Discerning drinker: Burgundy 2010 - and some good-value 2009s - Life & Style

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London's wine world is in its customary January madness: exhausted critics and buyers are dashing back and forth across town to around two dozen tastings this week of the 2010 Burgundy vintage, offered en primeur (ie prior to the wines' release) for the first time.

Fortunately it's worth the punishing schedule (stop laughing at the back - you try tasting a couple of hundred wines a day). This is a good vintage, if leaner and more typically Burgundian than 2009. The Côte d'Or whites are well balanced, many already inviting but with longish lives ahead of them. The reds are much riper and more attractive than I had expected (2010 was a difficult year with some lousy weather), many with better structure and tannins than the lusher 09s. But thanks to a much reduced harvest, prices are high, even for the Côte d'Or.

While you wait for them to reach us - most of the reds aren't even in bottle yet - here are a few good-value 2009s to whet your appetite.

Louis Jadot, Bourgogne Chardonnay 2009, AOC Bourgogne (Whole Foods Market, 63-97 Kensington High St, £12.99; Wine Rack, £10.99 reduced to £8.99 until 19 Feb)
A very solid straight white Burgundy from arguably the region's most reliable négociant: generous and fruity but well balanced. Made mostly from Côte d'Or grapes, plus some from the Mâconnais.

Roland Rapet, Pernand Vergelesses Les Combottes 2009 (M&S, £25)
Pernand Vergelesses, tucked into a valley behind the hill of Corton, isn't among the grandest Côte d'Or names. As a result, its whites can be better value than the likes of, say, Meursault. This is elegant and beautifully balanced.

Marc Haisma, Pinot Noir 2009, AOC Bourgogne (From Vineyards Direct, mail order only from fromvineyardsdirect.com, £14.45: you can mix cases, free delivery)
In a ripe year like 2009, humble AOC Bourgogne comes into its own: even grapes from less-favoured sites outside named villages can make tasty wines. French-Australian producer Mark Haisma trained at Yarra Yering and there's something of that Yarra Valley sweetness and ripeness in this still thoroughly Burgundian wine.

Domaine Joël Rémy, Bourgogne Rouge 2009, AOC Bourgogne (Lea & Sandeman, £11.75 or £10.75 as part of a mixed case of 12)
Sweet, ripe fruit and balance from a notably quality-conscious producer. For me this is just about as good as straight red AOC Bourgogne gets.

The Society's Exhibition St Aubin 2009 (The Wine Society, mail order only from thewinesociety.com, £10.95 - reduced to £9.95 from Mon 16 Jan)
St Aubin is one of the Cinderellas of the Côte d'Or, hidden down a side valley west of Chassagne-Montrachet - which tends to make its wines good value. This red from the Wine Society's ever-excellent Exhibition range is made by Henri Proudhon. Fragrant, dry, savoury - and at a very fair price.

Domaine Sylvain Pataille Marsannay 2009 (Wine Society, £14.95)
Reds from Marsannay, the Côte de Nuits's northernmost village, aren't usually that exciting. In a good year and in the hands of a skilled grower like Pataille, though, they can be attractive and good value: this is tangy, fruity, refreshing and surprisingly fleshy.

Domaine Fernand and Laurent Pillot, Pommard Les Tavannes 2009 (Lea & Sandeman £24.95 or £22.50 as part of a mixed case of 12)
Pommard makes the grandest and sturdiest reds of the Côte de Beaune: they're often less approachable young - and expensive. This, however is both enjoyable now and good value (if not exactly cheap): earthy, firm, tangy and long.