First Generation, Aligoté Champion
In Marsannay-la-Côte, at the northern edge of the Côte de Nuits, Sylvain Pataille has transformed a once-overlooked village into one of Burgundy's most exciting appellations. From 1 hectare in 1999 to 15 hectares today, he champions Aligoté, biodynamic farming, and terroir transparency — while consulting for some of the region's most prestigious domaines.
From Lab Tech to Visionary
Sylvain Pataille grew up in Marsannay not as a scion of a winemaking dynasty, but as the son of a bus driver who spent afternoons helping his friend Jean Fournier in the vines. Sylvain and his brother Laurent would meet their father in the vineyards after school, absorbing the rhythms of viticulture. His paternal great-uncle owned a Médoc estate they visited each summer, planting the seed of ambition.
At 14, Sylvain entered the viticultural college in Beaune, then completed oenology studies in Bordeaux. The day before his final exam, he met the boss of a major Beaune wine laboratory and was hired as a salesperson (1997-2001). He admits he was terrible at it — especially selling enological products like yeasts and enzymes. But the job connected him with growers across the Côte d'Or. In 1999, while still at the lab, he began cultivating 1 hectare of vines in Marsannay. By 2001 he had 4 hectares and left the lab to pursue his own vision, consulting on the side for domaines he'd met during his sales days.
"I already had a very clear idea of what wine should be, something exceptional that cannot be confined to preconceived standards."
— Sylvain Pataille
The Clos du Roy & 1er Cru Ambition
The domaine now spans 15-17 hectares across Marsannay, with holdings in some of the appellation's finest terroirs. The crown jewel is Clos du Roy — 2 hectares of mostly 60-year-old vines (some dating to 1930) on east-facing slopes of stony marl and oolite limestone. Named for Louis XI who took possession in 1477, it's widely considered Marsannay's best site and a contender for Premier Cru status. Other key parcels include Le Chapitre (now recognized as Marsannay AC from 2019), La Montagne (cool, forested combe), En Clémengeots (shallow soils over hard limestone), and La Charme aux Prêtres (gravelly, reddish-brown soils over Comblanchien limestone).
Sylvain farms organically (Ecocert certified, though he lost and regained certification over the years) and biodynamically (since 2015, though not certified). He ploughs by horse, plants at high density (12,000-14,000 vines/ha), uses massal selection from elite sources like Jean-Marc Roulot, and maintains extremely low yields (~30 hl/ha). His vines range from newly planted to 90 years old, with tiny parcels of ancient vines that produce the profound L'Ancestrale cuvée. In 2008, his brother Laurent joined as his right hand, solidifying the domaine's family character.
The masterpiece — 2ha, 60-90yo vines, stony marls and oolite limestone. East-facing, mid-slope. The wine that proves Marsannay can rival 1er Crus. Named for Louis XI's 1477 conquest. Rich, structured, with fine powdery tannins and incredible length.
Historically excluded from Marsannay AC for political reasons (Chenôve was absorbed into Dijon), finally recognized in 2019. 0.3ha of 1955-planted vines on steep marl and limestone scree. Similar to Clos du Roy in quality — laser-focused, tangy, exceptional.
Long, Slow & Minimal
Sylvain's winemaking is defined by patience and minimal intervention. He presses long and slow — 6-8 hours for both whites and reds — using an old vertical press. Fermentation is ambient yeast only, with whole cluster percentages varying by vintage and vineyard (from 0% to 90% for Clos du Roy). Temperatures are allowed to reach 32°C. Aging lasts 15-24 months depending on what the wine needs — "one must never rest on their laurels," he says. New oak is restrained (15-30%), with many whites aged in 7-8-year-old 350L barrels.
Sulfur is minimal and only added at bottling — around 30mg/L total for whites, 20-25mg/L for reds. Only the bottom 15% of white vats are filtered. He follows no formula, tasting constantly to determine when each cuvée is ready. This flexibility, combined with his oenological expertise (he consults for ~20 top domaines), creates wines of incredible balance, seamless texture, and pronounced minerality. He works with both red and white grapes — rare in Burgundy — and produces one of the region's finest rosés.
The Consultant
By day, Sylvain manages his own 15 hectares. By night and weekend, he advises some of Burgundy's most prestigious domaines — perhaps 20 at his peak. This dual role keeps him at the cutting edge of Burgundian winemaking while allowing him to fund his own estate's growth. It's made him "secretly one of the most important figures in Burgundy today" — a technical master with a farmer's soul.
The Aligoteurs Movement
Sylvain is perhaps the world's leading proponent of Aligoté's potential. While most consider Burgundy's "other white grape" suitable only for crémant or Kir base, Pataille produces no fewer than 5 single-vineyard Aligoté cuvées from old vines (1949, 1955, 1961 plantings), treating it with the same respect as Chardonnay. He limits yields to 30 hl/ha — extraordinarily low for Aligoté — and ages the wines for up to 24 months in barrel.
The results are transformative: La Charme aux Prêtres shows iron-fist structure and limestone tannin; Les Auvonnes au Pépé (from his grandfather's 1955/1961 plantings) offers electric acidity and "pillow-like mouthfeel"; Clos du Roy Aligoté rivals white Burgundy from prestigious appellations. In 2016, Sylvain co-founded the Aligoteurs association — now 50 growers strong — dedicated to showcasing the grape's finest expressions. The annual April tasting has become a must-attend event for Burgundy insiders.
"Sylvain Pataille produces brilliant wines that number among the Côte d'Or's finest values... This domain's constancy and nobility of style make it without a doubt the best in a village already full of talented producers."
— Bettane+Desseauve
The Sylvain Pataille Range
Sylvain produces 12+ cuvées spanning Aligoté, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir (red and rosé), and Marsannay Rouge. All are organic/biodynamically grown, native yeast fermented, with minimal sulfur. The range emphasizes single-vineyard expressions from Marsannay's best terroirs, plus a generic Bourgogne Aligoté from purchased organic grapes that he harvests and vinifies himself.