Côtes du Luberon is a French wine

French wine

French wine is produced in several regions throughout France, in quantities between 50 and 60 million hectolitres per year, or 7–8 billion bottles. France has the world's second-largest total vineyard area, behind Spain, and is in the position of being the world's largest wine producer...

-growing AOC

Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée

Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...

 in the southeastern extreme of the Rhône wine region

Rhône (wine region)

The Rhône wine region in Southern France is situated in the Rhône river valley and produces numerous wines under various Appellation d'origine contrôlée designations...

 of France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

, where the wines are produced in 36 communes of the Vaucluse

Vaucluse

The Vaucluse is a department in the southeast of France, named after the famous spring, the Fontaine-de-Vaucluse.- History :Vaucluse was created on 12 August 1793 out of parts of the departments of Bouches-du-Rhône, Drôme, and Basses-Alpes...

 département. The neighbouring appellation of Côtes de Ventoux AOC stretches along its northern border and is separated by the Calavon river. The southern limit of the region is marked by the Durance river.

Economy

The Côtes du Luberon wines are produced by a total of 495 concerns which include 480 growers, 55 private wineries, 14 cooperative wineries, and one producer/merchant.
The vineyards are in the communes of Ansouis

Ansouis

Ansouis is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-History:...

, Apt

Apt, Vaucluse

Apt is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It lies on the left bank of the Calavon, east of Avignon...

, La Bastide-des-Jourdans

La Bastide-des-Jourdans

La Bastide-des-Jourdans is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-References:*...

, La Bastidonne

La Bastidonne

La Bastidonne is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-References:*...

, Beaumont-de-Pertuis

Beaumont-de-Pertuis

Beaumont-de-Pertuis is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-References:*...

, Bonnieux

Bonnieux

Bonnieux is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-Geography:Bonnieux is one of the many historic "hill villages" in the region. Dating back to Roman times, it rests on top of the Luberon hills casting a watchful gaze across the rest of...

, Cabrières-d'Aigues

Cabrières-d'Aigues

Cabrières-d'Aigues is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-References:*...

, Cadenet

Cadenet

Cadenet is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-Jewish community:Like all places situated along the river Durance, Cadenet had a Jewish community in the Middle Ages...

, Castellet

Castellet

Castellet is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-Geography:The river Calavon forms all of the commune's northern border. Castellet is situated above the Cote d'Azur on a hill.-References:*...

, Cheval-Blanc

Cheval-Blanc

Cheval-Blanc is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-References:*...

, Cucuron

Cucuron

Cucuron is a village in the Vaucluse department, of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in southeastern France. Its inhabitants are called Cucuronnais....

, Goult

Goult

Goult is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-Geography:The commune lies in the parc naturel régional du Luberon.The Calavon flows westward through the southern part of the commune....

, Grambois

Grambois

Grambois is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It is a nicely renovated, perched medieval village. Grambois is a small peaceful village, quite close to the Luberon mountains....

, Lacoste

Lacoste, Vaucluse

Lacoste is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.Its population doubles in size during the height of the summer tourist season.-Geography:...

, Lauris

Lauris

Lauris is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It is located between the Luberon and the Durance river. The town has seen a rapid increase in population in since the 1980s from 1810 inhabitants in 1982 to 3354 inhabitants in...

, Lourmarin

Lourmarin

Lourmarin is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. Its inhabitants are called Lourmarinois.-Geography:...

, Maubec

Maubec, Vaucluse

Maubec is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-References:*...

, Ménerbes

Ménerbes

Ménerbes is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France, a walled village on a hilltop in the Luberon mountains, footbills of the French Alps....

, Mérindol

Mérindol

Mérindol is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-References:*...

, Mirabeau

Mirabeau, Vaucluse

Mirabeau is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It has several buildings from the thirteenth century in the centre, including the Chapel de Madelinne -References:*...

, La Motte-d'Aigues

La Motte-d'Aigues

La Motte-d'Aigues is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-Geography:La Motte-d'Aigues is situated in the southern part of the Parc naturel régional du Luberon between the crest of the Grand Luberon and the hills bordering the Eze...

, Puget

Puget

Puget is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-Personalities:The troubadour Bertran del Pojet hailed from Pojet, the Occitan name of modern Puget.-See also:* Côtes du Luberon AOC...

, Puyvert

Puyvert

Puyvert is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-References:*...

, Robion

Robion

Robion is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-Geography:The Calavon, locally called Coulon, flows westward through the middle of the commune.-References:*...

, Saignon

Saignon

Saignon is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.The nearest town is Apt.There is a bakery/cafe, two restaurants, and a general store. The school has about 100 students, and is attached to the post office.-History:The area was first...

, Saint-Martin-de-Castillon

Saint-Martin-de-Castillon

Saint-Martin-de-Castillon is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-Geography:The river Calavon flows westward through the middle of the commune and forms part of its western border.-References:...

, Saint-Martin-de-la-Brasque

Saint-Martin-de-la-Brasque

Saint-Martin-de-la-Brasque is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-References:*...

, Sannes

Sannes

Sannes is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-References:*...

, Taillades

Taillades

Taillades is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-References:*...

, La Tour-d'Aigues

La Tour-d'Aigues

La Tour-d'Aigues is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-References:*...

, Vaugines

Vaugines

Vaugines is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It lies on the southern slopes of the Luberon Massif. It is a very old and isolated village....

, Villelaure

Villelaure

Villelaure is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-References:*...

, Vitrolles-en-Luberon

Vitrolles-en-Lubéron

Vitrolles-en-Luberon is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-References:*...

.

Wines

Red wines are made from Grenache Noir and Syrah , 60%, (of which Syrah minimum 10%), Cinsault maximum 20%, Mourvèdre

Mourvèdre

Mourvèdre , Mataró or Monastrell is wine grape variety used to make both strong, dark red wines and rosés. It is an international variety grown in many regions around the world....

 Carignan, maximum 20% other accepted varieties are: Counoise

Counoise

Counoise is a dark-skinned wine grape grown primarily in the Rhône valley region of France. Counoise adds a peppery note and good acidity to a blended red wine, but does not have much depth of colour or tannin. There were of Counoise in France in 2000....

, Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir

Pinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes...

Rosé: The same varieties are used as for the red, and up to 20% of the allowed varieties for white wine may be used.

White wines from Clairette

Clairette

-People:*Clairette , a French-Canadian actress and singer-Wines:*Clairette de Die AOC, a French sparkling wine appellation*Clairette blanche, a white grape variety* Clairette Ronde, synonym for the grape variety Trebbiano...

, Grenache Blanc

Grenache Blanc

Grenache blanc is a variety of white wine grape that is related to the red grape Grenache. It is mostly found in Rhône wine blends and in northeast Spain. Its wines are characterized by high alcohol and low acidity, with citrus and or herbaceous notes. Its vigor can lead to overproduction and...

, Ugni Blanc, maximum 50%, Roussanne

Roussanne

Roussanne is a white wine grape grown originally in the Rhône wine region in France, where it is often blended with Marsanne. It is the only other white variety, besides Marsanne, allowed in the northern Rhône appellations of Crozes-Hermitage AOC, Hermitage AOC and Saint-Joseph AOC...

 and Marsanne together to a maximum of 20%.

The minimum alcohol for all three colours is decreed at 11%.

The reds are well balanced and flexible, the rosés fresh and nervous, and the whites are fresh and well rounded. All wines are generally consumed while they are still young.