The brains behind Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s Château Miraval, Château Beaucastel owner Pierre Perrin prefers to let his wine do the talking. The only estate to grow all 13 varieties of grapes allowed in Chateauneuf du Pape’s appellation, Château Beaucastel is to Rhone what Pichon is to Bordeaux.

But celebrity friends aside, Beaucastel has one of the longest histories of the Rhone Valley. Founded in 1594, Beaucastel laboured behind its colleagues in the 18th and 19th centuries. The arrival of Pierre Tramier in 1909 changed all that. Managed by Tramier’s son-in-law Pierre Perrin (the elder), then Jacques (Perrin’s son and Tramier’s grandson) until 1978, current management is under its fourth generation, with the fifth almost ready to take over the reins. Pioneers of organic farming since 1950, the estate turned itself over to biodynamic methods in 1974, long before it became popular.

Makers of admirably stylish, intriguing whites, and plump, accessible reds, Beaucastel's wines are around 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah, with smaller amounts of all 10 of the other grapes permitted in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. However, investors should note that Beaucastel has been victim to brettanomyces. “Brett” as it is known in the wine industry is natural yeast that grows naturally on grapes or viticultural equipment and which is now considered unacceptable in wine. However, in the past, brett was considered to be part of the natural taste, and some Beaucastel vintages in 2000s showed signs of it. Renewal of all wooden ageing barrels and improved hygiene mean post-2010 no signs of brett have been detected, but investors should beware: if the wine is corked or undrinkable, it has no value.

Despite the brett, Château Beaucastel makes some of the most collectible wines in the Rhone valley. The Roussanne Vieilles Vignes Blanc is produced in tiny yields (500 cases) from vines which are over 100 years old, and the scarcity of the vintage years push prices up considerably. But perhaps Beaucastel's greatest achievement is the Hommage a Jacques Perrin; the 2007 garnered a perfect score from Robert Parker, and in 2016 was selling at €4,850 per case, or €400 a bottle. Ten vintages of Hommage à Jacques Perrin (along with ten vintages of Beaucastel) were included in the Liv-ex Rhone 100.