The devastating unfairness of hailstorms
By Charles Lea on 26/07/2013
Hail has been much in the news recently, with Tamlyn Currin making Raimond de Villeneuve's La Grêle 2012 Rosé the wine of the week last week on www.
JancisRobinson.com
Under the Radar producers – Laurent Pillot Chassagne 1er cru Morgeot
By Andrew Hooper on 27/02/2013
Father and son Fernand and Laurent Pillot are 4th and 5th generation winemakers in Chassagne Montrachet and LEA & SANDEMAN are proud to have sold their wines for a number of years now. The 2011’s that we showed recently continue their fine tradition of quality.
Under the Radar Producers – Domaine Confuron-Cotetidot, the cream of the Côte de Nuits
By Andrew Hooper on 22/02/2013
UPDATE 20/01/14 You can browse all of our current Côte de Nuits listings here on our website. There can’t be too many wine making families with a type of grape named after them, but there exists a strain of Pinot Noir called Pinot Confuron, reflecting a tradition of careful vine selection and propogation in a family history which dates back to the times of the Sun King, Louis XIV.
2011 Burgundy – Jancis recommends
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.
Last Orders (for delivery) Please
By Charles Lea on 15/12/2012
The time is fast approaching.
Wines in the Press last weekend
By Charles Lea on 08/12/2012
'Light and brisk or solid and savoury? Choose your Christmas bubbly.
SOTTIMANO IN PIEMONTE – TOTAL PURITY
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.
L&S 2012 Winter Champagne Offers – Part One
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".
Saying goodbye to Patrick
By Charles Lea on 07/10/2012
On Thursday 4th October, a Thanksgiving Mass was held for Patrick Sandeman at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Farm Street. The last seat in this huge church was taken twenty minutes before the service began, a testament to the wide regard and affection in which Patrick was held.
“An obit in the pink’un”
By Charles Lea on 29/09/2012
When I emailed to thank Jancis Robinson for her lovely obituary of Patrick Sandeman in today's Weekend FT, she replied that "I think, wherever he is, Patrick may be q tickled by an obit in the pink'un".