Going down a treat - that's Belgian wine

Belgium’s wine growing sector is blooming, says Marc Declerck, of the leading wine and restaurant guide Gault & Millau.

He was speaking to this site at the launch of the fourth edition of the highly respected Gault  & Millau Belgian wine guide.

Awards were also presented to those Belgian wine growers who helped make 2025 a “record year.”

In the past 12 months, wine production in the country reached a record level of 4.3 million litres, underscoring, says Declerck, its fast-growing reputation for producing top quality wines.

Speaking on Monday (15 JUne), Declerck, CEO of Gault & Millau, added: “We decided just over 4 years ago to start this guide and awards and we are delighted with how it’s going.

“The wine growers who have received awards this year are helping to put the Belgian wine market on the map internationally which is great. The fact is that Belgian wines are now highly respected globally.”

The launch and awards took place at the Maison de la Poste in Brussels.

Gault & Millau is seen as the benchmark for high-quality Belgian wines and Declerck said it aims to continue supporting the further development of a domestic wine sector that is “more dynamic than ever.”

The year 2025 confirmed the strong growth of the sector, thanks to better yields, new plantings, and increasing professionalization.

Today, Belgium has more than 350 winegrowers who collectively cultivate nearly 1,050 hectares of vineyards, a 10% increase compared to the previous year.

The Gault & Millau Belgian Wine Guide 2026, published this week, is said to reflect the dynamism of this fast-growing national viticulture.

Following a blind tasting of 424 wines by a panel of 75 expert sommeliers, 270 cuvées were selected for the new edition. They come from 137 wine estates, 22 of which are included in the 220-page guide for the first time. This means the publication contains 44 new references compared to last year.

The awarding of 58 ‘Coup de Cœur’ labels and 28 Belgian Wine Awards confirms Belgium’s increasingly prominent position among Europe’s most promising wine countries.

The guide also contains details on restaurants in Belgium with outstanding wine menus.

The event heard the latest selection confirms the rise of Belgian viticulture, driven by both established estates and a new generation of producers who are further diversifying and enriching the national offering.

Sparkling wines, united under the BelBul quality label, continue their “remarkable” growth, while still wines are also enjoying increasing recognition among professionals and enthusiasts far beyond Belgium’s borders.

A Gault & Millau spokesman said, “The aim is to continue supporting this evolution and offer professionals, wine lovers, and the press alike a representative overview of contemporary Belgian wine excellence, guiding them to the best addresses.”

Véronique D’haese, Commercial Director at Vivium Insurance, a partner of the Gault & Millau guide, said, “The Belgian wine sector continues to develop positively, particularly within the country, as evidenced by the rise of new wine estates and new wines over the years.

“We are excited to put our expertise to work for entrepreneurs who are making Belgium a wine country.”

“Belgian wine is the result of passion, vision, and craftsmanship.”

Texts about all the wine estates can be found not only in the guide but also on the Gault & Millau Wine Guide Belgium website also offers a handy interactive map with an overview of all the estates.

The print edition, which contains an extensive description of all selected wines, can be ordered via the Gault & Millau online shop and is priced €25.95.

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