Luberon Wine & Food
Luberon wines are among the great regional vintages of France. An ideal environment, perfect soil and generous amounts of sunshine allows the Grenache and Syrah grapes to give the " Côtes du Luberon " their very fine bouquet. Their complex aroma provide a subtle and pleasant flavor that lingers in the mouth. The wines can be drunk at a young age or kept and enjoyed several years later. The reds are full of body, scented by red fruits, while the rosé, with a glint of cherry, are among the great Provencal wines.
The Côtes du Luberon appellation covers 3500 hectares. It is situated between Cavaillon and Apt, with 36 districts sharing the vineyards. Eighty per cent of the wine producing land is grouped into co-operative wineries (caves co-operatives). Comprising 70% reds, 15 % to 20 % rosés or whites depending on the year, the Côtes du Luberon wine is appreciated for its delicate bouquet.
The reds are well-balanced and flexible, the rosés fresh and nervous, while the whites are fresh and well-rounded.
It is generally better to drink the Côtes du Luberon wines when they are young.
Produces from the land - The natural produce from the land of the Luberon is plentiful and of a consistently high quality. The fruit and vegetables are allowed to ripen from their core and offer abundant pleasures for the taste buds. The sparkling wines are the perfect accompaniment to the local food. Your stay in Luberon is incomplete without a visit to one of the number of excellent outdoor markets in the area which present the local produce at its best..
Luberon Markets
There is more than one village market in the Luberon every day of the week. They range from a handful of stalls, like at Oppede-le-Vieux, to the town markets at Cavaillon, and the biggest of them on Saturday mornings in Apt, with up to 300 stalls. Market day is not just a time to buy what you need, it is also a time to observe this most French of rituals, when some of the stereotypes come alive.
Markets are as popular with locals as with tourists, and most of them are year-round, adding color and vitality. They tend to be larger in the summer. Combining a morning at the market with lunch in a favorite restaurant is a great way to spend a half-day. What will you find at the markets: the best local, seasonal fruit and vegetables; meat, fish, bread, olives, tapenade, honey and conserves, herbs and spices, cheese, goat cheese, flowers, oils and wines, ready-to-eat rotisserie chickens, Provencal fabrics and house wares; clothes, the perfect straw hat or straw basket to take to the markets, and much else besides.
A marché paysan is a farmer's market with produce sold by the farmers who grew it, and at an evening market like Velleron, picked the same day.
Discover the culinary delights of the Luberon.
Provencal cooking represents a harmonious blend of Mediterranean traditions and a very French sense of style and good living. Using ingredients with strong flavours, including a range of wild fruit and herbs, Provencal cooking manages to maintain a subtle and pleasant balance to produce the very best food.
