Michelin’s First Winery Ratings Spark Immediate Criticism

Wine enthusiasts now have a new external reference point, though it has sparked debate.

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Last week, Michelin, the tyre company that has become a global authority on restaurants, unveiled its first winery guide.

The Michelin Grape Selection launched with Burgundy, one of the world’s most renowned wine regions, but the initial ratings quickly encountered difficulties.

Soon after Domaine Arnoux‑Lachaux learned it had received a single Michelin Grape, the entry‑level accolade in Michelin’s three‑tier system for wine estates, the producer withdrew the award.

‘We are unsure how the rating was determined,’ the estate wrote on social media, adding, ‘Since 2020 we have deliberately refrained from submitting our wines for press reviews or ratings.’

The public rebuff has cast an uneasy spotlight on the brand’s assessment methodology as it expands beyond restaurant guides.

What are Michelin Grapes?

Unlike conventional wine guides that rate individual bottles or vintages, Michelin’s Grape Selection evaluates estates based on overall wine quality and consistency, vineyard and cellar practices, and their expression of terroir, among other factors.

Estates are awarded one, two, or three Michelin Grapes, with three denoting the highest honor. The inaugural selection encompassed three Burgundy subregions — Côte de Beaune, Côte de Nuits, and Côte Chalonnaise — and recognized 94 estates.

Although Michelin asserts the system acknowledges excellence beyond mere reputation, its first public controversy involved a well‑known Burgundy estate.

The wine expansion follows criticism of recent changes to one of its restaurant accolades.

A welcome boost?

Conversely, some producers view Michelin’s timing as timely.

French wine is navigating one of its most challenging periods in decades. Bordeaux, a premier region and the next target for Michelin’s grape guide, is confronting a “trinity” of overproduction, falling prices, and waning demand for its red wines.

Earlier this year France broadened a large‑scale vine‑uprooting programme aimed at curbing grape surpluses.

In response, some estates are diversifying beyond bottle sales, turning to tourism to sustain their operations amid ongoing crises.

Lydia Coudert, a fifth‑generation co‑owner of Coudert Vineyards, whose family has produced wine in Bordeaux since 1865, believes Michelin’s new guide could help wineries like hers attract new consumers and restaurant buyers at a critical time.

‘It’s a new tool in our arsenal,’ she says.

She adds that Michelin’s credibility will ultimately hinge on the conduct of its tastings, echoing the high‑profile concerns that motivated Domaine Arnoux‑Lachaux’s public rejection of its Michelin distinction.

‘The difficulty lies in ensuring the tasting remains independent and the bottles are anonymized,’ she says, adding, ‘I hope they act ethically.’

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