For 125 years, the Michelin Guide has celebrated places and talents that embody excellence in gastronomy and hospitality, with the Michelin Stars introduced in 1926 and the Michelin Keys launched in 2024.
This expertise in selection now extends to wine, a key reference in the gastronomic experience. The Michelin Guide has long highlighted exceptional wine lists and sommeliers, notably through the ‘wine’ pictogram created in 2004 to distinguish outstanding food and wine pairings. In 2019, the Michelin Sommelier Award was introduced to honor professionals whose expertise enhances the guest experience through exemplary mastery of wine selection and service.
The Michelin Grapes, the guide’s new distinction, will now spotlight wine estates across different regions of the world. It will assess their overall excellence based on five universal criteria applied consistently
As Gwendal Poullennec, International Director for the Michelin Guide explains: ”After having oriented wine-lovers towards the finest tables in more than 70 destinations and to the world’s most elegant hotels, the Michelin Guide is delighted to open a new chapter by with the world of wine. This new reference is designed for both the curious amateur and the most ardent expert – it rewards the men and women who are building the most demanding vineyards around the world.”
The Michelin Grapes: new reference for showcasing wine-growing talent
In the world of wine, the Michelin Guide rewards not only the vineyards but also, above all, the men and women who personify them. With this new distinction, the Guide intends to showcase unique situations and know-how transmitted down generations, but also innovative techniques and contemporary practices, using a strict and independent methodology.
The Guide now provides wine-lovers with a trusted benchmark: Grapes 1, 2 or 3 and, additionally, a selection of recommended vineyards.
Exceptional producers. Whatever the vintage, wine lovers can turn to the estate’s creations with complete confidence.
Excellent producers who stand out as exceptional within their peer group and region for both quality and consistency.
Very good producers who craft wines of character and style, especially in the best vintages.
Dependable producers who have been chosen for regular review, producing well-made wines that deliver an experience quality.
For its new distinction, true to its fundamental values of excellence and independence, the Michelin Guide applies five criteria uniformly and wherever it may be. They are the quality of agronomy, the technical mastery, the identity, the balance and the consistency.
Wineries will be evaluated across multiple vintages to ensure unwavering consistency in quality, even in the most challenging years. The Guide celebrates wines that reveal greater depth and excellence as time goes by. Future selections will rely on the expertise of dedicated wine inspectors, all professionals employed by the Michelin Group. Their assessments follow a rigorous methodology including a panel review process and editorial supervision.
Initial chapter of the Michelin Grapes in 2026 in France
In 2026, the Michelin Grapes adventure will be writing its initial chapter in the heart of two mythical French wine-producing areas: Burgundy and the Bordeaux region. Both represent a compelling choice, celebrating the diversity, the historical intensity and the cultural richness of wine à la française.
Over the centuries, Bordeaux has established itself as a historic force in the world of wine. Its distinguished vineyards and their reputation go far beyond our borders. The entire prestigious Bordeaux region is renowned throughout the world for its innovations and its traditions.
Burgundy, for its part, differentiates itself by its approach deeply rooted in the local heritage. Its human-sized, family-owned, vineyards reflect rigorous traditions and care imposed at each stage in the production process. Generation to generation legacies have curated the local identity and forged the world-wide reputation of Burgundy.
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