AH, Bourgogne. Or Burgundy, as we Brits like to call it.

Did you know this beautiful, rolling part of eastern France - in the valleys and slopes west of the Saône, a tributary of the Rhône - has a considerably higher number of appellations d'origine contrôlée (AOCs) than any other French region.

It's also arguably the most terroir-conscious of the French wine regions - where the soil, subsoil and terrain (allied to climate and 2,000 years of ingrained knowhow among the growers) is believed to greatly affect the quality of the fruit and therefore the aroma and subtlety of the drinks.

We recently had a quick lesson in Burgundy wines on a lovely walking trip in the beautiful Morvan region, having taken in visits to a couple of wineries, namely the Cave Henry de Vezelay (a cooperative of 13 growers near the historic little town of Vezelay; www.henrydevezelay.com) and the Domaine Le Croix Montjoie (a beautiful spot just up the road; en.lacroixmontjoie.com).

The AOCs here, in ascending order of regulated quality, are: Regional (for example, Mâcon Villages or Crémant de Bourgogne), which are a good entry point for Burgundy tipples; then Villages, where wines come from a particularly well-regarded named commune; then Premier Crus, where they come from specifically good plots in a Village; then Grand Crus, which are the elite plots of the elite.

Vezelay wines, we learned at Cave Henry, are currently part of a Regional appellation but are set to be granted their own Village status.

The main tipples in Burgundy - Chardonnay and Pinot Noir - are noted more for delicacy and elegance than powerfulness, especially when compared to New World versions.

Regarding the former, Chablis, in the northernmost part of Burgundy, is the most famed Village appellation (and is so distinct that it's generally referred to by its own name rather than as "Burgundy wine".) The soil and comparatively cool climate around the town of Chablis make for a more flinty or steely and less fruity Chardonnay than those from warmer climes. The grapevines are also known for the purity of their aroma and taste.

Furthermore, in comparison with the white wines from the rest of Burgundy, Chablis typically has much less influence of oak, with the wines generally vinified in stainless steel tanks considerably more so than in barrels.

On which note, one thing that was obvious when sampling the tipples at the two wineries we visited was the effect of oak.

We tried their respective Chardonnay and Pinot Noir each with no oak ageing, a bit of oak ageing and more oak ageing again, and the difference between them was stark, showing that production techniques can greatly alter the flavour and taste of wines that the very same grape makes.

Our preference in all cases, by the way, was probably the ones with no oak at all - clean and crisp and wonderfully pure in taste - although that is clearly only personal taste, and it may have been amended had the tipples been with food or even if the weather or setting was different.

By the way, the Gamay-dominated Beaujolais area, to the south, is formally part of the Burgundy wine region too but, like Chablis, is referred to by its own name given its own terroir and particular quality.

Just to add, a walking trip round this region comes highly recommended. For anyone into their wine, there are also detailed marked wine roads. It's recommended to go with a teetotal friend, mind, so they can do the driving.