2023 Paul Pernot Bourgogne Cote d Or Chardonnay

Every year, for as long as I can remember, I buy and sell Paul Pernot’s wines. This 20-hectare estate sits in the heart of Puligny Montrachet and owns some of the village’s most enviable vineyard parcels. However, you rarely see the full range on the market. Why??

Because for decades, Pernot has been quietly feeding the Drouhin machine—selling off 80% of their grapes annually. That leaves a precious sliver for the rest of us, and today’s wine is one of those rare, blink-and-it’s-gone bottlings.

The kicker? It’s their Bourgogne Côte d’Or Chardonnay. Stay with me. Yes, technically "entry-level." But in practice, it’s an undercover Puligny . The grapes come from estate vineyards that practically bump elbows with village-level Puligny Montrachet plots—and sometimes even include young-vine fruit from Puligny itself. That’s like paying general admission and accidentally getting seated courtside!

What sets it apart is the same rigorous vinification used for the top wines—just aged in older barrels to preserve freshness and clarity. The result is a wine with remarkable cut and dimension, brimming with Puligny character at a fraction of the price.

In the glass, it gleams with a pale greenish hue. The nose bursts with white flowers, quince, and ripe stone fruit. On the palate, it surprises: rather than soft or rounded, the wine is laser-focused, chiseled, and beautifully saline on the finish. It’s the kind of wine that would easily pass for Puligny Montrachet in a blind tasting—first-rate in every way, and never around long enough.