06/2012
Today may see the final releases of the 2011 Primeur 'campaign'. After yesterday's successes for Ducru Beaucaillou and Vieux Chateau Certan, today will see the release of the stables of Léoville Las Cases and Ausone.
By Charles Lea on 06/06/2012
Domaines Baron de Rothschild chose yesterday to release the 2011 Chateau l'Évangile, a wine which I am surprised to find myself the biggest fan of amongst the critics. Today has seen another mini-avalanche of releases, including Talbot at a sensible price, and some at spectacular drops in price over their 2010 counterparts - Beauséjour Duffau Lagarosse was £2200 in 2010, and is £540 this year.