Michelin Grapes: the 2026 ranking of Bordeaux châteaux

Michelin Grapes: the 2026 ranking of Bordeaux châteaux

After dedicating its first wine selection to Burgundy, the MICHELIN Guide continues its exploration of France's great wine regions with Bordeaux. Unveiled in September 2026 at the Cité du Vin in Bordeaux, this new selection highlights 84 estates across some of the region's most emblematic appellations, from the Left Bank to the Right Bank and as far as Sauternes. In total, nine châteaux receive three MICHELIN Grapes, sixteen receive two Grapes, thirty-eight are awarded one Grape, while twenty-one other estates simply join the Guide's selection.

After Burgundy, Bordeaux is the second major French wine region to be included in this selection by the MICHELIN Guide. The choice was particularly anticipated, given that Bordeaux remains shaped by a long-established historical hierarchy. This first edition therefore offers an opportunity to see which châteaux MICHELIN now considers the most representative of Bordeaux excellence. It provides a different way of looking at Bordeaux, placing greater emphasis on the work of the estates, their identity and consistency, and less on the 1855 Classification.

The châteaux awarded three Michelin Grapes

Only nine estates have reached the top of this first Bordeaux selection. The Médoc is represented by Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Léoville Las Cases and Château Montrose. On the Right Bank, Pétrus, Château La Conseillante, Château Lafleur, Château Cheval Blanc and Château Figeac join this very exclusive circle. Sauternes completes the list with Château d'Yquem.

The presence of Pétrus, Cheval Blanc, Lafite Rothschild and Yquem is, of course, no surprise. More interestingly, Michelin brings together under the same distinction estates whose styles and terroirs are very different. Château Léoville Las Cases, for example, owes much of its identity to its famous Clos, while Château Montrose continues to embody one of the deepest expressions of Saint-Estèphe. In Pomerol, La Conseillante and Lafleur illustrate two very different approaches to this discreet terroir. This first category therefore brings together the most obvious names on the list, but also estates whose personality appears particularly aligned with the philosophy behind the MICHELIN Grapes.

The châteaux awarded two Michelin Grapes

Sixteen estates receive two Michelin Grapes. Several of Bordeaux's great names are among them, including Château Mouton Rothschild, Château Margaux, Château Haut-Brion, Château La Mission Haut-Brion, Château Angélus, Château Ausone, Château Palmer and Vieux Château Certan.

This category also gives an interesting place to estates that have profoundly influenced the recent evolution of Bordeaux. Château Pontet-Canet is probably one of the best examples. In Pauillac, the estate has established itself through particularly demanding viticulture and a constant pursuit of precision, becoming one of the Médoc's most closely observed properties. In Pessac-Léognan, the presence of Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion is equally revealing of this new perspective. An estate with a distinctive setting and style, it has established itself within just a few years as one of the appellation's most interesting signatures.

The châteaux awarded one Michelin Grape

With thirty-eight estates distinguished, this category allows the Guide to considerably broaden its view of Bordeaux. It brings together well-known names as well as estates whose recognition is more recent. In Pomerol, Château Le Pin, Château Trotanoy and Château L'Évangile are among the selected estates. In Saint-Émilion, Château Canon La Gaffelière, Château Belair-Monange and La Mondotte also join the selection. In the Médoc, the list includes major names such as Château Lynch-Bages, Château Cos d'Estournel, Château Calon Ségur or Château Rauzan-Ségla. In Pessac-Léognan, Château Haut-Bailly and Château Smith Haut Lafitte complete this category.

The selected estates: some unexpected choices

Beyond the three levels of Grapes, twenty-one châteaux simply join the MICHELIN Guide selection. This category may be the most interesting for wine lovers looking to discover estates that are less immediately associated with Bordeaux's major rankings. Among them are Château Beychevelle, Château Gruaud Larose, Château Talbot and Château Lagrange in the Médoc. In Saint-Émilion, Château Clos Fourtet and Château Rocheyron also feature in the selection. The choice of Château Quintus is also interesting. Owned by the Dillon family, which already owns Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion, the estate represents a more recent generation of great Saint-Émilion properties. Finally, Sauternes is not forgotten, with Château Guiraud and Château La Tour Blanche among the estates selected, reminding us that the richness of Bordeaux cannot be reduced to the great red wines of the Left and Right Banks.