Villa Bonnieux / Luberon guide / Wine tasting

Wine estates and tastings

Luberon wine tasting: our favourite estates near Bonnieux

Bonnieux sits in the middle of the Luberon vineyards, and several of the estates below are close enough to visit on a morning walk or a five-minute drive. These are the ten we send our own friends to, from small organic family domaines to an estate that doubles as an open-air art gallery. Most tastings are free and relaxed, and you can be back at the pool by lunchtime.

Old vine with ripe black grapes in a Luberon vineyard

Luberon wine estates at a glance

Château La Canorgue, Bonnieux	Just outside the village · a few minutes	Organic pioneer, the house from the film A Good Year
Château Les Eydins, Bonnieux	Just outside the village · a few minutes	Family-run organic estate, cellar open daily
Château de Mille, Apt road	Towards Apt (9 km) · under 13 min	Historic estate linked to the Avignon popes, organic
Château Isolette, Apt road	Towards Apt (9 km) · under 13 min	Old family estate, easy weekday tastings
Domaine de la Citadelle, Ménerbes	11 km · about 15 min	Corkscrew museum, botanical garden, organic wines
Château Fontvert, Lourmarin	12 km · about 12 min	Biodynamic wines at the edge of Lourmarin
Domaine de Fontenille, Lauris	19 km · about 25 min	Organic wines, hotel and restaurant, tasting with a view
Mas des Infermières, Oppède	20 km · about 25 min	Ridley Scott’s estate, labels he draws himself
Château La Coste, Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade	31 km · about 40 min	Art and architecture trail through the vines
Château Val Joanis, Pertuis	32 km · about 39 min	Listed terraced gardens

Vineyards on the valley floor below a Luberon village

Candlelit barrel cellar at a wine estate

On our doorstep: Bonnieux and the Apt road

Château La Canorgue

The estate everyone asks about. The Margan family has farmed here organically for more than 40 years, and the house and vines appear in Ridley Scott’s film A Good Year. The cellar is open Monday to Saturday, tastings are free and there is no need to book. Red, white and rosé AOC Luberon. chateaulacanorgue.com

Château Les Eydins

A family estate on the Pont Julien road with around 18 hectares, certified organic since the early 2000s and now run by the fourth generation. The cellar is open every day, which makes it an easy stop when others are closed. Combine it with a look at the Roman Pont Julien. chateau-les-eydins.com

Château de Mille

On the road from Bonnieux to Apt, this estate describes itself as the oldest in the Luberon, with a history going back to the 13th century and a spell as a summer residence of the Avignon popes. Its vines have been farmed organically since 2018. Check the website for visits and tastings. chateau-de-mille.com

Château Isolette

Also on the D3 between Bonnieux and Apt, a long-established family estate making AOC Luberon wines in several ranges, including a sparkling wine. The cellar is open on weekdays only, so plan it for a Monday to Friday. chateau-isolette.fr

A short drive: Ménerbes, Lourmarin, Lauris and Oppède

Domaine de la Citadelle, Ménerbes

More than 40 hectares of organic vines, a corkscrew museum (the Musée du Tire-Bouchon) and a botanical garden, all open daily. There is also a bistrot, so it makes a good half day. Guided visits can be booked online. domaine-citadelle.com

Château Fontvert, Lourmarin

A family estate of about 20 hectares, 500 metres from Lourmarin, farmed organically and biodynamically. Tastings need no appointment; cellar visits are by appointment. Pair it with a coffee on Lourmarin’s square. fontvert.com

Domaine de Fontenille, Lauris

Organic vineyards on the southern slopes of the Luberon, with a tasting cellar looking out over the vines, a hotel and restaurants. The cellar is open daily from April to September. A cellar tour with tasting and blending workshops can be booked. boutique-fontenille.com

Mas des Infermières, Oppède

Owned by the Scott family since 1992. Ridley Scott draws the labels, and estate tours include the cellar, the vines and an exhibition about his films. The shop is open all year for tastings; book ahead for a tour or one of the late-opening summer evenings. masdesinfermieres.com

Worth the drive: Château La Coste and Val Joanis

Château La Coste, Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade

Across the Durance, about 40 minutes from the villa, so a full day out rather than a quick stop. Around 200 hectares of organic and biodynamic vines, a cellar by Jean Nouvel, an art centre by Tadao Ando and works by artists such as Louise Bourgeois along a walking trail. Open daily; book the art walk, guided tours and tastings online, and allow time for lunch at one of its restaurants. chateau-la-coste.com

Château Val Joanis, Pertuis

A large estate with a history going back to the 15th century and a terraced garden of roses, perennials and Mediterranean plants, recognised as a Jardin Remarquable since 2005. The shop opens Tuesday to Saturday in spring and autumn and six days a week in summer. The garden is sometimes closed for private events, so check before you go. val-joanis.com

About AOC Luberon wine

Luberon became a full AOC in 1988 (it was previously Côtes du Luberon) and covers 36 communes inside the Luberon Regional Nature Park, Bonnieux among them. The vines grow at roughly 200 to 450 metres, where cool nights keep the wines fresh.

Rosé is the largest share, roughly half of what the appellation makes, and it is what most people drink by the pool. Reds are built on Syrah and Grenache, with Mourvèdre and Cinsault; whites use Vermentino (called Rolle here), Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Roussanne and others. You will also see IGP Vaucluse and IGP Méditerranée on labels: often good value, from the same estates.

Much of the Luberon’s wine is made by cooperatives. The biggest is Marrenon in La Tour-d’Aigues (36 km · about 43 min), which groups growers across the Luberon and Ventoux and runs a shop and tastings year round, with vineyard walks and picnics in July and August.

When to go

Estates are open all year, but May, June and September are the most enjoyable months: cellars keep long hours, the vines are green and it is cool enough to taste in the afternoon. In July and August go in the morning, when cellars are quieter. Harvest usually runs through September, a lovely time to see the grapes coming in, although small estates are at their busiest then.

From October to March many cellars shorten their hours or close on Sundays and Mondays, and some open only by appointment, so check the website or phone first. Sunday is the hardest day in any season.

Summer wine evenings and a tasting bar in Ménerbes

Each summer the Sunsets Vignerons en Luberon evenings open estates and cooperative cellars after hours for a vineyard walk, a cellar visit and a tasting with food. In 2026 the south Luberon programme ran on Tuesday evenings from the end of June to early September, with around 30 estates taking part. Places are limited and booking is required.

In the centre of Ménerbes, the Maison de la Truffe et du Vin du Luberon occupies a 17th-century house with a vaulted cellar. It sells around 170 wines from local producers at estate prices, runs tastings of three or five wines with local platters, and has a garden terrace looking across the valley. It is the best place to compare many Luberon wines in one sitting, especially on a day when estates are closed.

Wine tasting by bike

The Luberon holds the Vignobles & Découvertes label for wine tourism, and Sud Luberon Tourisme lists labelled estates, restaurants and activities, including electric bike outings through the vines. La Provence à Vélo has route maps, including the Pays d’Aigues loop through vineyards and villages around Lourmarin and Cucuron.

From the villa, an e-bike is the easy way to visit La Canorgue, Les Eydins and the Pont Julien without anyone having to drive. Both bike shops in Bonnieux will deliver bikes and suggest routes; see our cycling and kayaking guide.

Our tips for tasting days

Planning

Pick two or three estates in one area rather than criss-crossing the valley.
Book ahead for tours, workshops, Château La Coste and summer evening events. Simple tastings rarely need booking.
Many cellars close at lunchtime, so start around 10 and stop for lunch in a village.

Driving

Agree a designated driver, or take a bike or taxi. The French limit is lower than in England and Wales, and the roads are narrow and winding.
Use the spittoon: nobody minds, and you will taste more.

Buying

Buy direct: prices at the cellar door are often lower than in shops, and many estates sell wines you will not find at home.
Buy a case at the start of your stay for the villa, and a few bottles to take home at the end.
Several estates ship within France and abroad; ask at the cellar or order from their online shops once you are home. Check your airline’s rules if you are packing bottles in hold luggage.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to book a wine tasting in the Luberon?

For a simple tasting at the cellar door, usually not. Book ahead for guided tours, workshops, Château La Coste, Mas des Infermières tours and the summer Sunsets Vignerons evenings, and phone ahead in winter.

Are wine tastings free?

At most family estates a tasting of a few wines is free, and buying a bottle or two is appreciated but not expected. Tours, workshops and tastings with food are paid.

Which wine estate was used in A Good Year?

Château La Canorgue, just outside Bonnieux. It is still a working family estate and has been organic for more than 40 years, so you can taste the wines where the film was shot.

Is Château La Coste worth the drive from Bonnieux?

Yes, if you like art and architecture. It is about 40 minutes away, so treat it as a day out with lunch on the estate rather than a quick tasting stop.

What is the best Luberon wine to try?

Start with the rosé, which is what the Luberon makes most of. Then try a white made mostly from Vermentino, and a red blend of Syrah and Grenache from an organic estate such as La Canorgue or Fontvert.

Can children come to wine tastings?

Yes, children are welcome at most estates, and places with gardens or art, such as La Citadelle, Val Joanis and La Coste, keep them happily busy. Tastings themselves are for adults only.

Opening days and tasting arrangements change each season, so check with the estate before you go. Distances are driving distances from Bonnieux. Checked September 2026. Opening seasons, days and hours for every place mentioned should be verified directly before you go.