On-wine.com a startup with Italian roots. If someone says Italian wine, then I’m all ears. And when the wine comes directly from the winery and lands on my doorstep, I’m totally happy! More Italian discoveries? Read it here!

How does onwine work?

From the website:

ONWINE puts wine lovers in direct contact with local winemakers from Italy!

• Through ONWINE, a direct transaction takes place between consumers and the winegrower.
• The wine lover makes a selection of different unique wines from the same wine producer (the selection is a multiple of 6).
• The winegrowers themselves determine the selection and the prices, so each winegrower has his own “store” within the platform.
• The winegrowers pack and ship the wines themselves, directly from Italy.

Onwine in practice

On Onwine’s website you will find several Italian wineries to choose from. The vast majority are from Piedmont. A few wineries from Tuscany, Friuli, Umbria and Veneto are also on hand. My eye falls on a winery from Valtellina. A small, relatively unknown region in northern Italy where, just like in Piedmont, high-quality Nebbiolo wines are produced. The selection is huge so I choose the sample package with six different wines from Nera Vini.

About Nera Vini

Nera Vini is one of the most prestigious wineries from Valtellina and was founded by Guido Nera in 1940. His son Pietro continued his work and merged the Caven winery with Nera vini. The winery is known for their authentic Valtellinese traditions and producing high quality wines, mostly from Nebbiolo grapes. The wines fall under the DOCG Sforzato di Valtellina and Valtellina Superiore DOCG.

Valtellina is a region where making wine is not something to be taken for granted. Wine production here is a top sport and its a from of heroic wine production. This is because of the extremely steep slopes on which the vineyards are planted. All the work is done by hand and an average of 1200 to 1400 man hours are needed to cultivate one hectare of vineyard.

Besides Nebbiolo, Nera vini grows indigenous grape varieties Rossola, Pignola and international varieties Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Read my tasting notes here!

Caven’ Spumante Brut Metodo Classico: A blend of Chardonnay and Nebbiolo. The bubble is obtained by a second fermentation in the bottle and the wine then matures for at least 24 months.
The result is a beautiful golden yellow wine with a creamy and round mouthfeel. Juicy because of the fresh acidity, beautiful brioche aromas from the aging on its own yeast and a fruity lingering finish. Give me another glass!

‘Cerasum’ Alpi Retiche Rosato IGT: The color of this rosé is amazing! Attractive aromas of cherry, raspberry and strawberry. Nebbiolo at its best. Engaging, charming and with enough structure to not lose out over a meal.

‘Rezio’ Terrazze Retiche di Sondrio Bianco IGT: Great white wine from Nebbiolo, Rossola, Chardonnay and Incrocio Manzoni. A ripe wine with notes of tropical fruit. Summery white for an aperitif or with summery light dishes.

Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG: A serious wine from raisined Nebbiolo grapes. A high alcohol percentage, ripe fruit and almost sweet notes make this wine very suitable for combination with game or aged cheeses.

‘Sassella’ Valtellina Superiore DOCG: The Riserva of Nera, a bright ruby red wine with great intensity. Juicy, elegant and a long finish, 36 months of aging provide complexity. A beautiful dance between primary, secondary and tertiary. A real foodies wine.

‘Éfesto’ Valtellina Superiore D.O.C.G. Inferno: A blend of Nebbiolo and autochthonous varieties Pignola and Rossola. Red fruit predominates. A quirky wine with juicy fruit and elegance. Good with almost everything!

Want to order? You can order at www.on-wine.com!