This week’s offer, from Yapp Brothers of Wiltshire, is exclusively of Rhône wines.

This week’s offer, from Yapp Brothers of Wiltshire, is exclusively of Rhône wines. It’s a good time to buy, since Burgundy is following claret up the price scale in the Far East. Everyone expects that Rhône will be the next to cost a small fortune. Or in the case of the greatest names, a large fortune. In the meantime, prices remain very reasonable for the quality. Rhône wines have great depth of flavour, a spiciness, and generally a lovely sun-baked feel. No wonder they have always been very popular with British drinkers.

And Yapp Bros, as regular readers know, are famous for ferreting out superb bottles, often from independent growers whose small production makes them of little interest to the supermarkets and chains, but who are able to put all their knowledge and dedication into the wine.

Take the Lirac La Fermade 2010 (1) made by Richard Maby, very much in the style of his father and grandfather. Lirac is not a well-known appellation, which is unfair on them, but not on us, because we can buy the wine for less than we would if it were famous. This is made from a blend of Grenache Blanc, Clairette and Picpoul, which between them bring nicely balanced and zingy floral flavours. I find it perfect for that first glass when you get home, but it goes well with food too. Discounted to £9.95 a bottle.

A shade fuller and fatter is the Côtes du Rhône Sablet Blanc from Saint Gayan (2), also made from the classic white grapes of the region. This is slightly smoother and even creamier than the Lirac. A very graceful wine, I thought, and again, perfect with food. Reduced to £10.90.

Brézème has for a long time been one of my favourite whites. It is almost unknown here, coming from a tiny district slap-bang between the northern and the southern Rhône. Jean-Marie Lombard makes tiny quantities, using the plump, satisfying Marsanne grape, plus a fifth from the perfumed Viognier. The result in his 2010 (3) is fruity and flavoursome, but with an appealing mineral undertone which means it can work not just with fish and white meat, but with many other dishes too. Its ­discounted price of £15.60 makes it quite a bargain.

Now the reds. The Petit Caboche 2010 (4) from the Vaucluse is packed with fruit and spices, and was a huge hit at the informal tasting I held with friends and neighbours. It’s a smooth, outgoing wine (sorry, makes it sound like Roger Moore) made from 100 per cent Grenache, and at the reduced price of £7.80 you can afford to drink plenty. A very stylish wine and a very satisfying one too in these cold, dreeky months.

We also all loved the Côtes du Vivarais Reserve 2009 (5), from the Ardèche. It’s from a co-op, which I normally mistrust, since I think it’s important for the grower to have his name on the label. But round here farms tend to have other crops and raise animals too, so yields are small. Without a co-op, nobody could make wine, and the results are splendid. In this, a blend of four different grapes, Grenache, Syrah, Mouvedre and Cinsault, creates a wine that is slightly scented, and packed with layered flavours. A gorgeous drop at a reduced price of £8.50.

Finally our top red is a Crozes-­Hermitage. This is often regarded as the little brother of the better known Hermitage and the fabled Côte Rôtie, which means it costs less, and when it’s as good as this one from Pascal Frères, then it makes a tremendous bargain. For those who like a premium Rhône at a discount price of £12.25.

There is a sample case containing two of each bottle. Delivery, as always, is free.