The 2012 Marsannay l’Ancestrale is whole cluster fruit. It has a very complex bouquet with blackberry, marine-influenced, oyster shell-tinged bouquet that just seems so alive. The palate has superb structure with fine tannins. There is a real saltiness here with black olive and a hint of brine towards the long finish. Sylvain Pataille, whose position as vigneron with the curliest hair is currently being challenged by Philippe Charlopin, compared his 2012s to 2009 but without the heaviness. He harvested his crop from 27 September and like so many winemakers, his yields were reduced by the growing season, in particular the old vines that suffered millerandage. Average yields plummeted to just 15hl/ha, due to hail damage on 5 July that targeted Marsannay (and Premeaux-Prissey) On top of all that, Sylvain told me that his berries suffered sunburn or grillure, but that the use of a Mistral vibrating table efficiently eradicated damaged berries. Everything here was de-stemmed in 2012 with the exception of the L’Ancestral that (as usual) is entirely whole cluster. I waxed lyrical about Marsannay top producer when I reviewed 2011s back in the summer, so it gave me great pleasure to report that Sylvain Pataille’s follow-ups are just a scintillating, if not more so. Marsannay is an appellation that has so much to offer, stylistically reminiscent of Bonnes-Mares albeit without quite the complexity, yet with a similar fruit profile, exuberance and showiness. With growers such as Sylvain Pataille and Philippe Roty, not forgetting Bruno Clair, surely it is a matter of time before it is bestowed a few premier crus? Anyway, if you have not acquainted yourself with the wines of Sylvain Pataille, you have a mobile phone – use it and stock up. Importer: Becky Wasserman Selection (various importers), Le Serbet, Beaune; fax 011-33-3-80-24-29-70 and OW Loeb (UK)