Country: Italy Region: Puglia Varietal: Nero di Troia  Colour: Red Style: Dry Producer: Orion Wines et us tell you about Nero di Troia, like everything else in the wine industry our tale begins in Ancient Greek myth. Nero di Troia is a grape most believe is named after the town of Troia, you can see why they would think that, what with the words being the same and all. The town of Troia was founded by the Greek hero Diomedes. You see, after the hullabaloo with Troy he was asked by Odysseus if he wanted to go on a 10-year odyssey where there would be a good chance they would be eaten by a cyclops. Diomedes said, "nah, you're alright kid, I think I've earnt a nice lie down," so hopped off to grow grapes in Puglia. This wine radiates the qualities of Diomedes, firm, robust, a little fruity and drinks at a pace befitting someone who's done enough chariot fighting for one lifetime. Orion Wines was founded in 2010 by Luca Pomaro and Alessandro Michelon. Working to each of their strengths, they have combined great market awareness and a profound knowledge of winemaking. They aim to produce the most interesting appellations at the fairest possible prices. As way of doing this they have taken full control of every step of the process, from the vineyards to the vinification, straight through to the packaging and marketing. To make this possible, Orion has tied strong commercial relations with a number of growers and estates in different areas of Italy. They complete control of the vineyards and work closely with their partners as well as their own makers to create ranges that will represent the essence and typicity of that particular region, while still keeping an eye on the needs of the ever-evolving international wine aficionado.Alessandro Michelon is a native of Italy, growing up in Trentino, northern Italy. His love of winemaking developed in his younger years, helping his family in their own vineyards of Valle di Cembra. His passion for the vineyards was so strong that he decided to attend the Institute Agrario di San Michele, a respected oenological school in Italy, from where he graduated in 1998. After high school, Alessandro gained experience in the Trentino Wineries and in 2000 he joined one of the biggest Italian wine companies that focuses on export markets. During these years, he acquired a profound knowledge of the various wine producing regions of Italy and the tastes of consumers around the world. At the end of 2009 he left the company as chief winemaker and founded Orion Wines with a fellow enthusiast.Zensa is the pronunciation of the Italian word ‘senza’, meaning ‘without’. In this case it is to underline that this is made ‘senza’ chemical pesticides and fertilisers, using only what Mother Nature provides.