Lea and Sandeman Bordeaux AoC 2007

Tasted 26/01/11, 13% ABV, £8.95 Lea and Sandeman, London. I am not mad on ‘cheap’ claret and generally, below £10 (or perhaps £20 in the case of red Bordeaux) I would rather opt for Chile. However, the reputation of this Old World-focussed London merchant (5 stores in west and central London) and its excellent claret range plus some good reviews tempted me to try this. What a revelation! Well done, L&S. The wine is from a small Fronsac producer, apparently. It has all the characteristics of good Bordeaux – lovely blackcurrants on the nose, lots of juicy black fruits on the palate with plums, quite silky and well balanced with soft tannins. I suspect there’s a lot of Merlot in the blend. Don’t worry about the ’10 Year Rule’ – drink now. 16/20