We think a lot about family owned businesses… well, because we are one! We love working alongside the local ones here in Maine. But there’s something about a family vineyard that takes it to another level — maybe it’s the way knowledge gets passed down vine by vine, or how you can taste five generations in a single bottle. That’s exactly what drew us to Domaine Biet.
Picture this: it’s the 1930s in the Loire Valley. Félicie and Domingue are tending vines and raising a family in Seigy, a small village on the banks of the Cher River. Their son Fernand takes over, then passes it to his daughter Jeannine and her husband Jean. By the 1980s, their son Jean-Marc and his wife Lydia are running the show. And in 2018, the next generation comes home: Julie and her brother Hugo.
Today it’s a true family operation. Hugo works the vineyards — 40 hectares of vines, some of them 60 years old, farmed sustainably under Terra Vitis and HVE certification. Julie heads up the winemaking with guidance from their recently retired father Jean-Marc, a fourth-generation winemaker. Her approach? Fresh, direct, balanced wines that taste like the Loire Valley should.
Our wine team visited Julie and her family in the Loire this winter — walking the vineyards, tasting through barrels in the cellar, and getting to know these folks. They’re warm, welcoming, and Julie loves to tease. It’s one thing to read about a fifth-generation winery; it’s another to stand in a 60-year-old vineyard with the people who tend it and hear the stories that don’t make it onto a label. Those are the kinds of producers we want to work with.
Wines from Domaine Biet
Rouge Caractère — Jean-Marc’s signature blend of Cabernet Franc and Côt (aka Malbec). Structured, fruity, full of personality with silky tannins. This is a wine for rich, spiced dishes, game, sharp cheeses — or just a cold night with friends.
Pinot Noir — This vintage is light-bodied and joyful — a Pinot that will never wear you out. Notes of cherry and red fruits, smooth and elegant with a long finish. The kind of wine you can pour a second glass of without thinking twice. Great with roasted chicken, grilled salmon, or a cheese board.
Loire Sauvignon Blanc — This is what Loire Sauvignon should taste like. Pale yellow, fresh white peach and rose on the nose, crisp and balanced in the glass. Cold-fermented and aged on fine lees for extra depth. Pair it with oysters, grilled fish, or a tangy chèvre.
