Sylvain Pataille Marsannay L'Ancestrale 2020

Sylvain Pataille Marsannay L'Ancestrale is drawn from the domaine's oldest vines, chiefly a parcel of ninety-year-old plants in the Clos du Roy.

Marsannay sits at the northern end of the Côte de Nuits, and Pataille has built his reputation there on old vines and low-intervention winemaking. As the name suggests, L'Ancestrale is the domaine's old-vine cuvée: the core comes from the ninety-year-old parcel in Clos du Roy, filled out with fruit from Clémengeot and Les Ouzeloy. The winemaking follows the pattern of the top reds, with whole-cluster fermentation, indigenous yeasts, gentle extraction, no added sulphur during the élevage and a long maturation, though this wine sees a little more new oak than the others. Pataille notes that the new barrels complement the inherent density that these old vines bring, which is why the cuvée can carry them without losing its transparency.

Give it three to five years and drink over a decade; serve at 16–18°C with roast lamb, game birds or aged hard cheese.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.