Wine enthusiasts looking for a bottle to complement their winter meals should plump for Burgundy, an expert suggests.

Writing in the San Francisco Examiner, wine consultant Pamela S Busch claims that Burgundy is very "food-friendly", capable of being paired with an array of different dishes.

Burgundy works particularly well with earthy root vegetables that are currently in season, as well as roasted meats such as turkey and ham, Ms Busch notes.

Recommended bottles that exhibit the best of Burgundy without requiring wine lovers to break the bank include the 2006 Michel Gay et Fils Chorey-les-Beaunes and the Bruno Clair Marsannay.

Ms Busch also favours the 2007 Domaine Jerome Chezeaux Nuits-St-Georges Premier Cru, which she reveals is earthy and minerally while also packing ample fruit to tantalise the palate.

Recent research from the Burgundy Wine Board and the Hospices de Beaune indicated that Brits consume more exported Burgundy than any other country.

British oenophiles enjoy 13.5 million bottles of Burgundy annually, the data showed.