Château de Mille

Nestled between Apt and Bonnieux, in the heart of Provence and the Luberon natural park, Château de Mille covers 116 hectares, of which 25 are dedicated to vines. Dating from the 13th century, it is the oldest wine estate in the Luberon and used to be a summer residence of the Avignon popes.

The terroir is north-facing, resting on remarkable soils at the intersection of the Luberon’s major geological axis. Our micro-climate is impacted by winds coming from the Rhône Valley as well as the high Provençal plateau. Altitude, a strong daily thermal amplitude and a significant portion of old vines give our wines their exceptional character and freshness.

History

Château de Mille is the oldest wine estate in the Luberon, first documented in the Avignon archives in 1238. There is also archeological evidence for an even longer history of agriculture and wine production. Recently, experts have identified carved stone wine-making basins which could date from the Bronze Age.

Mille was called Villa Milonum in the late Antiquity. The Romans made wine here as in the rest of Apta Julia, an important settlement on the Via Domitia. Emperor Hadrian’s horse Borysthene, killed on a boar hunt, is buried a mile away. A fragment of his gravestone, on which Hadrian had a moving poem carved, can be seen at the Musée Lapidaire in Avignon. Winegrowing prospered through the Middle Ages up to the end of the 19th century and the phylloxera disaster. It plays a vital role in today’s local economy.

Château de Mille was first mentioned in the Avignon archives in 1238. It was a summer residence of the popes, including Clement VI, whose portrait hangs in the caveau. The Mille archives, starting with a 15th century parchment, offer clues to the estate’s life and to the local history over the centuries. They are now on view in a permanent exhibition above the tasting room.