Five Luberon wine estates worth the drive

The Côtes du Luberon appellation is younger and quieter than its neighbours in the Rhône. That is exactly its charm: most estates are still family-run, and a winemaker will often stop what they are doing to pour for you.

Our five

1. A hilltop château near Lourmarin. Old vines, a cellar cut into the rock, and a rosé we serve by the pool all summer.
2. A converted farm in the plain below Ménerbes. They press their own olive oil in November. Buy both.
3. A small biodynamic domaine near Goult. Call ahead. The owner makes about twenty thousand bottles a year and sells most of them from the door.
4. A cooperative in Bonnieux. Not glamorous, but an honest way to taste the whole valley in one place.
5. An estate on the slopes above Apt. Cooler, higher, and known for its whites.

Doing it properly

Tastings in the Luberon are relaxed but not endless. Plan two estates in a morning and a long lunch between them. If you would rather not drive, our Cellar Visits day includes a driver, three domaines and lunch at a vineyard table. In September and October, the Harvest package adds a morning in the vines during the vendanges.