Where we live, there are two ways to make sense of Provence: through its hilltop villages and through its vines. The second is surely the more sociable of the two. From Gordes, where we welcome our guests, a few minutes' drive takes you across two of the region's most endearing wine-growing territories: the Luberon AOC to the south, and the Ventoux AOC at the foot of the Giant of Provence. A wine route is nothing like a signposted trail or a fast lane of flavours; it is rather a string of country lanes, shaded cellars and encounters with winemakers who love to talk about their soil. Here is the wine-tasting itinerary we recommend to our guests, the one that alternates tasting stops with sweeping views.
Two appellations, two characters
Before setting off, it helps to understand what sets these two neighbouring territories apart, because it is precisely this diversity that makes the outing so rewarding.
The Luberon AOC stretches along the northern slope of the massif, between Apt, Bonnieux and Lourmarin. Its clay-limestone soils and the altitude of the vineyards, often planted between 200 and 450 metres, produce fresh, refined wines marked by a lovely acidity. It is a region where the whites and rosés shine in particular, while the reds, supple and fruity, grow more elegant with each passing year.
The Ventoux AOC, for its part, thrives on the foothills of Mont Ventoux, reaching more than 500 metres in places. The cooler nights there preserve the aromatic brilliance of the grapes. You will find fuller-bodied reds, with notes of garrigue and pepper, alongside taut, lively whites. To grasp everything that brings these two families together and tells them apart before you set out tasting, take a look at the detailed explanations in our Luberon food and wine guide, where wine holds pride of place alongside local produce.
Our tasting itinerary from Gordes
We like to plan the day as a loop, to keep the mileage down and leave plenty of time to wander. Here are the stops we most often suggest to our guests.
Morning: the Luberon hillsides
Leave Gordes heading south. In about twenty minutes you reach the area around Bonnieux, Lacoste and Ménerbes, where the vines unfold in terraces at the foot of the hilltop villages. It is a postcard landscape: the vines in tight rows, the cypress trees, and the silhouettes of the villages clinging to their rocky spurs. The estates here happily open their tasting rooms for a morning sample, while the light is still soft and your palate is fresh.
- Luberon rosés, pale and delicate, perfect for easing into the morning without tiring your palate.
- The whites, made from grapes such as clairette, white grenache or vermentino, lively and floral.
- The young reds, juicy and generous, ideal for a lunch on the grass.
Lunch: a break in Lourmarin or among the vines
At midday, head down to Lourmarin, ranked among the most beautiful villages in France, about forty minutes from Gordes. Its shaded terraces and fine restaurants make for an ideal pause between two cellars. Many estates also offer lunch on site or a picnic hamper to enjoy among the rows: an unforgettable way to extend the tasting while facing the landscape.
Afternoon: on to the Ventoux country
In the afternoon, head back northeast towards Mormoiron, Bédoin or Caromb, at the foot of Mont Ventoux. Allow about forty-five minutes from Gordes. The scenery changes: the vines climb higher, the Giant of Provence dominates the horizon with its bare silhouette, and the air turns crisper. This is the moment to discover the Ventoux reds, deeper in character, and to compare them with what you tasted in the morning. This progression from south to north, from the Luberon hillsides to the slopes of the Ventoux, is what makes the route so telling for anyone wanting to understand Provence through the glass. It fits naturally into our itineraries from Gordes, where we detail other themed loops to suit your mood.
Planning your wine route well
A day of tasting is all the more enjoyable when it has been thought through a little. A few insider tips we are always glad to share with our guests.
- Appoint a sober driver. That is the golden rule. Tasting is a gourmet pleasure, not a question of quantity: you sip, you appreciate, you spit if needed (the cellars provide a spittoon). To make the most of it as a group, take turns at the wheel from one day to the next, or arrange a private driver.
- Call before you drop by. Many small estates welcome visitors by appointment, especially out of season. A quick call the day before saves you from finding closed doors and often guarantees a more personal welcome, sometimes from the winemaker in person.
- Stick to two or three wineries a day. It is far better to take the time to chat, tour the cellars and understand an approach than to rush from one tasting room to the next.
- Bring a cool box. In summer, it protects your purchases from the heat of the car, especially the whites and rosés.
- Eat in the morning and stay hydrated. A good breakfast and a bottle of water in the boot make all the difference to how you perceive the aromas.
When to set off on the wine route?
The vineyards can be visited almost all year round, but each season has its charm. Spring offers vines of a tender green and readily available cellars; summer, livelier, invites you to taste rosés at the end of the day; autumn, finally, is our favourite season: the harvest is in full swing in September, the leaves turn red and the mood at the estates is electric. It is also the time to combine wine with other outings, as the region lends itself beautifully to themed days.
If you are staying for several days, mix up the pleasures: a day among the vines, then a grand nature excursion such as the Verdon Gorges on a day trip from Gordes, or a cultural interlude with Avignon in a day from Gordes and its Palace of the Popes. And before you even take to the wine roads, why not begin with Gordes and its surroundings in a day, to soak up the spirit of the place?
Le Clos de Manon, your base among the vines
A ten-minute walk from Gordes, our villa with its private heated pool is ideally placed for moving from one appellation to the next. Many of our guests love to set off in the morning with an empty cool box and return in the evening with the boot loaded with a few bottles, then uncork their find of the day on the terrace, facing the sunset over the Luberon. To live this wine-lover's interlude in the heart of Provence, simply check our availability and choose your dates: the vines, and all their winemakers, are waiting right on your doorstep.