Laurent Pataille, Marsannay

Meet the Pataille Brother You Haven't Heard of (Yet)

The secret is out. Laurent Pataille, brother and right-hand man to Marsannay icon Sylvain Pataille, makes his own range of Burgundy so rare it’s practically mythical. Sourced from tiny parcels, including his pioneering 20,000 vines/ha vineyard, these focused, high-intensity wines have historically been reserved almost entirely for the Japanese market. We're thrilled to announce the arrival of this unicorn range, available exclusively in the UK via us at Wine Source.

The younger brother of the renowned Sylvain Pataille, Laurent’s journey started with a commitment to formal mastery. Focused viticultural and enological studies in Beaune and Dijon were followed by stints in St Emilion and Alsace, before heading to Château de Tracy, where Laurent predated the hype of high-density planting—a pioneering technique aimed at driving complexity and concentration. He honed his skills over five years at the helm of this pioneering estate in Pouilly-Fumé, before returning to Burgundy in 2008 to work alongside his brother Sylvain, a foundational figure in the region's low-intervention movement.

In 2010, Laurent secured a few rows of Pinot vines in Fixin and Aligoté in Marsannay from Domaine Durand, launching his own personal project. Production was minuscule (around 700 bottles in a typical early vintage), and due to the limitation of such small volumes, the wines were initially reserved for family, friends, and ultimately, a Japanese importer, thanks to a connection of his wife, Tomoko.

Further expansion took place in 2013, when Laurent acquired a vineyard in Marsannay Es Chezots. In 2015, he began replanting specific sections to high-density, introducing a rare strain of Chardonnay Rosé at 20,000 vines per hectare. The inspiration was direct: his work at Château de Tracy, where he first vinified high-density fruit (a philosophy famously shared by figures like Olivier Lamy, who was pursuing a similar path in Saint Aubin at the time).

Further expanding his minuscule range, in 2019, Laurent secured a prime plot in Les Longeroies, one of Marsannay’s finest, with old 1980s plantings of Pinot Noir (0.3ha).

Together, these tiny parcels create a focused, yet profoundly diverse range of Burgundy wines we are proud to import to the UK on an exclusive basis starting this year.