Marsannay domaine farming 15 hectares of Aligoté, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir biodynamically, with separate lieu dit bottlings.
The producer
Domaine Sylvain Pataille began in Marsannay la Côte with one hectare and grew to 15 hectares. The vineyards are planted mainly to Aligoté, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, farmed biodynamically at very low yields with horse drawn ploughing. The cellar uses indigenous yeast, long slow pressing and very little sulfur at bottling, with ageing lasting 15 to 18 months or longer. Marsannay remains the central appellation, and individual lieux dits are bottled separately.
Known for
Biodynamic Marsannay parcel wines
Notable facts
The domaine was founded in 1999 with a single hectare.
The vineyards now cover 15 hectares.
Farming is biodynamic, with very low yields and horse drawn ploughing.
Fermentation uses indigenous yeast, with very little sulfur added only at bottling.
The story
The Lab Years
Sylvain Pataille worked as a consulting oenologist in a Beaune laboratory from 1997 to 2001. During that period, he founded his own domaine in 1999, starting with a single hectare. The two jobs overlapped. When the laboratory work ended in 2001, Pataille moved into full time winemaking. He was building a domaine while still employed, then took responsibility for vineyard and cellar work in Marsannay la Côte as his main occupation.
From the atlas
Domaine Sylvain Pataille
A Marsannay domaine working Aligoté, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir through biodynamic farming, native fermentation and separate lieu dit bottlings.
At A Glance
Village
Marsannay la Côte
Appellation focus
Marsannay and related Bourgogne classifications
Main grapes
Aligoté, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Farming
Biodynamic viticulture, very low yields and horse drawn ploughing
Cellar
Indigenous yeast, long slow pressing and minimal sulfur at bottling
The Producer
Sylvain Pataille started Domaine Sylvain Pataille in 1999 with a single hectare and grew it to 15 hectares. The vineyards are planted mainly to Aligoté, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with Marsannay as the domaine's central appellation focus.
The farming is biodynamic, with very low yields and horse drawn ploughing. In the cellar, Pataille uses indigenous yeast, presses slowly for a long period and adds very little sulfur only at bottling. Wines age for 15 to 18 months, or longer for some cuvées. New oak normally accounts for 15 to 30 percent of the ageing vessels, reaching 50 percent in some larger cuvées.
Across the range, the wines are sophisticated and silky. The stated approach is fruity and concentrated, with cellar work kept low intervention.
Place
Marsannay la Côte sits at the northern edge of the Côte de Nuits. Pataille keeps his work within Marsannay and its related Bourgogne classifications, declining other appellations.
The domaine bottles individual lieux dits separately. A lieu dit is a named vineyard parcel, so separate bottling keeps differences between Marsannay parcels on their own labels instead of combining them into one village wine.
Wines
The range covers rosé, red and white wines. Fleur de Pinot Domaine Sylvain Pataille 2023 is a rosé labelled Côte de Nuits. Marsannay Rouge Sylvain Pataille 2023 is a red wine, while Bourgogne Aligoté Domaine Sylvain Pataille 2023 is a white wine labelled Bourgogne Aligoté.
Marsannay Rouge Clémengeots is a separate Marsannay cuvée from the domaine's parcel led range. It has an intense cherry nose, concentrated tannins, grip without toughness, and persistent spice. The bottle shows how a named lieu dit can carry its own profile within the wider Marsannay collection.
Final Word
Domaine Sylvain Pataille keeps Marsannay at the centre of a range shaped by biodynamic farming, native fermentation and separate parcel bottlings.