It’s a measure of how far it’s come since Tony Laithwaite hawked his wares in a Ford van that Laithwaites felt bold enough to put a selection of fine wines into its autumn wine tasting. Starting out as Bordeaux Direct, Laithwaites is part of the Direct Wines empire that includes the Sunday Times Wine Club, Avery’s and virginwines.com. It must have been a tricky decision because ‘fine wine’ can be a no-no for value seekers. And Laithwaites has always prided itself, often with good reason, on value.

Though the value of St.Emilion’s 2009 Château l’Angélus, has been bloated by a recent leg-up to first growth status, I doubt customers will be forming a queue to snap it up at £255 a pop, as fabulous as this wine unquestionably is. By comparison, the cedar-scented, voluptuously concentrated, glossy dark berry flavoured 2009 L’Epiphanie à Tertre Daugay, £30, is a relative snip. Back on terra firma, the 2010 Le Grand Chai Haut-Médoc, £12.99, made by the group’s experienced winemaker, Jean-Marc Saboua, is a mulberry-juicy claret of flavour and distinction.

The Rhône selection includes a seductively perfumed 2010 Domaine Yann Chave Le Rouvre, £19.99, all pepper and svelte blackberry. From Italy, there’s a succulent mouthful of intense raspberryish fruit in the 2008 Vigna Pedale Riserva, Castel del Monte, £18.99 and a mouthwateringly savoury, sweet and sour cherryish 2007 Castello di Bossi ‘Berardo’ Chianti Classico Riserva, £25. If it’s all too much for you, the 2010 Château Millegrand Mourral Grande Reserve, Minervois, £8.99, brings respite in the form of spicy red fruited autumnal solace.

With its temperature-controlled Stevenage warehouses chock full of member’s reserves, you’d expect The Wine Society to ooze fine wine through the pores. Yet by investing profit into margins, the non-profit making club has cut prices on 400 wines. Value really is its stock in trade and it showed at its autumn tasting with offers like six for the price of five, so £22.50, on its own tongue-tingling Society’s Champagne. Similarly for its fragrantly limey and refreshing, mineral dry 2009 Society’s Exhibition Riesling, £11.95, from Josmeyer, and the exceptionally succulently exuberant and cherry-laden 2010 Society’s Exhibition Morgon Côte du Puy, £8.95.

The 2009 Château de Camarsac, £8.95, is a cheeky young but juicy modern claret, while the deliciously ripe fresh berry fruit of the distinctively north Italian 2011 Hofstätter Joseph Lagrein 2011, £11.50, makes it an admirably affordable rosso. The Society’s 2006 Exhibition Gigondas, Saint-Cosme, £12.50, is a model of richly spiced liquid plum cake and muscular tannin. You might even push the Christmas boat out with an intensely-flavoured, hauntingly Margaux-esque Bordeaux blend from Western Australia, in the 2010 Night Harvest ‘John George’ Cabernet Sauvignon, £25. It goes without saying that the one-off £40 share cost is money more than well spent.

Something For The Weekend

Something for the Weekend 3 November 2012

Night In

2011 Pasico Old Vine Monastrell Shiraz

From the inhospitable terrain of Jumilla in southern Spain, this is a brambly, cherryish red from Juan Gil produced from robust bush vine monastrell, aka mourvèdre, with a touch of shiraz to soften the punchy tannins. £5.99, Sainsbury’s.

Dining In

2011 K-Naia Verdejo, Rueda, Spain

The refreshing citrusy aromas of this northern Spanish dry white made from the verdejo grape leads into a glassful of lively, peachy fruitiness whose juicy acidity and appetisingly dry aftertaste cry out for ceviche or shellfish risotto. £8.99, Booths supermarkets.

Splash Out

2007 Château Doisy-Daëne Blanc Sec, Graves

Five years bottle age and the lemony freshness of this dry white from Sauvignon Blanc specialist Denis Dubourdieu shines on brightly, a delicate kiss of oak adding a textured, creamy quality to the herbal fruitiness.19.95, Tanners (01743 234 500).