Sylvain Pataille has been instrumental in raising the profile of Marsannay since founding his domaine in 1999. Farming around 17 hectares biodynamically, he works with a remarkable diversity of sites, from old-vine Pinot Noir to rare Aligoté Doré and Pinot Beurot, and is known for sensitive, terroir-driven élevage with a high proportion of whole bunches. His work has been central to the ongoing push for premier cru recognition in Marsannay, and his wines are frequently cited as reference points for the appellation. They combine clarity and lift with impressive depth, proving that Marsannay belongs firmly among the most serious terroirs of the Côte de Nuits.

En Auvonnes is found on the lower part of the slope, closer to the D974 on the border of Marsannay and Couchey. Here, the dense marl soil is littered with cailloux calcaires, which brings a positive reductive character to the wine. Pataille works with 0.10-hectare of beautiful Aligoté Doré planted by his grandfather, Armand, in the 1930s. Pépé is shorthand for grandfather in French.