Here is a riddle for you: what has three Pauls but holds no water? A Paul Pernot of course! Ok, a very lame joke but with all Pauls (a grandfather, a son and a grandson) at the helm, at least the Pernots have never had to change their wine labels.

Rather like their taste in boys’ names, not much has changed at Domaine Pernot over the past few decades. The grapes are all picked by hand and the pickers, who have mostly been with the Pernots for over 20 years, are instructed to select only healthy and ripe fruit “just the ones they would like to eat”. Grass grows freely among the vine lines and when it is necessary to cut it, the grass is burnt, acting as a natural herbicide. Vines are old, some dating back to Paul’s (the father) days in 1957. Says Michel Pernod (Paul the grandson’s brother) “They are in good shape, and we won't be ripping them out any time soon. In 20 years, I'm sure these vines will still be there: they aren't sick, they aren't degenerating. Why should we?”

The estate is spread over 23 hectares (15 of which are in Puligny-Montrachet, second only to Domaine Leflaive in terms of ownership for the region), and produces two Grands Crus and four Premieres Crus plus a handful of other table wines. However, it is, of course, the Grand Crus: Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet and Bâtard-Montrachet wine labels which are of interest to investors. With a worldwide retail price of around €200 euros for the Bienvenues Bâtard Montrachet and about €220 for the Batard Montrachet, critics rate these wines very highly. Both wines are below the price benchmark of other Chardonnays, but with their superior ageing potential, savvy investors would be wise to educate themselves on the growth possibilities of a Paul Pernot.