By Charles Lea on 24/11/2012
STAR BUY in Jane Macquitty’s The Times 50 white wines for Christmas 2012. “Superior Picpoul de Pinet, like this star, is worth splashing out on. This zesty 2011, with oodles of ripe, fat, lemon-peel and greengage-layered fruit, closing on a fine, smokey, steely, minerally finish is a triumph. Best with fish of seafood or as an aperitif.”
By Charles Lea on 24/11/2012
Saturday, and grey old day in London town, so if you are in the capital, and the weather makes you think you'd rather stay in, you can always shop online. If you feel like getting out, maybe see you for breakfast in Portobello. Here's another addition to our seasonal Champagnes offer.
By Charles Lea on 22/11/2012
We have had Andrea Sottimano (from the eponymous wine estate in Piemonte) going round the shops and various restaurant customers this week, tasting his wines, culminating in a dinner at Quo Vadis. And they are just great. The Barbarescos (Barbaresci?) (no - appparently 'Barbareschi' is correct) are awesome, but it is clear from our tastings that these young wines they do benefit from being opened early if possible.
By Charles Lea on 21/11/2012
We may be on the 'beach' here, but golly what a dreary day it is! It seems hardly to have got light today on the western borders of Chelsea.
By KD on 17/11/2012
SOLD OUT On Thursday 13th December we are hosting our final wine dinner of 2012, in one of our favourite dining rooms in London, the private room at the River Café, with the wines of Castello del Terriccio. Patrick Sandeman was the first 'outsider' (not from the estate staff) other than the consultant oenologist Carlo Ferrini, to taste these wines, back in the early '90s.
By Charles Lea on 15/11/2012
Beaujolais Villages Nouveau from Domaine Rochette - which can be ordered on the website now for delivery on release day (for those of you in London at least) which is tomorrow, Thursday 15th Nov., or bought in the shops from tomorrow late morning.
By Charles Lea on 15/11/2012
Following the tragic death of Patrick Sandeman, his wife Katie, who has always been an integral part of the Lea & Sandeman, has been appointed a director of the Company. I am absolutely delighted that Katie has accepted to become my co-director. Katie joined Lea & Sandeman at the very start.
By Andrew Hooper on 13/11/2012
We are delighted to offer the second release of Gonzalez Byass’ rare and delicious Palmas range of sherries. Since the 1880s Gonzalez Byass has used the Palmas system to classify its highest quality Finos.
By Charles Lea on 08/11/2012
This year we were happy to be awarded the accolade of best Independent Champagne retailer by the trade mag. 'Harpers', but that pales into insignificance beside the tweet that Jancis Robinson sent out after our last tasting:- "Today's tasting suggested nowhere better in London to buy Champagne than Lea & Sandeman".
By Charles Lea on 06/11/2012
SOLD OUT WINEMAKER’S DINNER with Andrea SOTTIMANO and his stunning BARBARESCOS at Quo Vadis On Wednesday 21st November we are hosting a wine dinner in the private dining room of Quo Vadis, together with Andrea Sottimano.
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 David Porter on 26/10/2012
On Monday we faced another of the many hurdles on the long path since losing Patrick, with our postponed Press tasting. An opportunity for us to show the world our latest finds, as well as new vintages of much loved wines on our list.