Chardonnay | Cecchini Marco

Chardonnay | Cecchini Marco

Sale price€25,00
White
Friuli Venezia Giulia (IT)
Colli Orientali del Friuli DOC
Chardonnay 100%
Enjoy it within 5 years
14% ABV
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Production and refinement

The Chardonnay comes from a single vineyard in the Colli Orientali, on soils benefiting from sun exposure and protection from the pre-Alpine hills. The grapes are hand-harvested in the first half of September, at full ripeness. The vineyard’s goal is to obtain whole, healthy clusters with a perfect sugar-acidity balance, allowing for both good early expression and extended aging potential. Management is organic, with manual work and respect for the vine’s natural rhythms.

After harvest, the grapes undergo cold maceration on the skins for 12–18 hours at 8°C, a phase that allows for delicate extraction of aromas and polyphenols. Fermentation takes place in new French barriques, where malolactic fermentation is also completed, giving the wine roundness and structure. During the 12–16 months of aging, weekly bâtonnage is carried out to keep the fine lees in suspension and develop aromatic complexity and tactile depth. This process gives the wine elegance, body, and persistence, while preserving the characteristic freshness of Friulian Chardonnay.

Organoleptic analysis

Visual exam

The wine appears a deep, intense yellow, streaked with golden reflections. Its brightness and visual density anticipate the aromatic richness and structure on the palate.

Olfactory examination

On the nose, an enveloping bouquet emerges: yellow-petaled flowers, ripe exotic fruit, with well-integrated notes of pineapple and mango. The aromatic profile evokes warmth, brightness, and immediate appeal, with a lightness that leaves room for minerality and toasted nuances typical of barrique aging.

Tasting

On the palate, it asserts itself as a vigorous, mineral, and savory Chardonnay. The attack is full and enveloping, with a structured yet balanced body, supported by acidity and freshness. The palate reprises the ripe fruit and floral notes, integrated with a silky creaminess derived from bâtonnage on the lees. The finish is long and rich, capable of leaving the warm sensation typical of a wine that can also be enjoyed for contemplation.

Contents index

From the vineyard to the table: discover our wine

Ready for a journey to discover Chardonnay | Cecchini Marco ? We will now take you to delve deeper into every aspect of this exceptional wine through three key sections:

Cellar

Come and learn about the history and values ​​of the winery which passionately grows and transforms grapes into wine

Territory

Immerse yourself in the land that gives life to these unique grapes, discovering the climate and terroir that influence its character

Pairings

Get expert advice on the perfect pairings that will enhance both the wine and your meal

The winery

Country: Italy

Region: Friuli Venezia Giulia

Hectares of vineyards: 5

Cecchini Marco

The history of D’Orsaria is rooted in nearly a century of family tradition. The Cecchini family experiences wine both as a daily practice and as a passed-down culture, but it was in 1998 that the journey took a decisive turn. Marco Cecchini, then a student of financial market economics, was called by his grandfather Alfio to manage the harvest of the family vineyards. That vintage, undertaken with the help of friends and a rapid yet intense apprenticeship, brought a revelation: wine was not an accessory activity, but a vocation.

After completing his university studies, Marco chose the countryside. He transformed a rural warehouse into a home and a bramble-covered hill into a vineyard, spending three seasons on manual labor and continuous experimentation. This marked the birth of the Cecchini Marco farm, today covering five hectares in the Colli Orientali del Friuli, in Faedis, between Udine and the Slovenian border, in a valley shaped by the Grivò stream and protected by the Julian Prealps.

The Faedis territory is rich in historical layers: inhabited since 2000 B.C., traversed by the Romans, marked by the Great War, it preserves churches, manors, and rural landmarks that tell the story of a resilient, identity-rich Friuli. The very etymology of its name, from *fagetum* (beech forest), evokes the original image of a wooded land gradually converted to viticulture.

Cecchini Marco

Since 2004, the estate has been managed according to organic principles, officially certified in 2014. In the vineyard, only copper and sulfur are used, and work is carried out entirely by hand, vine by vine, with five annual passes per plant. Soil and ecosystem health are an integral part of the project: the beehives hosted on the estate serve as a biological indicator of environmental quality, while during the harvest a diverse team is formed, including longtime friends and social collaborations with asylum seekers, reflecting a vision of agriculture as community.

In 2005, Marco also founded a négociant business, purchasing grapes from selected local small-scale growers and vinifying them in the modern Orsaria winery, near Premariacco. The name D’Orsaria recalls the native village and a past when the forests were inhabited by bears. The winemaking line is defined by a “smart and easy” concept: young, approachable wines at coherent prices, yet technically rigorous and territorially expressive. Alongside indigenous varieties, international grapes such as Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and Cabernet Franc are cultivated, interpreted with Friulian sensitivity.

Region and territory

An explosion of aromas and flavors that celebrate the unique territory of the region in the glass.

Friuli Venezia Giulia

An explosion of aromas and flavors that celebrate the unique territory of the region in the glass.

Friuli Venezia Giulia

An explosion of aromas and flavors that celebrate the unique territory of the region in the glass.

Friuli Venezia Giulia

Friuli-Venezia Giulia has always been the land of great whites and has achieved extraordinary fame for what some call the "superwhites."

Recently, Friuli Venezia Giulia was the battleground for a community-level dispute with Hungary regarding the right to continue calling the wine produced with the Tocai Friulano grape "Tocai," causing confusion with the well-known Hungarian sweet wine Tokaji. Italy lost the case in 2007, and since 2011 wines produced with Tocai Friulano are respectively called "Friulano" in Friuli Venezia Giulia and "Tai" in Veneto.

The region is divided into a mountainous area to the north, hilly terrain in the pre-Alpine arc, an alluvial plain, and a coastal area.
The northern part of the plain is suitable for the cultivation of white grape varieties, while the southern part is more favorable for black grape varieties.
To the east, in the area bordering Slovenia, the plain extends to the foothills of the Karst: here viticulture is challenging due to the limestone rocks eroded by water, and often it is only possible on terraces supported by retaining walls made of sandstone blocks called "pastini."

Colli Orientali

The DOC Friuli Colli Orientali extends over a territory that covers the central-eastern area of the Province of Udine, near the border with Slovenia. The soils of the Colli Orientali are composed of alternating layers of marl (limestone clays) and sandstone (calcified sands), called "ponca" in Friulian.
The easy erodibility of the predominantly marly soils has led to a gentle terrain, with elevations below 200 meters above sea level. Everywhere there are terraces. Here, the "Superwhites" are born, a definition that suits well a denomination that includes 12 types of white wines and the "dolce", to which 11 reds are added.

The controlled denomination of Friuli Colli Orientali boasts five subzones called respectively: Cialla, Pignolo di Rosazzo, Ribolla Gialla di Rosazzo, Schioppettino di Prepotto, and Refosco di Faedis.
The magic of the Friuli Colli Orientali DOC is reflected in its ponca soils, where superb white wines and enchanting reds are born.

Recommended pairings and dishes

Matching by concordance

By analogy, this white wine pairs beautifully with aromatically intense, well-structured preparations, such as dishes with citrus, fresh herbs, tropical fruits, or gently oven-baked elements, echoing and amplifying the fragrant sensations perceived on the nose.

Matching by contrast

The softness of this Chardonnay can be used to balance dishes with acidity and savoriness, creating a pleasing harmony between palate and sip.

It pairs well with

Appetizers based on shellfish, fish soups, delicate cured meats, and white meats. Its roundness and minerality also make it suitable for more complex preparations that require balance between body and acidity.

Matching by concordance

By analogy, this white wine pairs beautifully with aromatically intense, well-structured preparations, such as dishes with citrus, fresh herbs, tropical fruits, or gently oven-baked elements, echoing and amplifying the fragrant sensations perceived on the nose.

Matching by contrast

The softness of this Chardonnay can be used to balance dishes with acidity and savoriness, creating a pleasing harmony between palate and sip.

It pairs well with

Appetizers based on shellfish, fish soups, delicate cured meats, and white meats. Its roundness and minerality also make it suitable for more complex preparations that require balance between body and acidity.

Fish Broth

A typical soup made with various types of fish, including shellfish, cooked and flavored with garlic and parsley. A dish of medium structure but very aromatic, intense in character, and with excellent aromatic persistence.

Prosciutto and figs

By selecting from the many refined Italian cured meats available, you can create a dish for appetizers that's incredibly satisfying. The saltiness of the prosciutto, more or less pronounced depending on the sweet or savory version chosen, balances the sweetness of the figs and, combined with the wine, creates an unforgettable gustatory balance and an explosion of flavors.

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