STORY:
Matthieu Finot arrived in the United States from his native France in 2003, the same year that fellow Frenchman, Gilbert Tallard, established his five acres vineyards in Afton, Virginia. What started as a friendship between two compatriots, has grown over time with a mutual passion for wine and a complimentary exchange of expertise and knowledge between them.
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The grapes from Turk Mountain Vineyards have been sold from the beginning to local wineries such as King Family Vineyards and Gabriele Rausse Winery, however Gilbert has also been producing “garagiste” wine since 2006 under his own Turk Mountain Vineyards label.
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Starting in 2016, Matthieu has been managing the vineyard, with the goal of crafting wines that reflect their terroir and the beauty of classically simple winemaking techniques, thus carrying on the inspiration of Gilbert’s initial philosophy. After a few years of experimentation, Matthieu’s inaugural
vintage, 2019, was bottled under the Domaine Finot / Turk Mountain Vineyards label.
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The name “Domaine Finot” is associated with Matthieu’s family vineyards in France. Spearheaded by his brother, Thomas, Domaine Finot was established in the French Alps in 2008 and has since expanded to include production from the Finot family’s land in the Northern Rhone Valley. Including Virginia wines under the Finot family’s label was the natural next step, representing the family’s bi-national
viticultural passions.
Winemaking
Winemaker: Matthieu Finot
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True to the “garagiste” principles of employing simple winemaking techniques, no destemmer are used, no addition of SO2, the fermentation is limited to the use of natural yeast, and only the most limited intervention is applied between grape and bottle.
This style fits not only Gilbert’s original focus, but fits with Domaine Finot’s philosophy as well.
Vineyard
Turk Mountain Vineyards
Owner:
Gilbert & Edda Tallard
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Location:
Afton, Virginia Monticello AVA
38°01’05”N 78°48’45”W Elevation: 1060’ (320 m)
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Aspect:
Hillside vineyard, 25% slopes,
Southeastern exposure
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Soil Type:
Chester Stony Loam
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Grape Varieties:
Petit Verdot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Tannat
OUR PHILOSOPHY
Sustainable Vineyards Practices and Minimalist Winemaking Approach
At Domaine Finot, Turk Mountain Vineyard, we believe in sustainable vineyards practices and a minimalist winemaking approach. We focus on the quality of our grapes and let the terroir speak for itself.
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