The discerning drinker: Côte d’Or favourites

I've been thinking about Burgundy a lot this week, having read terroiriste Jonathan Nossiter's Liquid Memory, with its paeans to Meursault and Volnay. I also went to the launch of Jasper Morris MW's huge new book on Burgundy, published by Berry Bros (I'll review both next month).

The tasting at the Morris launch confirmed the excellence of many 2007 and 2008 white burgundies: these two quite austere years are coming around beautifully (the reds are another matter). Here are some of my more reasonably priced Côte d'Or favourites from recent tastings.

Louis Jadot Bourgogne Chardonnay 2007 (Tesco, £10.49)
From a big but reliable house, this blends grapes from the Côte d'Or and the Mâconnais. It's got more class than you'd expect from a straight AOC Bourgogne: firm acidity from the chilly 2007 vintage but decent fruit too.

Labouré-Roi St Romain 2008 (Majestic, £9.99 or £8.99 each when you buy two)
St Romain is one of the Côte de Beaune's more modest appellations, tucked up a side valley west of Auxey-Duresses, but its whites can be good value. This has the chiselled definition typical of the cold, wet 2008 vintage, but with good, concentrated fruit. From another large négociant, this is about as cheap as Côte d'Or white gets.

Bouchard Père et Fils Beaune du Château 2007 (Waitrose, £25.49)
Brisk acidity, as you'd expect, but this is beautifully balanced and elegant.

Domaine Fernand & Laurent Pillot "Noyers Brets" Puligny-Montrachet 2007 (Lea and Sandeman, £29.95)
This is surprisingly fat for a 2007, but the ripe fruit is well balanced with acidity. Not cheap — but classy.

I don't usually publicise tastings but this is worth getting to: The Wine Gang, a collective of wine writers, are holding their second annual tasting — of 500 wines — on Saturday, November 6 at Vinopolis.
More info: thewinegang.com.