Matthieu Finot has been a part of King Family Vineyards for more than a decade as a winemaker, working with the varied terroir of the region. He also consults wineries and assists his brother to organize and expand Domaine Finot in different regions of France. Growing up around viticulturists in a wine-growing family, Matthieu describes winemaking as a combination of art and science which goes together with nature. He studied viticulture and oenology in Burgundy and worked in various regions of France, Italy, and South Africa before moving to Virginia. Apart from his role at King Family Vineyards, Matthieu also manages Turk Mountain Vineyards and is one of the founding members of the Winemakers' Research Exchange in Virginia.

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Tell us a little about yourself. How did you progress into this role?

I was born in Crozes-Hermitage in the Rhone Valley. Coming from a family of viticulturists and wine lovers, I was predisposed to continue my family's pursuit of making and enjoying wine. I studied viticulture and oenology at Beaune, in the heart of Burgundy. After graduating in 1995, I've worked in many different wine regions around France including Rhone Valley, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Provence, and Jura. I then worked in Italy and South Africa to gain experience around the world before settling in Virginia. Since arriving in 2003, I have worked with wineries throughout the state. I am also a founding member of the Winemakers' Research Exchange and a Board Member of the Monticello Wine Trail. I enjoy being active in the local winemaking community and challenging my skills through experimental design at King Family, working with different terroirs at Turk Mountain Vineyards, which I currently manage. In 2008, I partnered with my brother to establish and expand Domaine Finot in two regions in France: the alps and Rhone Valley.   

What does a typical day look like for you in The King Family Vineyards?

The good thing with winemaking is it never looks the same! At this time of the year (winter) we are more focused on bottling, but you have all the blending, and cellar work to do. 

According to you, what makes a great wine? Where do you draw inspiration from while making a new wine? 

I am trying to stay true to the grapes. I am trying to keep a sense of place in my wine. it is important to not forget that we are farmers before being winemakers.  Great wine is a wine that shows where it was grown.

Matthieu Finot, Source: King Family Vineyards

You have an incredible tasting room, can you tell us about the experiences and the winery tour?

The good thing is I am not in charge of the king family vineyards tasting room... I am focused mainly on the production side. The tasting room needs a completely different set of skills that I don't have. 

But the idea is to give our clients, in a short amount of time, a picture of who we are and what we do. 

we need to tell the story and put the wine in context... This is why a good tasting room experience gives more layers, more depth to the story that the wine is already telling.

Tell us about your sourcing and your quality control mechanism. 

Wine is made in the vineyard. For us,  it is important to control the quality of your wine to control the quality of your grapes. The weather in Virginia could be quite unpredictable during harvest, having your own vineyards allows you to control your crop load, and also your harvest time. We do source some grapes with other growers for some of our more entry-level range. but everything is coming from Virginia.

What does King Family's DTC (Direct To Consumer) channel look like? Can you give us a brief overview of it? What are the different avenues of DTC sales for your vineyard?

The situation in Central Virginia is quite unique because we are not a big winery +/- 15K cases almost 90% of our production is being sold out of our tasting room or wine club, only 10% is being sold wholesale.

We are close to Charlottesville, there are enough wineries in this area to have a lot of agro-tourism.

You have beautiful vineyards, tell us a bit about your canopy management system and vineyards operations. 

We grow only Vitis Vinifera, almost everything is in VSP; some of the original vineyards planted in late 1990 were in smart Dyson with a lower density of plantation. in the past years, clone and rootstock selection, higher density of plantation, and vertical shoot positioning did help us to increase our fruit quality even further.

Winemaker Matthieu Finot and Vineyard Manager Carrington King, talking about harvest. Source: Instagram / King Family Vineyards

What kind of changes has taken place in the winery since the Pandemic? With the decrease in DTC sales due to the Pandemic, how have you planned to increase them?

Our DTC did not decrease during the pandemic. Our location and the outdoor setting did help us to accommodate a lot of our customers while keeping safety distance and following CDC recommendations.

When all the restaurants and bars were closed or not safe, our open-air situation was very attractive. We had to rethink how we were conducting a tasting that wasn't being done in person, but the goal is always to adapt.

Could you tell us about the different expressions of your wine? What do you consider your flagship wine and why?

I have classical training when it comes to wine. King Family Vineyards wines reflect this classic style. I am looking for that balanced and clean wine.

Our flagship is Meritage Merlot-based, with cabernet franc, Petit Verdot, and a touch of malbec. Those are the only red varietal on the farm. I think this blend shows our terroir. I can have a wine that is consistent and yet still shows the vintage, the act of blending is also showing the winemaker's skills.

Can you tell us a bit about your role as a consultant at Domaine Finot?

Consultant might not be the right term as I am a partner. Thomas, my brother is in France doing most of the daily job, but I assist him on a lot of levels of the business. We are very complimentary in our skills set and even if I feel I am not enough physically there, it is very easy for us to communicate and make decisions.

How do you focus on sustainability while making wines?

With the Domaine Finot, we grow everything organically and we make wine in a more natural way. Even in Virginia, it is difficult to be organic while growing Vitis Vinifera, but it is always important for us to think about our carbon footprint and to be as respectful of the vines and wine and the environment during our process.

Beautiful Monticello AVA -  King Family Vineyards, Source: King Family Vineyards

What is the biggest challenge you face in your role? What is the one tip you would like to give someone who is looking forward to joining the winemaking industry?

I am not sure what the biggest challenge is.... maybe I have been doing that for too long! But being a Winemaker is a great job, it is a blend of farming, science, and artistry. All the good winemakers that I know are passionate about what they do, this is not a clock in, clock out job.... you live through it, you feel the season (probably, even more, when it is harvest time!). 

Like every artisan, experience is a key factor to improve your skills. 

Header image source: Instagram / King Family Vineyards

Interviewed By Prithvi Nagpal, Editor & Sommelier, Beverage Trade Network