Drinking in society; Liquid news.

HAS swine flu - or at least the threat of it - kept you confined indoors? Fear not, you can still keep your cellar stocked thanks to one of the burgeoning collection of wine clubs.

Probably the most respected - but with the lowest profile - is The Wine Society, a not-for-profit organisation that is wholly owned by its 100,000 members.

It costs pounds 40 a year to join the world's oldest wine club, but delivery is free nationwide. Its wines come from all around the world and range from pounds 4 to pounds 400 a bottle.

The society has a commitment to providing its members with interesting, good value wines, but it has a strong following among oenophiles (wine aficionados or connoisseurs) and last year won a Decanter magazine award for Wine Merchant Of The Year.

Becoming a member of this not-so-secret society is easy - all you need to do is buy a share in the business and its considerable assets. This one-off pounds 40 investment lasts for life and can even be bequeathed.

Members have access to more than 1,500 wines ethically sourced by the society's six buyers. It's a brilliant way to buy wine from artisan producers that you normally wouldn't find in your average wine shop or supermarket. The delivery service means you can live in the back of beyond and not miss out. The society also holds more than 100 events around the country each year. To find out more, visit www.thewinesociety.com or call 01438 737700.

. Just one word of caution. Some less scrupulous wine clubs include cold mail-outs in the post. These might look like bargains, but make sure you read the small print as it often turns out that you get signed up to wine 'plans' with cases turning up seemingly uninvited.