Belgian wine breaks records as production surges

30 March 2026

Belgian wine production reached a record high last year, exceeding 4 million litres for the first time, according to figures from the Belgian Economy ministry.

2024 proved difficult when poor weather limited output to just 1.2 million litres, the lowest level in years. Conditions in 2025 improved significantly. Favourable weather helped winegrowers produce 4.3 million litres, around a quarter more than the previous record in 2023.

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Belgian wine production fell by 64 per cent last year due to bad weather, according to statistics published on Thursday by the Federal Public...

belganewsagency.eu

Alongside better conditions, the maturing of younger vines also played a role. “Young vines yield only a limited harvest in their first years,” the Belgian Economy ministry noted. “Only after five years are they mature enough for a full yield. The yield should therefore increase year after year.”

The sector is also expanding. Belgium now has around 350 winegrowers, both professional and amateur, about 30 more than the year before and vineyard areas have grown from 958 to 1,040 hectares.

Regional differences

Flanders has slightly more vineyard land than Wallonia (551 hectares compared with 490), but Walloon producers generate more wine overall, with 2.44 million litres versus 1.83 million litres in Flanders. The Belgian Economy ministry explains: “The difference in production lies in the focus: Wallonia focuses heavily on sparkling wine, which generally yields a higher return per hectare because grape growers can plant the vines twice as close together (approximately 10,000 vines per hectare). In Flanders, production is more diverse, and the share of still wines is higher.”

The province of Hainaut remains the country’s leading producer, with just under 1 million litres last year. In Flanders, Limburg leads with more than 574,000 litres, followed by West Flanders with nearly 544,000 litres.

White wines dominate Belgian production. In 2025, more than 2.1 million litres of sparkling white wine were produced, alongside nearly 1.5 million litres of still white wine. This compares with 441,000 litres of red wine, 124,000 litres of rosé and 117,000 litres of sparkling rosé.

Chardonnay remains by far the most widely used grape variety, accounting for nearly 1.3 million litres of wine, more than three times the output of the next most common blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir. The Belgian Economy ministry also pointed to the rise of “interspecific (resistant) varieties”, such as Johanniter, Souvignier Gris and Solaris. “The advantage of these varieties is that they are more resistant to diseases and fungi, meaning fewer pesticides need to be used,” the agency said.

Orange wine makes debut

Orange wine was recorded separately for the first time last year, with a “significant quantity” of 10,000 litres produced. It is made in the same way as red wine, but using grapes normally used for white wine.

All of the orange wine was produced in Flanders. Walloon winemakers are also experimenting with the style, but usually still classify it as white wine. For now, it remains a small niche within Belgium’s overall wine production.

^{Wine harvest at the Petrushoeve vineyard, in Molenbeek-Wersbeek, Bekkevoort. © BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM}

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