Rather than scores, stars. 35 establishments chosen by a French rating magazine.

When it comes to wine rating magazines, the first names that usually come to mind are "Wine Advocate" and "Wine Spectator." Both originated in the US and use a point-based system to rate individual wines, and their influence on the market remains immense.

However, as an importer with French roots who deals with producers daily, we've noticed that the producers we're drawn to don't necessarily aim for high scores. Their approach is to faithfully express the individuality of their vineyards, avoid overly ambitious yields, and bottle the true character of each vintage. This philosophy is much more accurately captured by French evaluation criteria, which focus on a "domaine's ethos" rather than just scores. We believe that the frequent presence of our suppliers in French wine guides is not so much a deliberate strategy, but rather a reflection of shared philosophies.

Stars from "La Revue du Vin de France"

A prime example is "La Revue du Vin de France (RVF)," one of the most authoritative wine magazines in France. In their annual producer guide, "Guide Vert," stars are awarded not to individual cuvées, but to domaines as a whole. Out of thousands of listed producers, only a select few receive stars, and these stars are re-evaluated annually, thus reflecting the current state of each domaine.

• ★★★ Leading producers in France
• ★★ Influential and skilled producers in their region
• ★ Noteworthy producers

Based on the latest 2027 edition, we cross-referenced all the producers handled by Cépages and found that 35 domaines were listed with stars. A list is provided below. You can navigate to each producer's page from their name.

★★★ Three Stars (5 Domaines)

★★ Two Stars (14 Domaines)

★ One Star (16 Domaines)

Notes on reading the list

The "Edition" indicates the year of the guide in which the star rating was published. Entries marked with "2018 Edition" or "2022 Edition" mean that the RVF domaine page has not been updated since then and may not reflect the current evaluation. In some cases, like Château Belle-Vue, a star is listed but no edition is specified.

Furthermore, the absence of a listing in the guide does not imply a low rating. There are cases where highly-regarded producers in Japan, such as Domaine de Sèveignes and Jean-Louis Tribouley, are not found in the guide. As "Guide Vert" focuses on French wines, producers from Italy, Spain, New Zealand, and the USA handled by Cépages are not included in this list.

The star rating is merely an entry point. Both three-star châteaux and one-star domaines have their own vineyards and accumulated history. If you find a name that sparks your interest, we encourage you to open a bottle and experience it for yourself.

※ Source: La Revue du vin de France "Domaines et Châteaux" Guide (larvf.com). Based on content published as of September 2026.