By Edward Richardson on 29/04/2017
Day 1: First Impressions This was my first primeur campaign so excitement was trumping exhaustion as we boarded the 06:30 flight to Bordeaux. Some startling efficiency at head office meant that we were sitting at the front of the aircraft (at no extra cost I might add!).
By Charles Lea on 28/04/2017
Over the last two nights, with danger still present, the Bordeaux vineyard has been hit hard by a very destructive frost. Temperatures descending as low as -5C have done massive damage to the nascent buds and some vineyards have lost the entire 2017 crop.
By Beth Thomas on 28/04/2017
The May issue of Decanter landed on our doorstep this morning, and we were delighted to see some really high praise for lots of wines in the L&S portfolio. Christelle Guibert, Tastings Director, Decanter Magazine The ‘Weekday Wines’ section is put together each month by Tastings Director Christelle Guibert.
By Charles Lea on 27/04/2017
Two of our favourite en primeur value buys are now out, one from each side of the river. Many of our customers have followed these for years and the proof of the pudding is those who bought the early vintages and have drunk them are coming back for more. Both have excelled again with the 2016 vintage.
By Charles Lea on 26/04/2017
The Bordeaux primeurs season is warming up gently, and yesterday saw the release of a perennial Primeur favourite, the Sichel family's Château Angludet. With no premium for either halves or magnums, this is a great opportunity to put away some delicious drinking Margaux for around eight to twenty years from now.
By Charles Lea on 24/04/2017
Classicism is the name of the day in 2016, but it is certainly a very polished classicism. A return to wines mostly in the 13-13.5% level, so more ‘Englishman’s claret’ than some recent top vintages.
By Charles Lea on 24/04/2017
In the first six months of the year, rainfall was over 60% up on average. From the 15th of June to the 13th of September rainfall was 50% lower than average.
By Charles Lea on 30/03/2017
By a series of astonishing coincidences Grange Park Opera is building a four-tier opera house at West Horsley Place, close to the A3 just beyond the M25, so within easy striking distance of many of our west-London-based customers. We think this development might well be of interest to you.
By Lucy Marcuson on 22/03/2017
A few weeks ago, we had the pleasure of Simon Coulshaw’s company for a day of trade visits. The man behind the wonderful, terroir driven wines of Domaine des Trinités in the Languedoc. His wines are as close to natural as they come without falling into the ‘natural wine’ category, which he’s not a huge fan of.
By Beth Thomas on 15/03/2017
We were delighted in February to welcome no fewer than seventeen of our Italian wine producers to our Italian Tasting at Getty Images Gallery. It was here that we introduced Victoria Moore to Piero Lanza of Poggerino. Lanza is one of Chianti's greatest young ambassadors.
By Beth Thomas on 02/03/2017
A fantastic amount of money raised for a truly worthy cause. Lea and Sandeman have now been involved with the NSPCC and City Fine Wine Challenge for over a decade and this year the event raised an astonishing £200,000! This is a significant increase on last year and something about which everyone involved with the event should be very proud.
By Beth Thomas on 27/02/2017
Newspaper pieces about 'best value' wines are all too often littered with mass production supermarket own brands and big name labels. Whilst it is true that these certainly offer plenty of plonk for your pound, you aren't necessarily getting much bang for your buck.