Sylvain Pataille Bourgogne Aligoté 2022

Full of lemony verve meets Meyer lemon confit, gardenia, a distinct presence of lees aging, and a beautifully long, lifted finish, this wine is a must for anyone who loves wines like Chablis.

Aligoté Doré is a pre-clonal variety that is distinct from the more common Aligoté Vert. Sylvain Pataille is one of the few holders of these rare old vines, and is its champion. From the vineyards of Champs Forey and Auvonnes, these 50-year-old vines produce complex and elegant Aligoté. Directly pressed, indigenous yeast fermentation (2/3 in older barrels, 1/3 in tank). Aged for 12 months, minimal sulfur added only at bottling.

Sylvain Pataille is one of the new breed of winemakers.  A highly-regarded consulting oenologist, who still advises over 15 Burgundy domaines, Pataille has in very short order built up a domaine of some 15 hectares, all in Marsannay, the northernmost, and most recent (1987) AOC of the Côte de Nuits. Sylvain has been organically certified since 2008, and has been employing biodynamics in the vineyards and cellar for over a decade.

Sylvain Pataille is an artist and a farmer as much as he is a winemaker. Looking like the male version of Ms. Frizzle the Magic School Bus driver, it makes sense that he grew up in Burgundy with a father that was not an elite winemaker, but a school bus driver. Pataille's biodynamic vineyards and passion for Aligote, being one of the founding members of Les Aligoteurs: a group of Burgundian winemakers dedicated to uplifting the lovely Aligote instead of Chardonnay that gets all the love, make him unique and the wines special gems.