Steven Spurrier, Decanter

"Charles Lea and Patrick Sandeman's specialist shops in three of London's smartest residential areas are in my view the best wine merchants in the capital. They combine ease of access with a rigourously hand-picked selection whose quality always offers value for money."

The Independent on Sunday Review

"Don't come to Lea and Sandeman for £3.99 party plonk. For everything else, from interesting everyday drinking to second-mortgage claret, it is the best in town. It buys what is exceptional rather than something of everything, and you won't spot a bland brand on the shelves."

WHICH? Wine Guide

"Lea and Sandeman is a young, confident operation which deserves to succeed... Lea & Sandeman is all about strong opinions, good wine and staying one step ahead of the competition. The regional French wines are excellent... as are the Alsace offerings from Marcel Deiss. Rhônes include fine wines from Domaine de la Mordorée, and the stunning Clusel-Roch Côte Rôtie. Burgundies start with humble wines from top growers (e.g. Charles Jobard, Georges Mugneret) before climbing right up to Grand Cru level from the same producers. The Claret range changes from day to day, but there are usually around 100 in stock, so it's worth popping in or phoning up if you are after a particular wine..."

Stephen Bayley

"Lea and Sandeman is a start-up retail business with an astonishingly sophisticated and interesting range of wines, mostly from the Old World and full of curiosities and rarities. Lea & Sandeman offers a step-ahead experience for the comfortably-off wine lover. Its list is the most fastidiously and intelligently presented in London; getting a copy is worth the journey itself. This is a better wine shop than you will find anywhere else in Europe."

Jancis Robinson in the Financial Times

"Lea and Sandeman - a firm of which I am a great admirer. A good measure of an independent merchant is how it buys. Deduct 10 points for those who simply ring round the wholesale importers; add 15 for those who, like Charles Lea, take the trouble to scout around the byways of the world's wine regions in search of exclusive little trouvailles.... Their strength is in the wine world's classics (of which they have a constantly changing stock), characterful bargains from southern France, Valdespino connoisseur Sherries, and evidence of the Italian wine revolution that is shamefully rare in Britain."

Andrew Jefford

"Charles Lea and Patrick Sandeman are as close to natural wine merchants as you will find: customer-committed, skilful at nosing out producers nobody else has found - and just posh enough to inspire confidence. Their clean, pastel-hued shops make exceptionally pleasant browsing grounds."

Charles Metcalfe, Wine Magazine

"Lea and Sandeman specialises in hunting down small growers whose wines are unlikely to appear on the shelves of large chains as they have only small quantities to sell. Given Charles's Burgundian experience, they are strong on Burgundy (and their prices are comparable with other Burgundian Merchants). Other notable spots on the Lea & Sandeman list include Alsace (for the sensational Marcel Deiss wines), New Zealand, California, sherry and Malt Whisky. Lea & Sandeman wines are extremely well-chosen. And if a wine is well above average quality for the appellation, it's worth paying more."

Time Out

"Probably the best wine shop in the country for selection, layout and quality of advice and service, offering interesting, individual wines from all over the world. Patrick Sandeman and Charles Lea concentrate on fine wines, but there is plenty to be had here at reasonable prices."

"A succesful young company thriving on a formula of helpful, personal service and an impressive range of wines from Burgundy, the Rhône, Italy and the south of France. Charles Lea and Patrick Sandeman employ enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff who do their best to answer any queries, however simple. Port and Champagne are always worth browsing through too. Recommended"

"probably the best wine shop in the country"

Oz Clarke in the Sunday Telegraph

"Lea and Sandeman has one of the most imaginative selections of modern Italian wines in the country."

Joanna Simon, The Sunday Times

"I always leave L&S's tastings with an acute attack of optional paralysis, unable to choose between Rhône, Burgundy, Tuscany, and many others - such is the quality and individuality of the range - so I urge you to get on L&S's mailing list or visit one of the three London shops."

WHICH? Wine Guide

"This confident London merchant remains one of the best places in the capital, no the country, to buy great wine. We voted them our Burgundy merchant of the year last year, and the range from throughout the region is still superb. However, we also admire what they are doing in several other areas, and especially for the way in which they actively seek new producers wherever they travel. So far these sojourns have borne fruit mainly in France, notably in Languedoc-Roussillon and the Rhône, and Italy, where the selections from Tuscany and Piedmont are refreshingly devoid of wines bought from the same old UK wholesalers... the emphasis in the choice of wines which they have put together is firmly on quality.... Don't be surprised if staff steer you away from your first choice to something else, and not always somthing more expensive. Follow their advice. We have never been disappointed by any of the recommendations and have come across some fascinating new wines in the process."

La Revue du Vin de France

"Cette boutique-bijou de Fulham Road regorge de trésors en tout genre, avec focus sur la France et l'Italie. Ce n'est l'autre que la caverne d'Ali Baba de Charles Lea et Patrick Sandeman, deux Anglais ratissant les vignobles..."

Jancis Robinson, Financial Times

"One London retailer which takes the trouble to search out the superstars of tomorrow is Lea & Sandeman"

Richard Ehrlich, The Independent on Sunday Review

"One of my faves in the field is Lea & Sandeman, which also excels in Burgundy. It has some basic Bourgogne from top producers which pounds the living daylights out of 90% of supermarket Burgundy - some selling for higher prices. For an occasional treat, or a regular treat if you can afford it, they're worth every penny."

Oz Clarke in the BBC's Olive Magazine Nov 2006

"I recommend Lea and Sandeman's online wine shop (londonfinewine.co.uk) for interesting French and Italian wines."

Stephen Bayley

"a better wine shop than you will find anywhere else in Europe"

Jancis Robinson

"a firm of which I am a great admirer"

Oz Clarke

"one of the most imaginative selections of modern Italian wines in the country"

Time Out London - Shops and Services: The Essential London Sourcebook

"Lea and Sandeman is so good you may not know where to start. Charles Lea and Patrick Sandeman only buy wines they are really excited about, whether it's a Vin de Pays d'Oc or a £60 red Burgundy. Here, Europe is king, but the coverage is global, and there's always the same attention paid to good buying. What's more, the prices here are far lower than you would expect for this part of town. It's no wonder that so many critics regard L&S as the finest wine shop in London."

La Revue du Vin de France

"cette boutique-bijou de Fulham Road regorge de trésors en tout genre"

Which? Wine Guide

"one of the best places in the country to buy great wine"

Joanna Simon

"I urge you to get on L&S's mailing list or visit on of the three London shops"

Robert Joseph

"Their wine list emphasises value for money, whether you are spending £5 or £50. Particularly good for the demon Pinot Noir grape in all its infinite forms"

Tom Stevenson

"An excellent wine merchant with one of the largest and best selections of Champagne in the country"

Harry Eyres

"all about strong opinions, good wine and staying one step ahead of the competition."

Andrew Jefford

"as close to natural wine merchants as you will find: customer-committed, skilful at nosing out producers nobody else has found"

Michael Edwards, www.italiauk.net

"Lea & Sandeman (www.londonfinewine.co.uk), the most resourceful of independent English wine shippers, who search out Italian ace buys that other merchants miss."