Vinous treasures from Yapp Brothers

Oh dear, I’m about to be ‘Yapped’. Jason and Tom, those evil geniuses behind Yapp Bros – in fact they’re step-bros – are taking me on their next buying trip. I love them dearly, but rarely return from such expeditions unscathed, and yet again fear for my well-being.

Unrivalled as they are in rootling out the rarest, tastiest vinous treasures of France, Jas and Tom are also masters of mischief and can sniff out trouble in the most unpromising places. ‘Just the one glass and it’s off to bed,’ they’ll chorus, all innocence. Six hours later, I’ll have no idea where I am nor where I’ve been but will have a nagging fear it’ll require a fib or so to Mrs Ray.

We’ll have drunk wonderful wines along the way, though – such as the 2022 Grand Aven (1) from the Côtes du Vivarais in the far north-west reaches of the southern Rhône.