Q&A: Catherine Jaen MW, Head of Buying, Lea & Sandeman

Recently appointed head of buying at Lea & Sandeman, Catherine Jaen MW is determined to find new audiences for its range of superlative wines.

What attracted you to Lea & Sandeman - and what do you think Lea & Sandeman can do differently in the increasingly competitive fine wine market?

Their list of longstanding suppliers - many of whom are among my personal favourites - meant Lea & Sandeman was always on my radar. What really clinched it for me this year was the diversity of the business, with roughly equal weight across on-trade, private clients and retail.

It's the first time I've worked for a bricks-and-mortar retailer, and I've found it incredibly motivating to see customers coming into the shops, choosing their wines and walking away with a bottle they're genuinely excited about. I feel much closer to the customer here than I did in my previous roles.

I also think that diversity is a real strength when it comes to suppliers. We can offer them several different routes to market, while still giving customers a very personal experience. That feels increasingly valuable in a fine-wine market where there is plenty of choice, but where personal advice and curation can make a real difference.

You've spent years arguing the case for Burgundy at a time of extraordinary price inflation, tiny volumes and increasingly challenging economics for consumers. What are you now looking for when deciding which producers deserve a place in your portfolio?

Yes, the price increases don't help. Having worked on the production side, though, I know how labour-intensive good vineyard work is, and that has a big influence on what I look for in a producer. The wines have to be delicious, of course, but I also want to understand the quality and integrity of the work that goes into producing them.

And I believe there is still good value to be found in Burgundy. If in doubt, trade up in grower and down in appellation. Some of the best bottles I've had recently have come from less fashionable appellations. When the vineyard work is exceptional, these wines can be genuinely thrilling, and they don't carry the price tag of the top villages and crus.

You have the unusual perspective of having actually made wine in Burgundy as well as buying it commercially. How has that experience changed the way you assess a wine?

My experience on the production side certainly changed the way I look at wine. The quality of the work in the vineyard is fundamental, and I was surprised, when I was on the other side of the pipette, by how few buyers asked about it. The focus was often on vinification and élevage. Those things are incredibly important, of course, but it all starts in the vineyard.

I find that growers often much prefer talking about this too. It's such a large part of their work, and you learn a huge amount about a producer from understanding how they farm.

And yes, becoming a buyer has made me revise some of my thinking. Vineyard work alone isn't enough if the wine doesn't deliver. As one winemaker told me: you can't make good wine from bad grapes, but you can make bad wine from good grapes.

You've now joined a business with a long-established, highly personal buying culture. What is the biggest thing you want to change or challenge in the way Lea & Sandeman buys and sells fine wine?

I'll start at the end, if I may. The thing I absolutely don't want to tamper with is the integrity of the buying. Charles, David and Derek have built a diverse and fascinating list around their personal preferences and, importantly, long-standing direct relationships with growers. It is a truly independent business with a very simple objective: to put delicious wines in front of its customers.

I want to build on that rather than change it. The shops are concentrated in south-west London, but we have our own warehouse and a fleet of drivers already delivering nationwide. There is an opportunity to bring more of that personal buying experience to customers further afield, particularly online, with recommendations coming directly from the buying team.

We search for quality and true value. The aim is to make the expertise and personal touch that already define Lea & Sandeman accessible to more people.