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Privacy policyBelgium may be better known for beer, but there’s more to the country’s sparkling wine scene than you might expect. Champagne fits naturally into Brussels’ restaurant and wine-bar culture, while Wallonia has developed its own growing wine industry – including traditional-method sparkling wines and the protected Crémant de Wallonie appellation.
Belgium’s Champagne scene is concentrated around places where good food and wine already have a place at the table. Brussels is an obvious starting point, with wine merchants, restaurants and wine-focused spots alongside the city’s much more famous beer culture. Visit Brussels itself describes the capital as a place where wine lovers can find plenty of places to taste and buy quality wines.
But if you’re travelling through Wallonia, keep an eye out for local sparkling wines too. The region has a growing vineyard scene, with producers making both still and sparkling wines from Belgian-grown grapes. Some estates are small and worth visiting specifically for the vineyard experience, while others have become well-known names in Belgian wine.
One name Champagne lovers may want to know is Ruffus. Produced at the Agaises vineyard near Binche, its sparkling wines are made using the traditional method. The vineyard offers visits, tastings and a walk through the vines during the warmer months.
Crémant de Wallonie is not simply another way of saying Belgian sparkling wine. It is a protected AOP (PDO) designation for sparkling wine from Wallonia. Belgium also has a separate AOP for quality sparkling wine from Wallonia, so you may come across both on local wine lists.
That makes Belgium an interesting stop for Champagne drinkers: you can look for Champagne, but you can also use the trip to try something that could only come from here.
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Knokke-Heist, Belgium
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Add a spotChampagne can be found in restaurants, wine bars, hotels and specialist wine shops, particularly in Brussels and other larger cities. Check the Champagne Hunters map for places where Champagne is available by the glass or bottle.
Belgium is much more famous for beer, but it also has a growing wine industry, particularly in Wallonia. The region produces both still and sparkling wines, including the protected Crémant de Wallonie appellation.
Crémant de Wallonie is a protected designation for sparkling wine produced in Wallonia. It belongs to the same broader European family of regional Crémant appellations, but the grapes and wine come from Wallonia rather than France.
Yes. Some Belgian sparkling wines are made using the traditional method. Ruffus, produced at the Agaises vineyard near Binche, is one example and has become one of the better-known names in Belgian sparkling wine.
Wallonia is the main place to explore Belgian vineyards. There are wineries around Namur, Dinant, Mons, Liège and other parts of the region, with producers making white, red and sparkling wines. Some offer tastings and vineyard visits.
Look for Crémant de Wallonie or other Belgian traditional-method sparkling wines. Ruffus is one worth knowing, but there are plenty of smaller Walloon producers too. If you’re travelling through the region, a vineyard visit can be a nice way to see what Belgian wine is actually about rather than only reading about it on a wine list.
