Vieni Estates Aglianico 2011

Emilie Ryan rated this wine as 78/100 with the following review:

I applaud the winemaker for taking a risk and being creative. However, this is a wine that seems to be searching for an identity: an Italian-style wine (appassimento) from Greek grapes made in Canada…

Name: Vieni Aglianico
Vintage: 2011
Producer: Vieni Estates
Region/country: Vinemount Ridge, Ontario, Canada
Grape varietal(s): Aglianico
Consumed: at home
Recommended by: happened upon it at the LCBO

Appearance: Ink-black, dark cherry colour, no trace of orange.
Nose: Cherries, leather, wood.
Taste: Strong, sharp taste at the beginning, cherries, wood, bordering on sour. I had to decant it because the tannins were so strong and sharp. After that, it was definitely more earthy, leather – very little fruit. I then had it with some food – my house specialty of crêpes with four cheeses, tomatoes and freshly ground black pepper. The wine improved somewhat. It now tasted more like sour cherries.
Finish: sour cherries, alcohol

Overall impression: I’ve had other Greek wines (made in Greece) which have been significantly better, unfortunately. It needs a strong red meat meal because the wine
Rating: 78/100
Value: 1 out of 5

Douglas McMillan rated this wine as 80/100 with the following review:

Ripe plum and cherry with a dried fruit and herb aspect from the appassimento vinification. This is a wine with an abundance of rough tannins and a burlap-like mouth feel. There's some green-ness in the taste, as well as tart cranberry.

Sean O'Regan rated this wine as 85/100 with the following review:

With origins in Greece, the Aglianico grape is today most associated with Italy. Deep ruby with the nose showing dark stewed fruit, oak influence, cherry/almond and light spice. In the mouth it is medium-full bodied, a little sour edged dark cherry, chocolate and savoury notes along with gritty green tannins on a slightly bitter finish. This may improve with several more years in cellar to soften the tannins and better develop the savoury profile. If opening today, give it some time in a decanter and pair with hard cheeses or a fatty roast to tame the tannins.

Monique Sosa rated this wine as 80/100 with the following review:

Paso style Aglianico hailing from the Niagara Escarpment. Big black berry, dark plum and leather aromas but HUGE grippy chewy tannins on the palate. The tannins are quite tough to cut through to the fruit. A tart cranberry picks up on finish. Decent but not very complex for a paso style wine and hard to get through the rough tannins. Definitely age for another 5-7 years and if you are impatient, decant a couple hours before indulging.

Lori Kilmartin WSET3 rated this wine as 80/100 with the following review:

Imagine - an Aglianico wine made in Ontario. This inky black grape hails from Greece and then Italy so finding it growing here is interesting. I found this a bit green for my tastes. It has a short finish with fairly heightened acidity.

Courtney Flood rated this wine as 87/100 with the following review:

Dried cherries and raisins, leathery and earthy. This wine is heavy and brooding. Intense fruit and acidity and quite tannic. Pair with heavy, fatty meat like prime rib.

Valérie Dufour rated this wine as 75/100 with the following review:

The nose is... Green (when you remove the stems of asparagus). Bitter and short in the mouth. Lack of fruit and way overpriced.