IF ever there was a suburban bar in
love with wine it was Cellar Key. TOM, after its first visit, described its
owner Andy Leathley (ex-Living Ventures) as “a man so engaged with the
possibilities of the grape it’s beyond infectious. It shows in the exemplary
bottle collection he has compiled, at odds with so many wine lists by numbers
in bars.”
Sadly, this particular love affair
with the grape and all its possibilities is over. The Chorlton wine bar and
bistro will close its doors for good on Valentine’s Day, February 14, a year to
the day it hosted acclaimed chef Mary Ellen McTague, the first of many food
matching pop-ups on a par with its outstanding wine list.
Owner Leathley has issued this
statement: “Although we succeeded in bringing a dedicated wine bar and bistro
to the discerning Chorlton scene, attracted widely renowned guest chefs,
developed a loyal following and popularity in the community and far beyond, we
have to our huge frustration struggled to turn a profit significant enough to
viably continue.
“We cannot emphasise strongly enough
how much we appreciate the support we received from the get-go from our
families, friends & regulars who made this rollercoaster undoubtedly worth
the ride. We will always be proud that we challenged ourselves with our cuisine
and didn’t just play it safe, that we delivered one of the most ambitious wine
lists around and arguably raised the bar in many aspects in our beloved
Chorlton, we walk away with our heads held high.”
It will operate as normal until the
closing date. TOM intends to get down again belatedly to sample some sublime
Pinot Noirs and Rieslings and wishes Andy and his wife all the best in the
future.
Cellar Key, Manchester 495 Barlow Moor Road, Chorlton, M21
8AG. 0161 881 1305.
