Clos du Tilleul

We have visited every year since their start. Clos du Tilleul is one of the (almost secret) highlights of the Luberon. Lea and Mathieu Malbec are wonderful people and absolutely dedicated to their craft of growing grapes and making high-quality wines. Clos du Tilleul is one of those rarest of discoveries--a small family winery producing great, yet still affordable, wine. The Luberon can be challenging (too hot, too dry, too many boars, etc.) and not every vintage can be perfect, but here they always make a great wine. In our experience the CdT reds tend to be quite powerful and full-bodied, whites are sensuous and full of flavor, roses are a little more tasty than a traditional Provencal. We buy as much as we can drink during our stay in St. Sat. and then carry in our luggage back to the US. That is, if they are not sold out. Because wise restaurant owners all over France have also discovered this marvelous winery. Be sure to contact Lea in advance for a (very informal and fun) visit. Also, make sure to go down the road to purchase some wonderful honey or sunflower oil from Mathieu's sister.

The friendliest little vineyard in the Luberon I think! We've met Lea various times at local markets and finally got to go for a tasting at their place. Loved it. So nice to support this small family operation and the wines are wonderful too. Bit tricky to locate but well worth the effort.

Lea is wonderful. She was so welcoming and excited to share the wine that she and Mathieu make. Their last name is Malbec which seems like it predetermines their destiny as wine makers. They produce beautiful wines for such a young vineyard. Their main red blend is silky and complex and their rose was the best we tasted in this area. If you’re traveling with kids, Lea was SO welcoming of our 7 and 4 year old. She made them a kid friendly drink to entertain them while we tasted. She welcomed them into the production area and explained a bit about the production equipment to them. Visiting this vineyard was the highlight of our day and the best vineyard visit we had.

Léa and Mathieu have created their own paradise! This winery is absolutely a must to visit when you’re around! Léa is the most welcoming owner I have seen here in Luberon!!! You will have a change to taste top class wines and hear all the stories behind different names on the labels! It is super heartwarming to see, if somebody works with full passion and puts their heart in whatever they do! All that is so present in the tastes of their wines! Warmly-warmly recommendable!!!😍

At dinner in a restaurant in Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt we had a bottle of this fine red wine. It was so delicious that we searched for the winery on the internet. And it was a very pleasant find as the owners are extremely friendly and the wine was even more extraordinary. We tasted all three wines and they are all sublime! I would highly recommend visiting this winery if you have the chance and support local wines and these lovely owners!

We met Lea at the Goult market and went to the winery to pick up some red "a nos pères", their white "l'élégance d'Émile" and rosé "douceur de Juliette" all delicious. We also tried the "Grain de Velours" sweet red that can be drunk as an aperitif, sumptuous.

Mathieu gave a good history and tasting, even though it was late in the day when we walked by and stopped in without a reservation. We enjoyed the wine, I wish we could have taken more home with us.

Lea and Mathieu are great people. They have a created a great place. Everything they do comes straight from their heart. You can tell that when you meet them, when you taste their wine and their honey. Thank you very much.