Marsannay Rouge Clos du Roy 2023 Sylvain Pataille | Burgundy

Sylvain Pataille 's Marsannay Clos du Roy immediately catches the eye with its precision and elegance. From the historic Clos du Roy parcel in Marsannay, Côte de Nuits, these vines benefit from an exceptional terroir in Burgundy, with soils of bedded sandstone. These rare limestones offer a singular minerality and depth. The clos owes its name to King Louis XI, who acquired it in 1477, and even then, the wines from this parcel were prized for their extraordinary quality. Scrupulous about respecting natural cycles and the richness of the soil, Domaine Sylvain Pataille cultivates Pinot Noir vines averaging 40 to 70 years old biodynamically. Harvesting is entirely manual, and winemaking favors whole-bunch fermentation with little intervention, followed by 12 months' ageing in oak barrels, 30% of which are new.

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin: Sylvain Pataille 's Marsannay Clos du Roy is a wine of great class, combining finesse and structure. It reveals a remarkable aromatic complexity that promises splendid cellaring over the next decade. The Sylvain Pataille wine estate style is immediately apparent in the harmony between fruit, structure and freshness. This vintage illustrates the richness of Marsannay and easily joins the best Premier Crus of the Côte de Nuits.

On the nose, the wine delivers a sunny profile of cooked cherry, licorice and black pepper. Aeration reveals graphite and lightly smoky floral notes that add depth. The overall impression is one of precision, elegance and great finesse, with the promise of great complexity in the years to come.

On the palate, the experience continues with a deliciously velvety texture and ripe tannins that will develop a patina over time. An astonishing vivacity adds freshness and avoids the pitfall of heaviness, giving the black fruit aromas a dazzling dimension. Fine notes of iris and violet mingle with the mineral and smoky filigree of graphite, reflecting the winemaker's sure hand in ageing and the refinement of the Marsannay terroir.