New to Walker & Wodehouse – Great Value Organics from Southern Italy
Orion Wines was founded in 2010 by two friends: Lucca Pomaro, 20 year veteran of the international wine scene, and Alessandro Michelon, one of Italy’s most prominent winemakers. They are a young, dynamic company with a passion for indigenous grape varieties and sustainability, packaged up with fun, innovative branding. All their wines are 100% organic and biodiversity is promoted in the vineyards.
Orion have built strong commercial relations with a number of growers and wineries in different areas of Italy, with particular emphasis on the country’s vibrant southern regions of Campania, Puglia and Sicily. Working closely with their partners and winemakers, they are able to produce wines which represent the essence and typicity of these particular regions, whilst keeping an eye on the ever-evolving needs of the international wine consumer.
Tannu, Sicily
With its warm temperatures, hilly terrain and sea breezes, Sicily has the perfect conditions for winemaking. It has more area under vine than any other major winemaking region in Italy, and produces more wine per year than Australia, New Zealand and Hungary combined!
Orion’s Tannu label is a range of fresh, fruit-driven wines based on native grapes such as Grillo and Nero d’Avola. In old Sicilian ‘Tannu’ means ‘back when’ as in ‘back when agriculture was completely natural’ – just like the Tannu range.
Zensa, Puglia
In south-eastern Italy, the province of Puglia is home to thick-skinned red grapes including a number of exciting indigenous varieties.
The Zensa range translates literally as ‘without’ and refers to their natural, chemical-free and pesticide-free approach to growing. These sumptuous, full-bodied reds are made from 100% Nero d’Avola and Nero di Troia.
What the press think…
Joanna Simon: “Love the retro label, love the wine – a full-on, spicy, cherry-scented red that will go down a treat. Nero d’Avola, one of Sicily’s best red grape varieties (also known as Calabrese), is the source of the sumptuous cherry-berry fruit and dark chocolate flavours. It’ll be happy with a good pizza or spaghetti and spicy meatballs, with roast root or Mediterranean vegetables.”
Fiona Beckett: “Tannu Bianco 2013 is a smooth, slightly soave-ish blend of grillo and chardonnay; and the ripe, juicy Tannu Rosso 2012 a blend of merlot and the indigenous nero d’avola, which would be ideal with pizza and summer grills.”
Anthony Rose: “Zensa Nero d’Avola, Sicily – Made from Sicily’s major black grape, this is an aromatic rosso whose cherry fruit is supported by a rustic tannic twist.”