Domaine Finot

Domaine Finot is the passion project of Matthieu Finot. Matthieu arrived in the United States from his native France in 2003, and he soon connected with Gilbert Tallard, a fellow Frenchman who had established 5 acres of vineyards in Afton, Virginia. Their friendship and collaboration has grown over the years, and since 2016, Matthieu has been managing the Turk Mountain vineyard. For him, growing grapes and making wine go hand in hand, so he began producing “garagiste” wines from this vineyard. After a few years of experimentation, the 2019 vintage was the first to be bottled under the Domaine Finot/Turk Mountain Vineyards label.
The winemaking philosophy is all about using classically simple winemaking techniques to create wines that reflect their terroir. Grapes are not destemmed, fermentation occurs via native yeast, and no sulfur is added. Essentially, as Matthieu puts it, “only the most limited intervention is applied between grape and bottle.”

Featured wines:

2023 Pet Nat

  • 100% Petit Verdot

  • Alcohol: 12.5%

    RS: <1

    pH: 3.5

    Acidity: 5.7 g/L

    Retail Pricing: $25

2022 Maceration

  • 100% Sauvignon Blanc

  • Alcohol: 11.5%

    RS: <1

    pH: 3.7

    Acidity: 4.7

    Retail Pricing $25

2021 Cabernet Franc

  • 100% Cabernet Franc

  • Alcohol: 13.8%

    RS: <1

    pH: 3.73

    Acidity: 5

    Retail Pricing $30

2023 Malbec

  • 100% Malbec

  • Alcohol: 11.22%

    RS: <1

    pH: 3.72

    Acidity: 4.8 g/L

    Retail Pricing $25

Meet the winemaker:

Matthieu Finot 

Matthieu was born in Crozes Hermitage in the Rhone Valley of France. Coming from a family of viticulturists and wine lovers, Matthieu was predisposed to continue his family’s pursuit of making and enjoying wine. He first studied viticulture and oenology at Beaune, in the heart of Burgundy. After graduating in 1995, Matthieu worked in many different wine regions around France including Rhone Valley, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Provence, and Jura. He then worked in Italy and South Africa to gain experience around the world before settling in Virginia.

Since arriving in 2003, Matthieu has worked with wineries throughout the state and, more recently, is a founding member of the Winemakers’ Research Exchange and Board Member of the Monticello Wine Trail. He enjoys being active the local winemaking community and challenging his skills through experimental design at King Family, working with different terroir at Turk Mountain Vineyards, which he currently manages, and partnering with his brother to establish and expand Domaine Finot in two regions in France. Matthieu enjoys skiing, entertaining, home renovating, traveling, and cooking together with wife Erin, son Gabin, and daughter Tessa.

CONTACT

Matthieu Finot | matthieu.finot@gmail.com