Jancis Robinson MW comments that “his distinctively blue-labelled wines have done much to put this village on the map for burgundy lovers – although the prices are still nothing like as high as those for Gevreys made just south of here”. This is a producer who is “well worth watching”, she goes on to add.
Marsannay is situated on the border of Dijon in the very northern part of Burgundy, right at the edge of Côte de Nuits. From just 1 hectare of vines in 1999, Pataille presently owns 17 hectares all within Marsannay; producing twelve cuvées that include expressions of Aligoté, Passetoutgrain and regional bottlings of white, rosé and red.
In the vineyard, Pataille keeps things as natural as possible and is one of the few producers in Marsannay who continues to harvest by hand. From vineyard to cellar, his approach is very restrained when it comes to new wood and he uses a minimal proportion of stems. The overall result is wines that reflect their sense of place and, in the words of Jancis Robinson, demonstrate “that major burgundy can come from a minor address”.
Indeed, the wines of Domaine Sylvain Pataille demonstrate that there is wonderful Burgundy available that won’t break the bank. His reds are plump, mineral-infused and serious. His whites are equally impressive – wonderfully textured, balanced and fresh. There are few other addresses as passionate about Aligoté as this one.
