Uniting the two is the vision of Alex Maccan, which guides them both. The differences, however, are stark: two styles, two approaches, two territories that share the limestone root of the soils but express themselves in profoundly different ways.
Le Monde: entrepreneurial strength
The name Le Monde has nothing to do with France (in fact, it is pronounced the way it is spelled): it is that of the hamlet of Prata di Pordenone where the farm was founded in 1870. Of the old farmhouse, the exterior and the original shape remain, but above all the lion, a symbol that recalls the Doge Justinian. The building, after its acquisition by the Maccan family, was renovated with architectural mastery, thanks in part to the contribution of international professionals who wanted to imprint a decisive material mark (corten steel, wood, glass), working in close collaboration with Alex’s wife, an architect with refined taste and meticulous attention to detail.
Since that time the growth has been impressive: from 70,000 bottles produced in the past to 700,000, now exported to more than forty countries. The United States and Japan are the top markets, but the wines also reach Kenya, China, Vietnam, and South Korea. It is precisely in this country that new generations are shifting their tastes to the wines whites, opening up market spaces that until a few years ago seemed unthinkable.
The team
The team, cohesive and close-knit, is led by the owner who places full trust in his leading men: the exuberant Massimo Furlan to the commercial management and the precise Giovanni Ruzzene in enology, both supported by competent, practical and helpful employees. In this sense, it was pleasant to observe the cheerful and serene atmosphere that united all employees: concrete proof of how employee well-being must become a core value in the world of agriculture as well, because this is the only way to build trust in the company, nurture passion, foster people’s permanence and, as a result, achieve lasting results.
A innovative human approach which is also reflected in the production choices: the well-drained clay-limestone soils of fluvial origin prompted Le Monde to leave the Friuli Grave DOC a few years ago to assert an autonomous identity, thus joining the Friuli DOC. Today there are about one hundred hectares under vine, compared to twenty at the start, and the symbolic grape variety is still the Pinot Blanc, delicate and difficult, but capable here of giving wines of depth and elegance.
Wines
Le Monde’s range includes seven whites and four reds, as well as Picolit. Alongside these is. a line of sparkling wines, with seven autoclaves dedicated to Pinot Noir, Ribolla Gialla, Prosecco Brut and Extra Dry, and Prosecco Rosé. Thus, the company also produces several sparkling wines, but the true identity remains tied to still whites, which are considered not only more representative of the territory, but also more competitive on the international market.
Le Monde’s tasting of the wines confirmed the solidity of the winery on the whites, with an elegant and vibrant Pinot Blanc 2024, a rich and fruity Pinot Grigio 2024, and the fresh and straightforward Sauvignon 2024. More mature and complex is the Pinot Bianco Riserva Alma 2020, while the Chardonnay Pratum 2022 stands out for its creamy richness. The Friulano 2024 remains perhaps a little less centered in youth.
Among the reds, the Merlot 2020 stands out for its harmony and typicity, the Refosco 2022 is fresh and spicy but still edgy, the Inaco 2020, the Refosco selection, more austere and closed, while the Cabernet Franc 2022 is confirmed as direct and herbaceous. In the opening, the Pinot Noir Spumante Rosé offers pleasantness and immediacy.
Friuli Pinot Bianco 2024 Le Monde
Score: 95/100
Average price in wine shop: € 12
100% Pinot Bianco. Whole grapes in press, fermentation at controlled temperature, aging in stainless steel. Brilliant straw yellow. Elegant aromas of mango, pineapple, ripe citrus, white flowers and jasmine. Full and vibrant mouthfeel, with great flavor and marked acid plug supporting a long, harmonious finish.
Friuli Pinot Grigio 2024 Le Monde
Score: 92/100
Average price in wine shop: € 12
100% Pinot Grigio. Short maceration of 6-8 hours on skins, soft pressing and fermentation in stainless steel. Antique coppery color, bright. Intense nose of blood orange, pink grapefruit, strawberry, raspberry and yellow-fleshed fruit. Persuasive and rich in the mouth, with citrus and fresh banana returns, well-integrated acidity and lingering finish.
Friuli Sauvignon 2024 Le Monde
Score: 92/100
Average price in wine shop: € 12
100% Sauvignon. Pellicular maceration of 24-48 hours, batonnage, aging in stainless steel. Bright light yellow. Fine nose of jasmine, white peach and elderflower. Palate frank, acid-cutting and savory, with long, elegant finish.
Friuli Chardonnay Pratum 2022 Le Monde
Score: 91/100
Average price in wine shop: € 28
100% Chardonnay. Fermentation and maturation 12 months in barrique, batonnage, no malolactic. Light golden yellow. Warm, enveloping nose of vanilla, candied citrus, cooked milk and dried fruit. Round, savory palate with well-presented acidity and a lingering citrus finish.
Friuli Pinot Bianco Riserva Alma 2020 Le Monde
Score: 93/100
Average price in wine shop: € 28
100% Pinot Bianco. Partial fermentation and aging in wood, extended rest in cellar.
Bright golden yellow. Complex nose of acacia honey, beeswax, ripe pear and candied orange peel. Velvety, enveloping mouthfeel, with acidity and savory flavors lending tension and lengthening the precious finish.
Friuli Merlot 2020 Le Monde
Score: 91/100
Average price in wine shop: € 12
100% Merlot. Fermentation in stainless steel, aging in wood and subsequent rest in bottle.
Compact ruby red. Typical varietal aromas of cherry, black cherry and strawberry, with sweet spice and floral notes. Ample and savory mouthfeel, sandy tannins and long, floral and juicy finish.
