Sylvain Pataille
I’m pleased to offer some of Sylvain Pataille’s top wines from both the 2020 and 2021 vintage. As someone that has been buying and cellaring these wines for the last 15 years in my own cellar, as I will these vintages, I can’t recommend them vany more highly.
STORY
It’s hard to believe it has been almost 15 years since meeting Sylvain Pataille at his cellar in Marsannay. I remember being thoroughly impressed with his passion, attention to detail and commitment to his vines. He had already been certified organic (2008) at a time most were just coming around to the idea. Olivier Lamy, was someone influenced by his methods and he was consulting for some very important Domaines. Still does today, as I understand.
Sylvain grew up around wine, although his family didn’t own any vineyards. As a teenager he could be found after school in the cellar of another Marsannay vigneron, Jean Fournier.
He started his domaine in 1999 with 1 hectare of vines, and has since grown it to its present day size of 15 hectares. Most of the vines are located in Marsannay and he does have a passion for Aligote as well as Pinot Noir. As mentioned above he has been certified organic long before it was fashionable, and is also one of the leading minds in the biodynamic movement.
His approach to winemaking is one of minimal intervention. The vinification process is long and slow with the use of some whole clusters depending on the vintage. Only indigenous yeasts are used, with sulfur only being added at bottling. Between 15-30% new barrels are used. Fairly standard elevage with barrel aging being approximately 15 months, although some cuvees could see almost 2 full years. He lets the wines tell him what they need as there is no set formula.
For as long as I can remember, there has been a rumblings that several of the Marsannay vineyards, Clos du Roy in particular, deserve to be elevated to Premier Cru. I don’t think there has been all that much advancement of this idea since I first heard about it, although if you are to use Sylvain’s wine as an example, there would be several premier crus in Marsannay today, as these wines rival some of the top premier crus in the Cote!
2021 Sylvain Pataille Marsannay Clos du Roy
A fresher and brighter combination freely reveals its aromas of essence of red cherry, earth and crushed fennel along with a pretty array of floral elements. There is slightly better vibrancy to the rich and solidly powerful middleweight flavors that exude evident minerality on the dusty, moderately austere and solidly persistent finale. This is very Clos du Roy in character and should also repay up to a decade of keeping.
- Burghound, 89-92 Outstanding Top Value!
Scents of red berries, plums, licorice, potpourri and orange zest introduce the 2021 Marsannay Clos du Roy, a medium to full-bodied, bright and fleshy wine with powdery tannins, lively acids and a saline finish. A nicely balanced cuvée that's neither the most extrovert nor the most structured bottling in the range, it will offer a broad drinking window.
- William Kelley, 92
2020 Sylvain Pataille Marsannay Clos du Roy
The most complete to date. Also in the cool cellar for two years ageing. A deep full colour, clearly very intense but retiring into its shell. Super sweet velvety fruit, all the fruits of the rainbow, entirely red, a wonderful mineral thread, exceptional length. What an aftertaste! Tasted: November 2021.
- Jasper Morris, 91-93 ~ 5 Stars
2020 Sylvain Pataille Marsannay Le Chapitre
Incredibly deep dark purple. Ripe, picked late, whole bunch and verging on pyrazine but probably more white pepper instead. Very backward, fresher behind, much darker colour of fruit, will be complete and powerful but I have not fallen in love with it so much today. Sensational length of aftertaste, so it may just be in an awkward phase. Tasted: November 2021.
- Jasper Morris, 89-92
