Wine List of the Month
The Lime Tree
This is not your average local West Didsbury ‘caff’, but certainly a cut above, as
the tried and tested formula has maintained this establishment in the area for many
years. One of the features that helps it to do so, is the better than average wine
list which incorporates good value all round with some wines of real quality. There
are just over 100 different wines on the list although many of them are grouped together
as “wines of the month”, which grouping presumably changes monthly. These wines are
also listed in the main body of the list, so don’t just stop at the “wines of the
month” pages, although there is plenty of quality there, especially since all these
wines are available by the glass. Of the total wines almost a third meet our quality
criteria, and of those, around a third meet our price criteria. After the “Wines
of the Month” pages there is a short list of “House” white and red wines, but these
are geared very much to price rather than quality. The main list is conventionally
arranged by country and region for Europe, with a selection of sparkling wines and
Champagnes starting off the list proper. New World wines are all lumped together
in one section.
In the Champagne section Dom Pérignon 2000 is very fairly priced at £110 and all
the other sparkling wines are not over the top with the entry level Rosado Cava from
Mas Macia coming in at £18.00. Loire whites have the 2 star Sancerre 2007 at £21.00
from Hubert Brochard which is probably better value than Henri Pellé’s Ménétou Salon
Clos des Blanchais 2007 3 stars at £31.00 All the Alsace wines are from the Grand
Cru Brand from the Cave de Turckheim co-operative, with the 3.5 star Gewűrztraminer
taking the honours over the Pinot Gris and the Riesling. All 3 are priced at £28.00.
Squeezed between Alsace and White Burgundies are a few Regional French red wines.
For what reason, I do not know, but it would be a pity if these were missed by red
wine seekers on the list because there is some excellent value here. La Sauvageonne
has two entries in the list - the 3 star Pica Broca 2005 at £21.00 being a little
better value for money than the 3.5 star Puech de Glen 2005 at £35.00. If you are
going to spend £35.00 on a wine then I would suggest that the 4 star Bandol Rouge
2005 from Lafran Veyrolles is a better bet. There is an exciting bargain in the white
Burgundies with Domaine Ramonet’s 5 star Chassagne-Montrachet “Les Ruchottes” 2005
offered for £55.00 on the list - about £30 cheaper than you can get it retail. You
had all better jump in before Patrick puts the price up! Similarly in the red Burgundy
section, Roumier’s Chambolle-Musigny 1999 at £39.50 is about half the retail price,
although this is only a 3 star wine. The Clarets have the 4 star Ch. Haut-Marbuzet
1998 at £69, which is a little steep whilst other clarets on the list do not excite.
In the Rhône section, the Brunel’s Ch.de la Gardine 1998 Ch‰teauneuf-du-Pape is also
4 star value at £55.00, and 4 star value can also be found in the Spanish red section
in Numanthia 2000 at £50.00. At the other end of the scale Sierra Cantabria’s entry
level Rioja 2006 has only 1.5 stars, but is available at a mere £15.50 whilst their
Crianza 2004 has 2 stars for £19.00. Italian whites have a couple of goodies from
Elena Walch, from the Alto Adige - Gewűrztraminer 2006 at £18.50 and the Kastelaz
Pinot Bianco 2006 at £22.00, Reds have the outstanding 5 star plus Barbaresco Starderi
1997 from La Spinetta at £120.00 which is not a lot more than retail price.
There is better value in the New World whites section with Keith Tulloch’s 4 star
Sémillon 2006 from New South Wales, exceptional value at £21.50. In the reds, Rustenberg’s
John X Merriman 3 star Bordeaux blend 2005 at £25.00 takes the edge against their
Peter Barlow 4 star Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 at £45. Even better 4 star value, however,
is Keith Tulloch’s Kester Shiraz 2002 at £35.00. There is a good selection of half
bottles, including halves of Hubert Brochard’s Sancerre at £10.50, and Sierra Cantabria’s
Rioja Crianza at £11.00, both mentioned above. All in all, this is a good little
list, nicely priced, with quality choices to be had, particularly by the glass, which
could lead to some happy experimentation.
Best Value White: Keith Tulloch SŽmillon 2006 at £21.50
Best Value Red; Bandol Rouge 2005 - Lafran Veyrolles at £35.00
Rich Man’s Bargain: Domaine Ramonet’s Chassagne-Montrachet ”Les Ruchottes” 2005 at
£55.00
Barbaresco Starderi 1997 - La Spinetta at £120.00
The Lime Tree, 8 Lapwing Lane, West Didsbury, Manchester M20 2WS
Telephone: 0871 811 4873
