Bordeaux 2011 – around a ÂŁtenner, and one a bit more By Charles Lea on 16/04/2012 Bordeaux 2011 - around a ÂŁtenner, and one a bit more Below is a short list of wines selected from those so far on the market which seem to me to offer the 'no-brainer' bit of this (and any other)Â vintage. Read more
2011 Bordeaux – Harvest Stories By Charles Lea on 13/04/2012 Pierre TaĂŻx of La Mauriane in Puisseguin Saint Emilion told us that after the rain at the end of August the vines started to grow again, and that this growth resulted in dry sap tannins in the grapes. Harvest had to be left for at least another ten days for the tannins to polymerize and the grapes re-concentrate. Read more
Bordeaux 2011 – The Weather Report By Charles Lea on 12/04/2012 For once I think it really helps an understanding of the weather to understand the variation and style of the wines of Bordeaux in 2011 - although nothing is ever completely deterministic and odd surprises still exist. The story of the the 2011 harvest began with the dry Indian summer of 2010, which stayed fine long after this fine harvest was in the cellars. Read more
Le Petit Roy – Boy Oh Boy! By Patrick Sandeman on 12/04/2012 I made this simple Vin de France wine of the week after glugging almost an entire bottle of it on my own one evening this week! One of Charles' new finds in the RhĂ´ne valley, from a relatively unknown and very small producer in Châteaneuf (although they do make it into Bob Parker's Wine Advocate), 'Le Petit Roy' is simply a Vin de France because it is made up of eveything that does not make it into the Châteaneuf cuvĂ©es, and as such carries no vintage on the label, only '11eme annĂ©e' which is a clue I guess. Read more
Bordeaux 2011 – Sorting it Out By Charles Lea on 10/04/2012 Tricky vintage. Singed or scorched (cramĂ© or Ă©chaudĂ©, take your pick) grapes. Rotten grapes. Grapes which had failed to turn colour properly. All needed to be sorted out. In Bordeaux there has been much experimentation with sorting in different ways, and all the properties do it - to a greater or lesser extent. Read more
2011 Bordeaux – in the Cellar By Charles Lea on 10/04/2012 Selection, Selection, Selection, seems to be the new mantra on Bordeaux in recent vintages, not only in terms of grapes before the fermentations, but also in terms of the wines that 'make the grade' into each of the different cuvĂ©es that the property produces. Read more
Bordeaux 2011 – The Intro By Charles Lea on 10/04/2012 2011 Bordeaux en primeur Dense and concentrated with flashes of brilliance In 2009 and 2010 it was difficult not to make great wine. In 2011 it was less straightforward. Location mattered, both in terms of the localised weather events, especially hail, but also in terms of the ground the vines were growing in. Read more
A facelift for our Chelsea store By Patrick Sandeman on 09/04/2012 Traditionally at Lea & Sandeman we have always closed our doors for the four day Easter holiday so that we can all take a well earned break and enjoy the seasonal weather. Read more
Lea & Sandeman Pinot Noir – the Wine Gang report By Patrick Sandeman on 22/03/2012 Lea & Sandeman Pinot Noir - the Wine Gang report A selection of fabulous drinking Pinot Noirs as selected by the Wine Gang in their March report. 'This was in fact a tripartite tasting, with a substantial Nebbiolo flight between the Pinot Noirs and the Sangiovese, but we're putting the spotlight on the latter two this month and will cover the Piedmont reds in a forthcoming report. Read more
Lea & Sandeman – Independent Champagne Retailer of the Year By Patrick Sandeman on 21/03/2012 Lea & Sandeman - Independent Champagne Retailer of the Year Harper's magazine is the wine trade's leading review and at their recent annual champagne summit awards Lea & Sandeman were announced as the Independent Champagne Retailer of the Year. Read more
Rippon Vineyards, Central Otago – Beautiful wines from the world’s most beautiful vineyard. By Patrick Sandeman on 08/03/2012 Central Otago Read more
Pol Roger 2002 – A great vintage – Opening Offer By Patrick Sandeman on 06/03/2012 POL ROGERÂ 2002 -Â A great vintage. OPENING OFFER Pol Roger have, after nine years of cellarage, at last released their fabulous 2002 vintage, a vintage that follows in a great line up of ripe vintages; 1959, 1982 and 1990. Read more