“Ontario wine consumers should drink Ontario wine; that is my goal,” says Mauro Salvador, head winemaker at Vieni Estates.
Salvador is, of course, referring to the fact that in Europe, local wine is the priority. The French mostly drink French wine, Italians predominantly drink Italian wine and so on. So, for him, why Canadians, and more locally speaking, Ontarians, don’t reach for locally made wines first is a conundrum.
He has made it his mission to change that by questioning, experimenting, improving and expanding the winery’s wine offerings all the while focusing on consistency and quality in the vineyard and in the wine cellar.
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To that end, Salvador acquired the latest technology in winemaking equipment (all from Italy, by the way) especially for Vieni’s sparkling wines made by the Charmat method or Metodo Italiano.
Originally from the Veneto wine region, Salvador completed his oenological studies and training in Italy before coming to Canada. In 2012, he met Pasquale Raviele, businessman, grape grower and one of the three founding partners of Vieni (along with Alessandro Spassiani and Paul White. Sadly, Raviele passed a few years ago but his sons carry on involvement in Vieni).
Vieni Estates winemaker Mauro Salvador.
Back in 2012, the founding partners were transitioning from growing and selling grapes to becoming a winery and they needed a winemaker who was familiar with not only making still wines but also appassimento style wines, sparkling wines, and distilled products such as grappa and amaro liqueurs.
Salavador came into the picture and was a perfect fit. Today, he leads a small team of dedicated and motivated staff at Vieni which is not only a winery – there is a B&B on the property and an events venue in a restored historic barn.
What sparked my interest in Vieni Estates was their extensive portfolio of sparkling wine products. Everything from aromatic, light moscatos, to sparkling Rosso, to sparkling ciders and Icewines. There are 14 different bubbly bottlings made with a surprising range of grape varieties and orchard fruit.
The drive up the Vieni Estates lot.
Currently Vieni manages 200 acres of vineyards and orchards (apples, pears) on the Vinemount Ridge sub-appellation in Niagara. Over 20 different grape varieties have been planted, with chardonnay, chardonnay musqué, riesling, pinot noir, pinot meunier, gold muscat (moscato giallo), vidal and geisenheim used for sparkling wines.
Vieni has an impressive array of pressurized tanks called autoclaves which are essential for the production of Charmat method sparkling wines. These tanks are built to work up to pressures of six atmospheres and are temperature controlled so they can heat or cool the must/wine inside them.
In addition to the autoclaves, there is specialized filtration equipment and a bottling line intended to handle packaging steps under pressure and without exposure to oxygen.
Sparkling wines from Vieni Estates tasted: Moscato, Rosso, Bollicine and Bollicine Rosé (each reviewed below).
Not surprisingly, with all of the specialized equipment and Salvador’s winemaking know-how, Vieni produces sparkling wines for numerous other Ontario wineries. But he is tight-lipped about his clients, respecting their privacy.
The growth in popularity of sparkling wine has not gone unnoticed at Vieni. Salvador exclaims, “We created the trend of affordable sparkling wines here, with different characteristics for everyday drinking: fresh and sweet, aromatic, fruity, creamy and dry; some even with bread-like notes.”
Vieni 2021 Moscato Sparkling
A light, easy drinking, sweet sparkling wine to be enjoyed as an appéritif, with savoury appetizers such as prosciutto and melon, blue cheese and figs, as well as fruity and creamy desserts. Pale straw colour, the sparkler is intensely aromatic with notes of acacia flowers and orange blossom. The palate is fresh, lightly fizzy with fruity notes of golden apple, citrus, lychee, and passion fruit. 7.5% abv, VQA ($19.95)
Vieni Rosso
Emilia-Romagna is known for its Lambrusco wines; here is an Ontario version of a red sparkler made with cabernet franc and chambourcin. Deep magenta in colour, the wine opens with aromas of cherry chocolate, blackberry and mulberry. On the palate, there are both sweet and sour berry flavours backed by bright acidity and delicate, smooth tannins. It’s lively, creamy and despite the 30 g/L of residual sugar, it finishes dry. Try it as an appéritif or with a cheese plate at the end of the meal. 10% abv, VQA ($19.95)
Vieni 2022 Bollicine Brut
Bollicine means “bubbles”, this sparkling wine is intensely aromatic and composed of 4% chardonnay, 76% chardonnay musqué and 20% riesling. Pale straw in colour, aromas include green apple, citrus, white peach and white blossom. The palate introduces notes of bread crust along with grapefruit, apple, lemon rind and strawberry! Enveloped by zippy acidity and fine mousse, savour this wine on its own or with hors d’oeuvres, especially shellfish and foie gras. 12% abv, VQA ($24.95)
Vieni 2022 Bollicine Rosé Brut
This salmon-pink sparkler is made with 54% pinot noir, 15% pinot meunier and 31% chardonnay. It’s lightly aromatic with notes of cherry and apple. The palate is more intense with cherry, apple, pink grapefruit, guava and a hint of fresh bread. Bright acidity, creamy texture, fine mousse and a long finish make this a delightful bubbly. Serve as an appéritif or with a cheese plate, fresh salads, or sushi. 12% abv, VQA ($27.95)
