By Charles Lea on 11/12/2012
Bring a bit of real summer to this dark time of year with some of this amazing white. It includes a variety聽which聽might test even the authors of the new great tome 'Wine Grapes',聽(Jancis Robinson MW, Julia Harding MW聽and Swiss botanist Dr Jos茅 Vouillamoz).
By Charles Lea on 09/12/2012
From Victoria Moore's column in yesterday's Telegraph, a little raft of recommendations from our last tasting.
By Charles Lea on 08/12/2012
Nice note from Liz Sagues in the Ham & High this week:- "I鈥檇 planned to write about several more excellent independent merchants here, but there is room only for a quick focus on one, Lea & Sandeman (shops in Chelsea, Kensington, Barnes and Chiswick, online at www.
By Charles Lea on 08/12/2012
'Light and brisk or solid and savoury? Choose your Christmas bubbly.
By Charles Lea on 30/11/2012
Many of our customers have been very happy to be introduced to the great value wines from Terras d'Alter over the last year. Obviously we would like even more people to try them, and unsurprisingly so would the winemaker, Peter Bright. Peter's Aussie origins are evident in the聽fresh fruit and聽clean brightness of all of these wines.
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聽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聽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聽dinner at Quo Vadis.聽And they are just great. The Barbarescos (Barbaresci?) (no - appparently 'Barbareschi' is correct)聽are awesome, but it is clear from our tastings that these young wines聽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聽River Caf茅, 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聽- which can be ordered on the website now for delivery on release day (for those of you in London at least)聽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聽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聽accepted to become my co-director. Katie joined Lea & Sandeman聽at the very start.