Chardonnay, 2020. Ceccato

Ceccato is part of the Collis Veneto Wine Group founded in 2008. It became an offshoot of the Collis cooperative as a higher quality brand looking to build its restaurant distribution. These wines are normally not sold to retailers, but in this climate all bets are off, much to our benefit.

The co-op is comprised of 2,000 members consisting of vineyards and wine making facilities. Even by the Italian standard of co-ops, Collis is large. It may seem like a huge operation, which it is, but the upside is by pooling resources, the co-op has the ability to do things financially that none could do individually. This is especially daunting when you consider they farm over 15,000 acres of vineyards.

The Veneto is located in northeast Italy, barely 30 miles from the Adriatic coast. That fact, coupled with their higher latitude, allows a cooler influence on the vines, which is a condition enjoyed by Chardonnay. The cooler climate grapes like our selection, Pinot Blanc, Riesling and others thrive here, producing many of the finest white wines in the country. These grapes are not native to Italy, but as with most grapes, they find a home where the soil and climate welcome them. That is certainly the case here.

Ceccato produces a classic Chardonnay, which sees no oak treatment so they can concentrate on just the qualities of the grape. The classic perfume of lilac and jasmine are evident and segue to a tropical fruit basket and apricot jam. The clean, crisp finish begs for trout almandine or red bean and rice casserole.

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