Clapham Village Store has Hardy's "Bin 161" Shiraz 2019 in stock.

I seldom drink wine but I do enjoy a glass when it's pasta for tea. This particular red wine from Clapham shop is really nice - and only ?5-99. At 13%, it's one to sip & savour.

(I could ramble on about all the other good stuff in Clapham shop but it'd not be of special interest to wine drinkers. I do my main weekly shop there, so I've tried most things.)

Anyway, just saying, in case it's useful for any passing cavers, who enjoy a nice glass of red.

Check https://www.claphamvillagestore.co.uk/ for opening hours.

Spoken like a true NPC member Pitlamp 

Although I remember soon after I joined, arriving to a packed Greenclose (where several bottles of red wine were already in the middle of the table). I produced from my bag a bottle of Hardy's and added it to the collection, only for Connoisseur Westlake to exclaim how pleased he was we had brought some cooking wine.

In the end, the bottle was quaffed with no complaints... in fact it was rather excellent, as you have also identified.

Nonetheless, I felt I had to up my game and make amends, and a few weekends later I produced a bottle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. All was quickly forgiven, and I think that may have assisted with my appointment to full membership at the AGM a few months later. I only got one glass of my ?15/bottle wine...

Nice one Matt!

But we got a good member as a result, so no complaints.

Some time I must tell you tale of a certain former NPC member who reckoned to be a highly skilled connoiseur. He left a half full bottle of something really posh and expensive in the kitchen and went to the pub. Once back at the cottage in the wee small hours, he waxed lyrical on the wonders of his choice of wine whilst finishing the bottle; the colour, the bouquet, the exquisite after taste - all the usual baloney. Only the contents might possibly have been swapped for someone else's cheap and nasty choice from the Co-op . . . .  Not that I'd have been involved, of course. 

I ought to do one of these club Zoom talks on "Tales from Greenclose" if I could be sure of getting this box of tricks to work properly.

Ah, it must be the company he keeps up in Yorkshire, when we've spoken in Derbyshire he's talked about buying good cheap wine from France, maybe even in the box?!? and even then opts for the DOOMBAR in the pub.

I think Connoisseur Westlake revels in finding new and inventive ways of getting other people drunk, I remember one night he said "it's my turn to get the drinks", being with two non drinkers he proceeded to the bar and returned with one pint but nothing for himself.  :-\

Down South we have to make do with manky supermarket black pudding and warm beer.  Not a tin of caviar or fine Chablis in sight 

Not so alastairgott; I once got some excellent advice from a French lady we were staying with on a caving trip. She told us to forget all the hype and her two bits of advice were:

1. Watch what the locals are buying,

2. Try some of these, decide which you like best - and buy more of that.

Simple. 

Regarding the Hardy's Bin 161 from Clapham, I tried, I liked, I bought more. 

Even though you're allowed to visit Wales, you can't buy alcohol in the pubs!

Not bad pitlamp, sipping and savouring. Good choice in my eyes, you could pour over books and find excellent wine, but if your going to drink it then your going to drink it.


If it?s not ?3 wine then your probably doing alright!


(Nb not from Yorkshire, but from my nearest petrol station)

Hmmmm. Looks like the supplier has put the price up! My supplies (also from the excellent Clapham Village Store) were bought at a time whn it was a touch cheaper!