With fine-wine merchants struggling to keep afloat, thank heavens for The Wine Society. The world’s largest mail-order wine club — it was founded in the Albert Hall in 1874 — may not be the cool drinker’s idea of a good wine merchant, but there’s no denying its ability and worth.

Central to the society’s workings, and to its 90,000 members, are the wines bought early, or en primeur, in every good vintage. A portion of the wines is released immediately, so members can lay them down, while others are kept in the society’s temperature-controlled cellars and released only when ready to drink. Members can also store fully insured wines in the society’s cellars for £7.92 a year (other merchants charge £15 or more).

Once you have joined, by buying a £40 share (call 01438 741177, or visit thewinesociety.com/join), you will find the society’s prices to be keen without being rock bottom.

Solo drinkers will like the French half-bottles at £4.33 a pop, or £6 for more serious halves. Other best buys include Aussie Grant Burge’s juicy, fruity, blackcurrant pastille-layered 2008 Benchmark Shiraz at £5.95, and a spicy, herby Italian red, the 2007 Vigna Corvino Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, for £6.95.

Spend more to taste the society’s true strengths, including a wacky but gorgeous, gentle, fragrant, cherry-scented red from the Moselle, Château de Vaux’s 2007 Les Hauts Bassières (£10.95), and a distinguished and delicious perfumed, spicy, cedar wood-redolent 2005 Château de la Grave Côtes de Bourg claret for £8.50.

A final treat: if you buy any friends or family a £40 share before December 31, they will receive a £20 welcome credit from the society. Hurrah.

THE WEEK’S BEST BUYS

2008 La Baume, Grande Olivette, Chardonnay-Viognier, Vin de pays d’Oc, France Waitrose, down to £4.99 until November 3 A superior Languedoc white with exotic, spicy fruit.

2007 Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône, France Marks & Spencer, £8.99 Compare the red above with this exclusively syrah-based northern Rhône red heaving with rich, spicy black fruit flavours.

2008 Saint Chinian, Domaine Combes, France Waitrose, down to £5.24 until November 3 Syrah-dominant, unoaked, elegant, peppery and fruity French red from the Midi, close to Montpellier.

2009 Clairault Sauvignon Blanc, Margaret River, Western Australia Marks & Spencer, £9.99 The Clairault Estate is one of Margaret River’s best, so lap up the fine, floral, verdant nettle and lime-zest fruit.

THE KEEPER

2007 Malbec Achaval Ferrer, Mendoza, Argentina Corney & Barrow (020-7265 2400), £12.49 Cellaring a New World wine may sound daft but Argentina’s full-throttle malbec, the country’s finest red grape, is an obvious contender. Put away this distinguished and already seductive, spicy, mulberry-stashed malbec, from one of the finest Argentine producers, for five years or so and it will develop all sorts of dusky, complex, earthy flavours. Drink now until 2012.

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