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Jean-Christophe Poizat has a passion: for the wine his company Maison Vauron imports, and for the country it comes from, France. Thus his Burgundy tastings are as much a tour of that wine region, "the most sophisticated in France", as they are a discovery of wine which he describes as "amazing in every sense". Recently back from Burgundy, he reported on the '08 & '09 vintages, before presenting his selection of '07 wines from four different sub-regions.

Burgundy vintages often vary widely from year to year, thanks to a continental climate capable of delivering weather to challenge the best vineyard manager. '07 started with a great Spring but was followed by a difficult Summer, only to be saved by excellent weather in the final month. Jean-Christophe described it as "a winemaker's year" rather than "an easy vintage".

Four of Burgundy's five sub-regions were visited through his selected wines. Cote de Beaune is one half of the famed Cote d'Or (golden slopes); the other half being Cote de Nuits, "the Champs-Elysees of the strip". Beaujolais, known for gamay, is further south & in between, Cote Chalonnaise. Terroir binds these areas, but in many ways divides them too, as Jean-Christophe revealed in their nuanced differences, further reflected in the designation of Grand Cru, Premier Cru and Villages appellations.

"Soil is everything in Burgundy": clay mixed with limestone, apart from the granite soils of Beaujolais. "Visit a village & push your hand into the soil - you can feel the differences. In areas of Cote de Beaune there is little topsoil before you hit hard limestone, compared to the greater depths of Cote de Nuits." Gentle slopes, with good exposure to sunlight, all combine to "express the best definition of each individual vineyard".

Duck & chicken liver mousse, pork & mushroom terrine, Bayonne ham, home-made sausage & a selection of French cheeses, all supplied by La Fromagerie, complimented the wines. Red Burgundies are natural food wines: pair them with the flavours of game, such as rabbit, duck & venison, as well as the earthy-undergrowth flavour of mushrooms.

Jean-Christophe's chosen language, to describe the eight wines tasted, included such phrases as "silkiness on the palate", "hidden power underneath" & "much tighter, profound". As he explained, "the preferred local vocabulary, by these down-to-earth Burgundians, is to judge by mouth-feel rather than structure & colour". Not that he refrained from describing a Vosne-Romanee from Cote de Nuits as "perfumed & flowery"!

Compared to New Zealand pinot noir, red Burgundies are a distinctly different expression of the grape. A style of wine that "eats you from the inside", says Jean-Christophe: after your inital approach you feel drawn back to discover something hidden, something more. "I often find my Burgundy tastings are quieter than normal - these wines have a feeling of reflection about them."