W
L
THE CURIOUS QUAFFER
THYME OXTON
A few weeks ago, towards the end of March, the Wirral welcomed a new
restaurant into its midst when ‘Thyme’ opened its doors in Oxton Village. A
smart little place to visit but, for us this month, a restaurant with an equally
smart little wine list too. Always on the lookout for a restaurant with a decent
wine list? Well - here is one to add to your list.
The problem that many of us face these days is that some restaurant wine lists can
be poor and lacking when it comes to both range and quality. Some also involve
wines where the mark up, when it comes to their list price, is too high. The wine
list at ‘Thyme’ does not tick any of these boxes. Its wine list is excellent when it
comes to range and quality and is one which represents value for money with
mark ups, on the wines, which are fair and honest. In the lead up to its opening I
paid a visit to the then, unopened, ‘Thyme’ where I was afforded a sneak preview
of the restaurants forthcoming wine list. The purpose of the visit? Simply to see
if it was any good and worth writing about. Well, not only was it worth writing
about, but a group of us, only a few days later and on the night that ‘Thyme’
opened to the public, were sat tasting a number of its wines over dinner.
Before we dissect the wine list – a bit about the restaurant. It describes itself
as providing English cuisine with a French twist. The menu is thankfully not
overwhelming when it comes to choice, as some can be, has been carefully put
together and provides a variety of dishes to cover for all tastes. All the food is
beautifully presented. We start with ‘Small Plates’ (wild pear bakehouse bread,
baked camembert and French saucisson). The starters involve black pig, sliced
onion soup, sea bass, beetroot salad, pasta, smoked salmon and crab. The main
courses involve duck, chicken, black angus beef, cod, sea trout and cauliflower
cheese tart. There are also a number of sides, some salads and six smart puds
(including a French cheese selection).
THE WINE LIST
So, to the ‘Wine List’. There are three things that matter here – range, quality and
value for money. So here we go:
1. The list starts with four nice sparkling wines – three French and the
impressive Henners Native Grace from East Sussex. There are also three
nice rose’s from France – from the Rhone, the Loire and Provence.
2. There is a comprehensive list of very decent white wines. Predominantly
French wines feature here (including a Cave de Turckheim Riesling from
Alsace, Bouchie-Chatellier Pouilly-Fumé ‘Premier Millésimé’ and Les
Héritiers Saint-Genys Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru ‘Clos St. Jean’).
Add into the mix some New Zealand and South African sauvignon blanc,
albariño from Rias Baxas, vinho verde from Portugal and pinot grigio from
Trentino – you have a very smart selection of wines to choose from.
3. An equally comprehensive selection of quality red wine is also on offer.
Again, the list contains a large selection of French reds (including, here,
Château Maucoil Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Clos de la Cure Saint-Émilion
Grand Cru and Vallet Frères Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru ‘Les Cazetiers’).
Add in some nice Barbaresco, Rioja, Argentinian Malbec, South African
cinsault and an English pinot noir – again a very smart selection of wines.
4. Finally, three nice dessert/ fortified wines feature. This is a pleasing addition
to any restaurant wine list, but something that is often missing. The first
is Château de Cérons form Graves, then a Pedro Ximénez and finally
the fabulous Cline Cellars Late Harvest Mourvedre from California. All
delicious and well worth a punt.
5. As to cost – the white’s range from £18.50 and go up to £95, with many in
the £28 - £50 range. The reds start at £21, going up to £92, with many in the
£26 - £51 range. The price range is wide and reflects the fact that there are
some truly fine wines on the list, as well as many decent wines at decent
prices across the range. All the wines are priced, as I have said, with a fair
uplift (having, as I often do, compared the price displayed on a wine list
against the price I would have to pay if I bought it elsewhere from a retail
outlet).
6. A number of the wines are also sold by the glass (starting at £4.70). This
is, again, a welcome addition to any wine list and gives the customer the
opportunity to try a number of different wines with their meal. For those of
40 wirrallife.com
7.
you who have been reading Wirral Life Magazine for some time, you may
remember my interview with Oz Clarke which appeared in last October’s
edition. His advice was that when you go to a restaurant: “Buy wine by the
glass, not by the bottle. This way you can experiment and buy a number of
glasses containing completely different wines. By doing so you won’t waste a
bottle you may not like, and at the same time will have a number of chances
of finding something that you do”.
Finally, when one looks at range in terms of a wine list, we also have to look
at not just the question of whether there are some decent wines on the list,
but also as to whether they are a good match for, and actually pair with,
the food on the menu. Looking at both the wine list and at the menu, and
having dined at ‘Thyme’, there are multiple wines that match with each and
every one of the items on the menu. Another box ticked.
MY PAIRINGS
In a way I was spoilt for choice when it came to the food, the wine and, as
importantly, when it came to matching one with the other. For me, though, the
following were perfect matches:
•
The La Val Orballo Albariño worked wonderfully with the Handpicked
Dorset Crab Remoulade with smoked salmon roulade, hot smoked salmon,
dill and lemon. This wine was pure, clean and delicate. On the nose you get
lovely fruit notes with hints of apple and lemon. Almost floral with a hint
of honey or nectar too. On the palate you get lovely fruit, with citrus to the
fore. This wine has a lovely balance and minerality to it. I like albariño. This
wine, at only £30 a bottle on a restaurant wine list, is up there with some of
the best. It would be a perfect match for any of the seafood or fish dishes
on the menu.
•
The Sharpham Estate Pinot Noir worked wonderfully with the Short Rib
of Black Angus Beef with toasted hazelnuts, roasted shallots, salsify, red
wine and bone marrow sauce. This lovely wine comes from Devon. It is
a wonderfully smooth wine with lovely soft and well integrated tannins.
It is delicate and full of lovely sweet pinot fruit. Think wild strawberry, a
touch of cherry and red berries. In last month’s Wirral Life Magazine my
article, ‘Beyond Burgundy’, identified some superb cool climate pinots from
around the world that were well worth a try. We can add to this list the
Sharpham Estate Pinot Noir – another fabulous example of a cool climate
pinot.
•
With any of the desserts or cheese you have, as I have said, a choice of three
great wines. You won’t go wrong with any of them. But for me, and whilst I
am a big fan of a pedro ximénez, do try the Cline Late Harvest Mourvedre.
As a winery Cline Cellars produce a fantastic range of wines. If you like a
zinfandel – they have a range of beautiful zins; so keep an eye out for them.
As to the Late Harvest Mourvedre, it is very fruity and rich – prunes, plum
and a touch of chocolate. Luscious and moreish. Very finely balanced and
lovely tannins. Wonderful stuff.
THE OVERALL VERDICT
Great little restaurant with an equally great little wine list. I read recently that a
survey has revealed that very nearly half of all diners opt for the second cheapest
wine on a restaurants wine list. Why? Who knows - perhaps thinking that the
first isn’t worth buying, is below them or that anything else that is more expensive
is likely to be overpriced? Well there is nothing wrong with the cheapest or the
second cheapest wine in any of the various categories on the ‘Thyme’ wine list - so
buy them if that is what takes your fancy. However, don’t fall into the category of
those who don’t move beyond the second cheapest wine on a wine list. There is
much to enjoy here, at every level on the wine list, and very much so with all of
the wines that exceed the price of the second cheapest wine on the list. Overall
‘Thyme’ is a very welcome addition to the dining scene on the Wirral. Whilst the
restaurant is small and compact, this adds to its charm and provides for a ‘buzz’
which is so often lacking in other establishments. It is also open throughout the
day, so you can visit for brunch, lunch and dinner. Reports have filtered back to
me that the brunch menu is well worth sampling. Above all else – enjoy their
wine list. ‘Profiter de nos vins’ - as the French would say!