Nick's four wine pairings

The eight wines were served double blind in pairs.

• 2014 Domaine Yves Cuilleron Condrieu Les Chaillets

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Condrieu

  More of a classic Viognier than the Vernay. Not intrusive oak, marmalade, apricot and other yellow fruit and smokey aromas. On palate, fully ripe with apricot richness, smoke and minerals. A tactile, lovely texture. Unctuous and viscous with vanillin oak present but in proportion. Good structure and length. I'm a big fan of Cuilleron's Condrieu and the 2014 is on song.

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• 2013 Domaine Georges Vernay Condrieu Coteau de Vernon

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Condrieu

  I did not pick the Vernay blind as even being a Viognier, picking it as a Chardonnay. A flinty, stony nose showing notes of straw, yeast, oats and lime blossom. Hints of VA with oak apparent on the bouquet. On palate, it's rich and powerful, with a serious, minerally architecture. Complex and multilayered. Finishing long on a little bitter alcohol (13.8% on the label) which I liked and added to the complexity. Ultimately, I preferred this wine to the Cuilleron.

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• 2011 Bell Hill Chardonnay

  New Zealand, South Island, Canterbury

  Blind, I was convinced on the bouquet that this was a Côte de Beaune Burgundy, perhaps a Henri Boillot. Flinty, matchstick reduction with baguette, biscuity notes and vanillin oak. On palate, the wine was another story. Leaner, with seemingly clumsy fruit. Disjointed and seemingly lacking a little mid palate weight and length. On the reveal, I was disappointed. I've previously rated this vintage of one of NZ's best Chardonnays but not, here, an impressive showing. Perhaps it'll show better another time?

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• 2010 Bodega Catena Zapata Chardonnay White Stones Adrianna Vineyard

  Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco, Gualtallary

  To me, a strange bouquet, obviously Chardonnay, but of mint, lolly (slightly confected and sweet) and yellow fruit, with traces of cheese. On palate, clearly rich, ripe, viscous and weighty. 'Sweet mint, almost to the point of anise' said Thierry. Poached pear and clotted cream, seemingly showing lots of battonage in the making. Overall, to my taste, not pleasant. Stephen Tanzer rated this wine 93+ but I couldn't see that, on this tasting ...

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This pair of Chardonnays more on form ...

• 2007 Domaine Roulot Meursault Les Tessons Clos de Mon Plaisir

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

  An attractive Burgundian bouquet of peach, citrus, pear, minerals and baking spices. Precise and on point on palate. I wondered if this wine, with its excellent sparkling acidity, could be a Chablis, before plumping for a Puligny 1er. I did pick the 2007 vintage from those lovely acids. Well balanced. Citric, mineral and nervy. 'All grace and poise' said Andrew. My preferred wine of the four Chardonnays.

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• 2009 Domaine Henri Boillot Puligny-Montrachet

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet

  Another nice bouquet. This one seemingly signature Boillot sulphides, with ripe orchard fruit, cream and touches of tropical fruit. On palate, I picked this wine as a Meursault but thought it showed 2009 vintage sweet, fully ripe and opulent fruit. Big and lush with that sulphur waistcoat not blowing off. I'd give this wine three more years, as a minimum, for the sulphur and oak to better integrate. A good wine, I'm sure ...

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Although the wines were served blind I had been told that they were '93s ... I would not have guessed that they were that old from tasting the wines and would probably have agreed with Andrew that they were from the early 2000s ...

• 1993 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Volnay 1er Cru Santenots-Du-Milieu

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru

  A bouquet of musty, funky and largely dried red fruits. On palate, this is a serious wine with tons of acidity and stuffing. In fact it's very dense, large scaled and a little monolithic and brutish. It has tons of red fruit and some iron at its core. Suave, fully ripe tannins, yet to release their grip. This is a forty year wine, easily. Ideally give it at least another 5-10 years.

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• 1993 Domaine Jean Grivot Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaux Monts

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru

  A lovely fragrance, more funk, but more apparent fruit sweetness than the Volnay, with spices and glossy red cherries, raspberries and other red fruit. In the mouth, the wine is more savoury than the nose suggests. Less dense than the Comtes Lafon, but with plenty of mid palate weight. I preferred this wine to the Volnay for its svelte texture, elegance and finesse. It's ready to go now but no hurry is needed.

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