Sylvain Pataille was born and bred in Marsannay, but not coming from a winemaking family, he had to start out from scratch. Following graduation from university in Bordeaux, he got a job in a lab in Beaune. He learned a great deal during his 4 years there (1997-2001), but also developed a strong desire to chart his own course as a winemaker. He started off in 1999 with just 1ha of vines, expanding to 9ha in 2002. Over the subsequent years he has expanded further, gathering some of the finest terroirs of Marsannay. He and his wife Maryse now have 17 hectares of vines in the area, biodynamic since 2015. They carry out new plantings via massale selection (from prestigious growers like Jean-Marc Roulot), using low-vigour rootstock and very high-density planting to restrict yields. He has a particular passion for tiny parcels of old vines, and is also one of the five founder members of the Aligoteurs association, a group that now numbers 50 growers dedicated to showcasing the finest expression of the Aligote grape. His use of new oak is minimal (rarely more than 20%, and no new oak at all on his whites), as is his use of filtration and sulphur (30mg/l or less). His wines have the capacity to age, but also a wonderful drinkability that makes them especially charming in their youth. /JH