For the past few years a treat for this special weekend has been for the household mother to select a few fine wines and then blind-taste me before dinner.

So on Saturday evening three glasses of white wine were placed in front of me with the thought that all would enhance the totally local dinner of baked rockfish in a Ritz cracker crust accompanied by beans and corn purchased from the farmer’s market a few hours earlier.

Three sniffs convinced me that they were all Chardonnay and as they varied considerably in depth of colour I decided to go from the deepest gold to the lightest as this would indicate older wine to younger.

Since tasting the first one I have subsequently read that Parker wrote, “It exhibits a premier cru Meursault-like nuttiness along with a buttery richness, creamy full bodied texture and terrific purity”.

Actually this wine was absolutely stunning and I fully endorse Parker’s opinion that “Ed Sbragia has always demonstrated a Midas touch with Chardonnay”.

It turned out that it was the Sbragia “Gamble Ranch Vineyard” 2010 Chardonnay. Ed has been selecting fruit from his favourite blocks in this Napa Valley property since the 1970s and he says it is like visiting an old friend every year and that it only seems to get better and better. This wine will hold well until 2018 and right now it is about all that one could wish for. It made the dinner sing. $50.65.

The next wine was lighter gold and it turned out to be the Shafer “Red Shoulder Ranch” 2011 Chardonnay. This 68-acre vineyard is in a spot where Napa Valley meets the northernmost rim of San Francisco Bay and its name honours the red-shouldered hawks and other birds of prey, that play a vital role in sustainable farming practices as they hunt for vine-damaging gophers.

At first this wine was hesitant to reveal itself, but gradually over half an hour or so it opened up and maintained its reputation as one of our favourites. It should hold at the top of its game for two more years. The price for the 2011 as well as the 2012 and 2013 that we have in our warehouse is $64.70.

The last two rated 94/100 and 96/100 respectively by a tasting panel.

I will not handle the truth loosely and suggest that I nailed the first two, but I was quite sure that the third was a Burgundy; I even suggested Chassagne Montrachet. It was light and bright and very refined with good minerality and a crisp vividness that hinted at a cool climate source. It was beautifully aromatic with stone fruit flavours of fresh peaches and nectarines.

I felt slightly vindicated when I found out that it was made by Christophe Paulbert who had been cellarmaster at the great Chateau d’Yquem in Bordeaux and also at the prestigious Second Growth Gruaud Larose. You see it turned out to be the 2012 Chardonnay from Stags Leap Winery in Napa Valley! $35.65.

The tables were reversed on the Sunday evening and it was my turn to present the reds to be blind-tasted. It is said of Chateau Palmer from Margaux that it is the most expensive Third Growth, but the least expensive First Growth. In other words it was classified third in 1855 but today is equal to the great firsts Lafite Rothschild, Latour, Margaux, Mouton Rothschild and Haut Brion. A bottle of Palmer 1997 handily defeated the three New World reds that I offered (they were pumped out for later enjoyment) and our dinner of beef tenderloin, fries and salad was honoured by this marriage. Now back to normal food and wine with hopes of a possible repeat on Father’s Day. We stock the Palmer 2002 for $166.40 and the Chateau advises that it will hold beyond 2020. The 2004 at $186.20 is concentrated and ready to enjoy now or hold well beyond 2030.

This column is a paid for advertorial for Burrows Lightbourn Ltd. Michael Robinson is Director of Wine at Burrows Lightbourn Ltd. He can be contacted at mrobinson@bll.bm or 295-0176. Burrows Lightbourn has stores in Hamilton (Front Street East. 295-1554), Paget (Harbour Road, 236-0355) and St George’s (York Street, 297-0409). A selection of their wines, beers and spirits is available online at www.wineonline.bm.