Whether MICHELIN Grapes becomes the industry’s next defining benchmark or simply another respected accolade remains to be seen. Either way, one thing is certain: after transforming how we choose restaurants and hotels, MICHELIN has now set its sights firmly on the world’s vineyards.
What is a MICHELIN Grape?
The MICHELIN Guide has announced the introduction of Michelin Grapes – a brand-new distinction designed to recognise outstanding wine producers, rather than individual wines. The first recipients will be announced today (7th July 2026) with Bordeaux and Burgundy becoming the first regions to be assessed. Further regions are expected to follow in the coming years.
What does each distinction mean?
🍇🍇🍇 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.
SELECTED – Dependable producers who have been chosen for regular review, producing well-made wines that deliver a quality experience.
How will MICHELIN decide?
MICHELIN will evaluate wine producers based on the following 5 criteria:
- Quality of Agronomy – This includes: soil vitality, vine balance, vineyard management, and more.
- Technical Mastery – Precise and rigorous wine-making practices, producing wines that reflect the terroir and variety.
- Identity – Winemakers who craft wines with a strong identity, expressing a sense of place, personality and culture.
- Balance – Evaluation of harmony between components such as acidity, tannins, oak, alcohol, and sweetness.
- Consistency – Wineries will be evaluated across multiple vintages to ensure unwavering consistency in quality, celebrating wines that reveal greater depth and excellence as time goes by.
Why is MICHELIN doing this?
Wine can often feel intimidating. With countless producers, regions, and critic’s scores, consumers don’t know where to begin. MICHELIN believes its reputation for independent inspection can provide a trusted shortcut – just as its restaurant stars have guided diners for more than a century.
The move also builds naturally on MICHELIN’s existing recognition of outstanding restaurant wine programmes and sommeliers.
What could MICHELIN Grapes mean for your business?
While it’s still early days, MICHELIN Grapes has the potential to influence consumer behaviour and buying decisions, creating opportunities and challenges throughout the wine supply chain – from producers and importers to distributors, hospitality venues and specialist retailers.
Building Producer Reputation – For producers, a MICHELIN Grape could become a powerful mark of credibility. Smaller estates may gain international recognition more quickly, while established wineries have another prestigious accolade to compete for, raising standards across wine production as a whole.
A New Commercial Differentiator – If MICHELIN Grapes gains the same prestige as MICHELIN Stars, it could become a powerful commercial asset for producers and those who represent them. Importers, distributors and merchants representing MICHELIN-recognised producers may find their portfolios becoming increasingly desirable, strengthening their position in a very competitive market.
Shifting Demand & Pricing – As consumers become familiar with the distinction, restaurants, hotels and retailers may actively seek MICHELIN-recognised producers. This presents opportunities for businesses already working with these producers, but it may also increase competition for allocations and place upward pressure on pricing.
A Valuable Sales Tool – For businesses across the wine trade, MICHELIN Grapes could become another valuable storytelling tool to drive wine sales and increase revenue. Alongside regional heritage, producer stories and critics’ scores, MICHELIN Grapes could become another trusted way for businesses to communicate quality and build customer confidence.
The Halo Effect – There is also a possibility of a ‘halo effect’. As buyers increasingly seek MICHELIN-recognised producers, excellent wineries outside of the MICHELIN spotlight could find themselves overlooked – not because they lack quality, but because they lack the recognisable MICHELIN badge. Some of the world’s most exciting wines come from lesser-known regions and emerging winemakers, many of whom may not be included in the programme for several years, if ever.
What does this mean for EWGA?
For EWGA Wines, MICHELIN Grapes is an exciting addition to the wine industry, with the potential to shine a spotlight on exceptional producers and create new opportunities across the wine trade. However, while MICHELIN Grapes can help buyers discover great wines, no accolade can define great wine – that will always come down to craftsmanship, personality and personal taste.
Whatever this means for the industry, we’ll continue to do what we do best: sourcing outstanding wines from passionate producers, sharing the stories behind them, and helping our customers build them into distinctive wine lists and portfolios – whether they’ve received a MICHELIN accolade or not.
With the first MICHELIN Grapes announced, we’ll be watching closely to see whether any of our producers receive this exciting new distinction – and if they do, we’ll be sharing the news.