By Jack Chapman on 14/07/2025
I was in Lebanon when I first understood what terroir really meant. ‘The Cinsault, in this particular vintage, was magnificent,’ said Tarek Sakr, Technical Director of Château Musar, describing his most recent special cuvée. ‘It was so special that I asked the family if I might bottle 300 of them as a single varietal.
By Jack Chapman on 17/04/2025
If I had to summarise the 2024 Bordeaux wines in two words, it would be ‘Old School’. First and foremost because it is a vintage which almost entirely re-enforced the Bordeaux status quo. We all know the weather was challenging, and the only ways to combat it were via enormous amounts of labour in the vineyards, as well as rigorous sorting in the winery.
By Jack Chapman on 10/04/2025
We were lucky enough to welcome Piero Incisa Della Rochetta to London last week, for three days of tasting, touring and discussion, to welcome the 2024 vintage.
By Angus Barcroft on 13/03/2025
[caption id="attachment_36303" align="aligncenter" width="600"] The L&S Team at the 2025 City Fine Wine Challenge[/caption] Last Thursday marked the 20th year that L&S has sponsored the NSPCC’s City Fine Wine Challenge quiz. A really proud moment for everyone involved.
By Jack Chapman on 10/02/2025
I so often get asked if there is a strategy, or an axiom which can be applied to wine in order to guarantee something delicious. There is, of course, not – or at least I hope no one comes up with one, else we will all rapidly be out of jobs, but it has set me to wondering and I think I may have found a passable solution.
By Jack Chapman on 05/12/2024
Having returned last week, after tasting 200+ wines, I have been both trying to catch up on emails and find time to pen my thoughts on a vintage about which we were all… holding our breath. From what we saw in the cellars whilst tasting the 2022s, and discussions we had with producers, 2023 was big.
By Tom Lorimer on 28/11/2024
Two very educative Rhône tastings over the last month, doubly reinforced my view that this part of France is the next go-to region for sheer value and quality.
By Angus Barcroft on 15/11/2024
It was my birthday a few weeks ago and I got to spend it in Burgundy. Not a bad way to see in 39. It was great to return to Beaune, and do the rounds on our Burgundy En Primeur tour, after a long 3-year absence.
By Caroline Tanner on 13/11/2024
If you’ve been following the exploits of Gary Barlow on his wine tour around South Africa (broadcast by ITV), you’ll have seen him stop off at the impossibly picturesque Maanschijn winery, whose wines we are delighted to import. A looming mountain, a saltwater lagoon and beneath, a tiny white farmhouse, nestled amidst the trees.
By Charles Lea on 01/11/2024
It’s that time of year when I encourage our customers to avoid the last minute rush and withdraw wine from their reserves. We have done our best to provide a colour-coded system, alongside drinking dates, to give you an idea of when and what you should be withdrawing (although these are always open to interpretation).
By Derek Robertson on 17/10/2024
It is still day three of this trip as the Northern Rhône disappears in the rear view mirror. After a hasty dash down the motorway we head off west to Pont Saint Esprit and the little village of Saint Nazaire in the Gard.
By Derek Robertson on 17/10/2024
First things first: the 2023 vintage in the Rhône has produced some exceptional wines and if, like me, you enjoy ripe fruit-forward wines, then you are in for a real treat. I spent five days travelling north to south, visiting almost every estate we work with and a few that may be interesting for the future, as we like to keep an eye on the up and comers too.