Summer Selections: Our top wine picks for Summer
By Charles Lea on 26/05/2014
If you’ve found yourself overwhelmed by choice, we’ve made a few carefully selected lists to help you choose some great summer wines.
Author Archives: Charles Lea
Bicocchi Alicante – delicious organic red which can be drunk from the fridge
By Charles Lea on 21/05/2014
This week’s Wine of the Week is the perfect summer ‘fridge’ red. It is one of the first three wines we have imported from Bicocchi Alicante, a family farm near Massa Marittima in the Tuscan Maremma.
Tenuta Monteti – a model wine estate comes of age – Limited opening offer.
By Charles Lea on 15/05/2014
The L&S team at Vinitaly voted Tenuta Monteti’s 2008 ‘Monteti’ the most exciting wine we tried there this year.
2013 Bordeaux 06/05 – Pichon Lalande, Ducru Beaucaillou, Pavie Macquin, Beauséjour Duffau Lagarosse, Larcis Ducasse
By Charles Lea on 06/05/2014
The whole stable of wines from Nicolas Thienpont at Pavie Macquin, which started with the Cote de Francs Puygueraud and continued through Trimoulet, to the grander wines, Berliquet, Larcis Ducasse, Pavie Macquin itself and Beauséjour (Duffau Lagarosse), showed very well
2013 Bordeaux 05/05 – Bank Holiday releases, Malescot Saint Éxupery, Clos L’Église
By Charles Lea on 06/05/2014
The Bank Holiday releases brought another yawn. Malescot may be not terribly expensive compared to previous vintages, but it is hard to get excited, while Clos l’Église just makes us think Beauregard is much better value.
2013 Bordeaux 02/05 – Recap: where to find value, including the 2013 L&S mixed Sauternes case
By Charles Lea on 02/05/2014
Today Neal Martin begins his note on the 2013 Sauternes with "Usually, I urge readers to go out and buy Sauternes at the end of my report, but instead.
2013 Bordeaux 24/4 – Haut Brion, La Mission, & Co
By Charles Lea on 24/04/2014
Today sees the release of the Haut Brion stable, including the highly prized whites of both la Mission and Haut Brion which, if they are of interest to you, need snapping up.
2013 Bordeaux 23/04 – Grand Puy Lacoste, Haut Batailley, Canon la Gaffelière, Malartic-Lagravière
By Charles Lea on 23/04/2014
2013 Grand Puy Lacoste (£340) was voted one of the best value wines in a poll around the wine trade before the campaign began this year, but at around this price there are several mature and drinkable vintages around the market so this seems to have been a bit premature.
2013 Bordeaux 22/4 – Margaux, Meyney, d’Issan, Brane Cantenac, Troplong Mondot
By Charles Lea on 22/04/2014
Today’s releases include Château Margaux (£2400) which we tasted well, and like Mouton Rothschild it sits comfortably in the market below any available vintage. Its second wine Pavillon Rouge is also out at £795, while we have a very very small volume of Pavillon Blanc (£540 per six bottles).
2013 Bordeaux Primeur releases 16/04/2014 – Climens, Lafite
By Charles Lea on 16/04/2014
Just now we have seen the release of Lafite at £3200 per doz., or £1600 per six bottles in bond down a little on last year and by some distance (£2000 per doz) the cheapest Lafite in the market.
Bordeaux Primeurs 15/4/2014
By Charles Lea on 15/04/2014
A mini deluge of wines on the market this morning, starting with Canon (£365), the 1er Grand Cru Classé Saint Emilion in the same ownership as Rauzan Ségla (also £365) which has already been released at a perfectly sensible price, and Canon has followed suit.
Bordeaux Primeurs 14/4/2014
By Charles Lea on 14/04/2014
Cos d'Estournel (£900) and it's stable (Pagodes £290, Cos Blanc £480) are released today but the pricing of Cos is not really conducive to primeur purchasing. If anyone is determined to complete a vertical we will be delighted to supply this but in the meantime there we have single bottles of the excellent 2007 (Neal Martin 92) in the warehouse that is yours for £88.