Sometimes the universe just lines things up perfectly—and last Friday was one of those nights.
Three winemakers.
Three wines I’d never tried.
Three bottles of a nearly mythic blend called “3.”
It was my third visit to the Virginia Wine Collective, and destiny was clearly at play.
When Jake posted about this pop-up for Mathieu Finot at the Virginia Wine Collective, I suspected that his message had a cryptic, special meaning….
I arrived just before six, and the place was already seeing a steady flow of customers. Jake greeted me right away and invited me to head back to the lab. If the winemaker invites you to the lab, you know something extra special is coming your way…..
The Wine Called “3”
Waiting for us were three bottles of “3”—a collaborative red blend made by Jake Busching, Emily Hodson (Veritas), and Mathieu Finot (King Family). The first vintage was 2009, made while Jake was still at Pollak. By 2010, Jake had transitioned to Grace Estate and was working with Emily using Veritas equipment. Mathieu was a natural addition to the team—his neighboring winery in Crozet made collaboration easy.
The red blend was crafted in 2009, 2010 and again in 2012 (2011 was skipped due to an exceptionally rainy vintage), and a white blend was also produced in 2012. The reds are composed of one-third each Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc. The whites—a mix of Viognier, Petit Manseng, and Chardonnay—had a growing-site symmetry, even if the grape percentages weren’t a strict 33/33/33.
This project was a first-of-its-kind collaboration for Virginia at the time, so noteworthy that even the Governor’s wife got involved to help promote it. The inaugural release was on March 3rd at 3:33 p.m., priced at—you guessed it—$33.33. A bit of marketing magic, for sure.
And the wines? Still singing. The 2010 is bold and structured, with Petit Verdot’s tannins showing some grip. The 2012 is softer and more elegant—silky, even. It’s a beautiful example of what age can bring to well-made Virginia reds.
Fifteen and thirteen years old. Let that sink in. A decade ago, you might have said only Linden or Barboursville could produce wines that age this well. But these bottles prove just how far Virginia winemaking has come.
Sadly, I didn’t get to try the white blend—and honestly, Viognier isn’t usually my jam—but I’m still kicking myself a little.
Dogwood and Thistle and BLT Interlude
We left the production room and went back to the bar, and Mathieu was starting his pop-up pours, talking with guests. I took a seat at the bar and ordered a BLT (no mayo, yes avocado!) and a glass of Dogwood and Thistle’s White Blend. This exciting blend from a boutique winemaker at the Collective is 55% Riseling and 45% Gruner Veltliner. The grapes are from the Shenandoah Valley. I wrote about sipping their Cabernet Franc and how much I enjoyed it at the Out and About Collective visit a few weeks ago. This is equally refreshing and satisfying – I got lemon and zing on it, and could easily have had a second glass had my BLT not arrived and Mathieu became available and wandered over to pour his offerings this evening.
Domaine Finot Pop-Up
I had never met Mathieu before this event. I had seen him at a few wine events here and there, and of course I adored his Crosé from King Family. I also knew his work was fantastic because he guided my Mount Alto friends in their development and first several vintages. The final vintage he helped them make, the 2022, has now been bottled and is being served. Stay tuned for an update on that!
Mathieu first poured his 2023 Roussanne. The label is officially Domaine Finot, and I think it’s a beautiful style.
I have long loved Roussanne. It’s so great to see more of it out in front in Virginia, and more people growing it. This Roussanne was no exception. It was bright and smooth, with the honeysuckle essence you love in Roussanne. With more than a year in bottle, it has aged and has nice layers to it as you sip.
Mathieu next poured his 2023 Carbo Verdo. He is trying for the “Super Cool Label” award with this 75% Petit Verdot, 25% Merlot blend from Turk Mountain Vineyards. You may recall that Turk Mountain is the site of the astonishing and incredible Mount Ida Rosé of Malbec that was one of the first local wines I had here when we were in the process of relocating. That was the most fantastic rosé of that summer.
This wine feels like a nouveau to me – it is very fresh and young in mouthfeel – despite the heavy proportion of Petit Verdot, there is none of the tannic intensity or astringency that I associate with PV (and love). This wine was made with wild yeast and carbonic maceration. No doubt that is why there is much less tannin and so much more fruit. I absolutely loved this wine, and would also consider trying it with some chill on it. It’s a great refreshing summer wine that I think could pair with any foods.
I got to chat a little with Mathieu, but he had plenty of customers, and I have a policy of not monopolizing winemakers when they have lots of people waiting for their attention. He will be taking our little Virginia Wine Evangelist (VWE for short) crew on a tour and tasting at King Family at the end of August, my prize from the Virginia Wine Benefit auction. I’m very much looking forward to that. I will also score a bottle of his Turk Mountain Malbec when I meet up with the VWE’s at the beginning of August for a Linden tasting.
Just Great Vibes at the Collective
The Collective was a wonderful spot to hang out on a Friday evening. There were people there, but it didn’t feel crowded or overwhelming (I don’t love overly people-y spaces). Athena Eastwood came through and I got to chat briefly with her – she seems to be thrilled with the way things are shaping up at the Collective, and I told her that I’ve had a great time every single time I’ve visited. Julie Linker of Delve was also there, and I had a quick hello right before leaving.
I look forward to more of these kinds of pop-ups from the winemakers at the Collective. There were special treats embedded in this visit, but the good vibes are always there. It’s a spot I will definitely take visitors at our house or just go to hang out from time to time. Athena mentioned they’d be doing some harvest and production focused events too, and I cannot wait to see what those will be like, with opportunities to watch the winemakers in action as well as potentially be a part of the action. Fingers crossed!
Fair to note, I felt I shouldn’t tip off the world about the “3” so I didn’t take ANY pictures from the evening. Sigh. Many of the pictures here are from the “3” facebook group (Jake said it was ok!). The Domaine Finot bottles are from web searches. When I stock up on these wines, you’ll get good pics.
And Hey… About That Shirt
Still thinking about grabbing one of those dumpster fire shirts? It’s less dumpster and more toaster these days—perfect for sparking conversation, especially when things veer into political territory. Don’t wait too long. Get yours now.
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