The Michelin Guide is uncorking a new chapter. For 125 years, the Michelin Guide has been the last word on where to eat and, more recently, where to sleep. Now, it’s telling us what to drink. The storied French institution has announced its latest distinction, Michelin Grape, extending its famous rating system beyond restaurants and hotels into the world of wine.
The move follows a familiar Michelin trajectory. The Guide introduced its restaurant Stars back in 1926, and just two years ago it launched Michelin Keys to rate hotels. Wine, however, has never been entirely absent from the Guide’s radar — it has recognised standout wine lists through a dedicated pictogram since 2004, and honoured sommeliers with the Michelin Sommelier Award since 2019. Michelin Grape marks the first time the Guide turns its attention directly to the producers and estates behind the bottle, rather than the professionals serving it.
Michelin Grapes: The Michelin Guide launches a new distinction for wine
The new system awards estates One, Two or Three Grapes, with an additional “Selected” tier for dependable producers under continued review. Three Grapes go to exceptional producers whose wines can be trusted regardless of vintage; Two Grapes recognise excellent producers who stand out within their peer group; and One Grape honours very good producers crafting wines of character, particularly in strong years.
Michelin says its inspectors — a mix of former sommeliers, specialised critics and production experts employed directly by the Michelin Group — will assess estates against five criteria: the quality of agronomy (soil health, vine balance and vineyard care), technical mastery in winemaking, the identity or sense of place expressed in the wine, the balance between elements like acidity, tannins and oak, and consistency across multiple vintages. Recommendations are made collectively, following a panel review process intended to keep the selections independent.
Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the Michelin Guide, described the initiative as a reference designed for both the curious amateur and the most dedicated expert, one that rewards the people building the world’s most demanding vineyards.
The first Michelin Grape selections will be unveiled in 2026, starting with two of France’s most storied wine regions: Burgundy, known for its small, family-run domaines and generations of meticulous craftsmanship, and Bordeaux, long regarded as a global benchmark for both tradition and innovation. Michelin has indicated the programme will expand to other wine regions worldwide following this debut.
For wine lovers and casual drinkers alike, Michelin Grape promises a new, trustworthy shorthand for quality; the kind of instant credibility a Michelin Star has long conferred on restaurants. Whether it reshapes how the world buys and drinks wine the way it reshaped dining remains to be seen, but with Burgundy and Bordeaux first in line, the industry will be watching closely.
(Hero and Featured Image Credit: Dan Meyers/Unsplash and Michelin)
Note : The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.