“Pataille is proof that major Burgundy can come from a minor address.” – Jancis Robinson, on the humble village of Marsannay.

Sylvain Pataille’s father, a bus driver by trade, spent all his free time helping in a friend’s vineyards. Sylvan’s uncle owned an estate in the Medoc that the family visited every summer. Even as a child, Sylvain knew that he too belonged in the vineyards. In 1999, he started with one mere hectare, and slowly grew his estate to 15 hectares. Years of trusting his vision have paid off.

The 2022 Marsannay Le Chapitre from Sylvain Pataille offers a glimpse into the potential of one of Marsannay’s most revered terroirs. Situated on the boundary of the Côte de Nuits, Le Chapitre has long been considered among the finest sites in the appellation, capable of producing wines with both power and elegance.

In this vintage, Pataille’s whole-cluster approach and meticulous attention to detail shine through. The wine is deeply colored, an incredibly dark purple as noted by Jasper Morris, who described it as “ripe, picked late, and verging on white pepper.” While still in its infancy and perhaps in an awkward phase, Morris praises its “sensational length of aftertaste” and hints at its future brilliance with time in the bottle.

Bill Nanson of Burgundy Report lauds it as the best terroir in Pataille’s lineup, with a super rose-scented and complex nose. The palate is structured, with supple tannins and vibrant energy, marking it as a wine to wait for. He advises patience—“wait 5 years”—but assures that this is a wine worth the wait.

Le Chapitre’s exceptional geology, with its mix of limestone-rich soils and ideal elevation, lends this cuvée its unmistakable character. Pataille’s low-intervention philosophy allows the site to express itself with remarkable clarity. This is a wine that demands patience but promises extraordinary rewards, embodying the depth, complexity, and elegance for which Marsannay is gaining acclaim.