Winemaker: Sylvain Pataille
Where: Marsannay-la-Côte, Côte de Nuits, Burgundy, France
Size: 15 ha
Main Varieties: Aligoté, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Beurot & Chardonnay Rose
Certifications: Organic (Ecocert, 2008), biodynamic methods
Quick notes: Credited with putting Marsannay and single vineyard Aligoté back on the map and low-intervention cellar work
Our first impressions of Sylvain himself, was a 3 hour long intense tasting session in the cellar with him early in 2024 where we tasted all the 20 or so different cuvées and single vineyards - and left speechless, and thoroughly impressed. We looked at each other and said "Visits like this are why we do it". Absolute confirmation of person, energy, wines and vineyard ethos.
Known for years as one of the best crafters of Aligoté, Sylvain also works with several other varieties, the main ones being; Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but also the lesser acknowledged varieties like Pinot Beurot, Chardonnay Rosé & Aligoté Doré.
Located in the very northern part of Côte d’Or, in Côte de Nuits, Marsannay, Sylvain has been credited with putting the historic Marsannay appellation back on the map (which in the near future will get several premier cru vineyards). Since a child he had ambitions to make wine, and after an admittedly short stint as a laboratory salesman, he started with just 1 hectare in 1999. After several years of both consulting winemaking for other domains and his brother Laurent joining as a trained oenologist in 2008, Pataille now has 15 hectares of which the majority is planted to Aligoté. Over the years Sylvain has been able to procure vineyards planted as early as 1932! Many of his vineyards are long established old vine.
His viticulture is simple yet intensive; horse ploughing, biodynamics, short pruning with an aim for concentrated low yields. A true lover of Aligoté, he would never consign the grape variety to less than perfect fields - as he states “The best terroirs for Aligoté are the best terroirs, period, hillsides and limestone,”.
His winemaking thus is low intervention; whole cluster vinification, indigenous yeasts, long gentle macerations, low sulphur and long élevage overall. Not dogmatic on the élevage - ‘if a wine needs 24 months then so be it’.
Herbal, saline, complex, truly well-developed wines. Each cuvée is an adventure and dedication to terroir and variety. We are beyond thrilled to be the partner and represent Sylvain Pataille in Denmark. His ethos and energy is exactly what we hope to embody and support with our endeavours.
