Zensa & Orion Wines, across Italy

About Orion and Zensa

Founded in 2010, Orion Wines is the result of a simple yet stunning synergy between two people:

Alessandro Michelon – one of Italy’s most innovative and experienced winemakers, with a profound knowledge of the various regions of Italy, Alessandro handles everything that has to do with Orion Wines’ most important element: wine! He is the mind behind transforming quality grapes into delicious, user friendly wines. Together with his winemaking team, Alessandro travels throughout the Italian peninsula to oversee all aspect of the winemaking process, basically “from vines to wines”.

Elena Ciurletti – Elena has been in the wine trade for over 15 years and has gathered profound knowledge of the English and German markets. She also handles Orion Wines’ sales and marketing in the Asian markets.

Together they bring to the international markets intriguing, innovative and delicious wines by combining tradition, innovation and most of all, a true passion for wines.

Zensa, Puglia

Pronounced SENZA. The Italian definition of “without”, or “to do without”. No chemicals, no pesticides. Only what Mother Nature has given us. A range of incredibly delicious wines produced using exclusively organic grapes.

Puglia lies in southeastern Italy, surrounded by the Adriatic Sea to the east and the Ionian Sea to the west.

In the southeastern extremity of Puglia lies the peninsula known as Salento, often considered to be a rock of limestone dividing the Adriatic Sea from the Ionian Sea, and the “heel” of Italy’s “boot.”

This beautiful region is blessed with remarkable landscapes of palm trees and cactus plants, sunshine, blue skies and a dream-like coastline on crystal-clear waters.

Vineyards and olive groves have always played an important part in this beautiful and fertile land, where the harsh sun is tempered by the cooling sea breezes.

Masseria Borgo dei Trulli

Masseria Borgo dei Trulli has purchased vineyards in the best viticultural areas. Specifically in the communes of Sava, Manduria and Maruggio – in the province of Taranto – where the primary grapes cultivated are Primitivo, Negroamaro, Vermentino, Malvasia Bianca, Fiano and Sauvignon Blanc, and in the commune of Guagnago, in the province of Lecce, where Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera are grown for the production of Salice Salentino.

It then found an old Masseria surrounded by old vines, and decided to use this unique location to build its new State-of-the-Art winery where it can produce excellent wines from the proprietary vineyards.

The winery is in the Commune of Maruggio, in the subdivision of Roselle. It lies approximately 5 km from the Ionian Sea and in the heart of the Primitivo di Manduria DOP area.

In Puglia the Masseria was once the heart of vast land Estates, surrounded by rolling hills, vineyards and olive groves. Similar to a Spanish “hacienda”, they used to be self-sustaining and included several buildings for the housing of livestock and fodder, winemaking and oil pressing.

Also, in this particular area of Puglia, spread between vineyards and olive groves, you can find numerous ancient dry stone dwellings (huts) called Trulli (Italian plural for Trullo). The “Trulli” in this area are better known as Saracen Trulli, as they differ from the more traditional Trulli found in the Itria Valley (north of where the Masseria lies) as they have a domed rather than coned roof.

This is where Masseria Borgo dei Trulli gets its name.

The winery has been built in full respect of the land, its surroundings and its traditions, next to an old run down Masseria which has been rebuilt and incorporated into the winery itself. A beautiful contrast has been created by combining the main winery, built in a modern style and using the best materials available, and including the best winemaking equipment currently available on the market, to the classic and old Masseria, which has been re-built in the style typical of the area, including the gorgeous and local TUFO stone, arched doorways and vaulted ceilings.

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.