Main grape varieties in Belgium
| Grape variety | Type | Position in Belgium (vineyard area 2024) | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chardonnay | White (classic) | No. 1, approx. 310 ha (about one third of the vineyard area) | Very high potential for dry white and sparkling wine; high sugars while retaining acidity; balanced, powerful and full-bodied, with dried fruit, hazelnut, toasted and exotic notes; suitable for oak ageing. |
| Pinot noir | Red (classic) | No. 2, approx. 112 ha; the most widely planted red variety | Combines power, finesse and aromatic complexity; high sugar accumulation with moderate acidity; often not very intense in colour; also used as a base wine for sparkling wine. |
| Johanniter | White (PIWI) | No. 3, approx. 73 ha; leading hybrid variety | Full and fruity, between Riesling and Pinot gris; must weight several degrees higher than Riesling with lower acidity. Moderate resistance to downy mildew, good resistance to powdery mildew; susceptible to chlorosis, botrytis and black rot. |
| Pinot gris | Grey (classic) | No. 4 | Very powerful wines with great finesse, full-bodied and aromatic; high sugar potential with low to moderate acidity; pronounced yellow colour. |
| Auxerrois | White (classic) | No. 5 | Fine, lightly aromatic wines with relatively low acidity; buds later than Chardonnay and is therefore suitable for frost-prone plots. |
| Solaris | White (PIWI) | No. 6, second hybrid variety | Fresh, fruity wine with occasional subtle honeyed notes; ripens very early, from the end of August. Resistant to downy and powdery mildew, but susceptible to botrytis because of its thin skin. |
| Souvignier gris | Pink (PIWI) | No. 7, third hybrid variety | Powerful, full-bodied white wines with a neutral or lightly fruity character, comparable to Pinot gris and Pinot blanc. Resistant to both mildews, with high botrytis resistance. |
| Pinot meunier | Red (classic) | No. 8, up four places since 2017 | Mainly used for sparkling wine and usually in blends; moderately acidic wines that evolve fairly quickly; good resistance to winter frost. |
| Muscaris | White (PIWI) | No. 9, fourth hybrid variety | Very intense aromatic nose with mango, lychee and citrus, floral aromas and a light smoky note; also suitable for dessert wine thanks to early ripening and high sugars. Good tolerance to downy mildew and botrytis. |
| Pinot blanc | White (classic) | No. 10 | Pleasant, light wines with moderate acidity; also used as a base wine for sparkling wine; good cold resistance. |
| Müller-Thurgau (Rivaner) | White (classic) | No. 11, down two places since 2017 | Aromatic, fairly alcoholic wines with low acidity; very short growing cycle and therefore suitable for northern areas. |
| Sauvignac | Pink (PIWI) | No. 12, fifth hybrid variety | Light, pleasant wines; depending on ripeness, apricot and ripe apple or lime with subtle blackcurrant; stable acidity. Good tolerance to both mildews, resistant to botrytis. |
| Regent | Red (PIWI) | No. 13, most widely planted red hybrid variety | Very dark, tannic wines with forest fruit in a Bordeaux style; often less approachable because of their high tannin content. Moderate resistance to downy mildew, no resistance to black rot. |
| Cabernet cortis | Red (PIWI) | No. 14, second red hybrid variety | Powerful wines in a Cabernet Sauvignon style: rich in colour, with strong tannins and phenolics; spicy aromas of black and green pepper, cherry and cassis; also suitable for fruity rosé. Good resistance to both mildews and botrytis. |
| Riesling | White (classic) | No. 15, mainly in Limburg | Very aromatic, lively and elegant, with high acidity and good ageing potential; in Belgium it does not ripen until early October and therefore requires the best sites. |
| Dornfelder | Red (classic) | More than 10 ha | Deep red, fruity wine with moderate acidity; also suitable for rosé; less disease-prone than most classic varieties. |
| Cabaret noir | Red (PIWI) | Approx. 10 ha in production; third red hybrid variety | Subtle Cabernet character with dark cherry, juniper and violets, with clove and pepper on the palate; ripe tannins and a soft profile; integrates well with oak. |
| Acolon | Red (classic) | Approx. 8 ha | Attractive fruit aromas with good structure and length and modest tannins; better structured than Dornfelder; maturation in barrique is possible. |
| Pinotin | Red (PIWI) | Approx. 7 ha in production | Strong ruby-red colour, dense forest-fruit aroma with cherry, soft tannin structure, mild and uncomplicated. Good to very good resistance to both mildews and botrytis. |
| Voltis | White (PIWI) | A few recent plantings | Medium-sized, fairly compact bunches and a simple flavour. Resistant to downy and powdery mildew, susceptible to black rot; permitted in the PDO Flemish sparkling quality wine. |
| Floreal | White (PIWI) | A few recent plantings, barely in production | Expressive, aromatic and fresh wines with exotic fruit and boxwood; buds late and is therefore suitable for frost-prone plots. Resistant to both mildews, partly resistant to black rot. |
PIWI = Pilzwiderstandsfähig (fungus-resistant, interspecific). Seven of the twelve most widely planted Belgian varieties are resistant varieties; in Wallonia this applies to eight of the twelve, and in Flanders to four. By recognised volume in 2025, Chardonnay was the largest variety with 1,298,119 litres, followed by the Chardonnay/Pinot Meunier/Pinot Noir blend (383,424 litres), Pinot Noir (339,512 litres) and Johanniter (334,342 litres).