The Wine Blokes

Alan Clark was a maverick figure in the Conservative Party from 1974. It was a surprise when Margaret Thatcher named him parliamentary under-secretary for the Department of Employment. Clark was less than interested in employment matters and it showed. Just before reading his first ministerial speech on equal pay to the House of Commons in 1983, he attended a wine tasting and turned up to the Dispatch Box rather merry.

His offhand and satirical speech provoked an angry response from the Clare Short in the Opposition who accused him of being drunk. Clark and some friends had drunk; Château Palmer 1961 and a Château Palmer 1975 and a 1961 Château Pichon-Longueville. He had not found the time to read his brief. Afterwards, he wrote, “If you are going to befuddle your senses on an evening when you need some of them, then this, at least, was a pretty good way to do it”.

Clark later became Minister of Defence and famous for the indiscretions of his private life, his outspoken views, the arms-to-Iraq affair and the publication of his diaries. Clark’s diaries are punctuated by references to wine and its consumption. He lamented that he could no longer entertain as it was impossible to buy a decent bottle of Claret for less than £100 (1980’s prices!).

Clark kept his wine collection at his home in Saltwood Castle, near Hythe in Kent. Part of it was auctioned at Christie’s in 2005. His cellar was described thus:

Wines were selected for long-term storage in the optimum, cool (if slightly damp) conditions of the Undercroft, at the heart of the Castle buildings. As a result some of the original wooden cases stored there for over 30 years have suffered, but the majority of the bottles are very well-preserved.

The Christie’s auction included: a case of 24 bottles of Château d’Yquem 1967, a case of Château Palmer 1961 and Château Lynch-Bages 1961. The collection went for more than £50,000.