Our history

In 1755, Marie Brizard, a daring Bordeaux merchant, developed the recipe for her famous Anisette liqueur. After many trials, she succeeded in finding this incomparable taste, a subtle marriage of eleven plants and spices that gives it an elegant, fresh and powerful flavor.
She marketed her liqueur in her home town of Bordeaux, and it was an instant success! Joining forces with her nephew by marriage Jean-Baptiste Roger, she founded her own company.
The brand then diversified its production with other recipes: Parfait Amour, Orange and Café, all created by master liqueur-maker Marie Brizard.

GAUTIER is one of the oldest Cognac houses. Its history goes back to the 17th century, when the GAUTIER family produced barrels from the Tronçais forest, famous for the quality of its oak. In 1644, Charles GAUTIER married Jacquette Brochet, the daughter of winegrowers. From 1700, their grandson Louis GAUTIER developed the Cognac trade. In 1755, the GAUTIER family obtained the Royal Right of Production and the deed of incorporation signed by King Louis XV. Maison GAUTIER was founded and the winery moved into the old Aigre water mill.

BERGER, whose history goes back to the beginning of the 19th century, offers quality aniseed products thanks to its know-how. In 1830, Charles Frédéric BERGER received a recipe for absinthe (a spirit made from wormwood plants) from a religious monk and botanist. He then set up the first BERGER distillery in Switzerland. By the 1880s, Absinthe had become the most widely consumed alcoholic beverage in France. Many artists made her their muse, painters drawing inspiration from absinthe drinkers. The drink’s immediate success earned him the wrath of his competitors, who rallied against “absinthe that drives you crazy”. This rumor gave rise to the wildest stories, demonizing its consumption. In 1915, victim of its success, absinthe was banned in France.

The art of grape growing and wine production dates back to Thracian times, and is therefore an integral part of Bulgaria’s history. Domain Menada Winery, located in the Thracian Valley, was founded in 1901 and is now one of Bulgaria’s three most important wineries. The Domain Menada vineyard is located in the central part of southern Bulgaria, near the town of Stara Zagora. The grape varieties are grown and harvested in three different vineyards stretching over 426 hectares in the valley. 65% of the grapes used for wine production are grown in Domain Menada’s own vineyards, using Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes as well as local varieties such as Rubin and Mavrud.

The entire process, from grape cultivation to bottling, is closely monitored and perfectly controlled by our experts to ensure optimum quality and taste.

The Obeliai distillery is the largest and most modern in the region. The distillery’s history began in 1907, in the small Lithuanian town of Obelia, owned by Count Jan Przezdzecki. At that time, alcohol production reached 400 liters a day. Destroyed then rebuilt twice during WW1 and WW2. Today, the Obeliai distillery belongs to Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits.

In 1913, Antartica, a major Brazilian brewer of the time, created Dubar liqueurs and spirits. One of our star products is Fogo Paulista liqueur, a subtle blend of herbs and honey. In 2007, the brand and production unit in Jundiai were acquired by Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits in the state of Sao Paulo, thus becoming the owner of one of the few century-old companies in the Brazilian spirits sector.

Pastis BERGER, known as “le jaune”, makes its appearance. The freshness of licorice gives it its high quality and exceptional flavor. By the end of the 40s, millions of bottles were leaving Marseille every year to be sold throughout France. Today, BERGER continues the tradition with its BERGER PASTIS and BERGER BLANC aperitifs.

Belvédère is a wine and spirits group with operations in Europe and the United States. Belvédère stands out for its know-how, a combination of long-established brands and a resolutely innovative spirit. Since the birth of Marie Brizard in 1755, the Group has developed its brands in a modern way, while respecting their origins.

Belvédère is listed on compartment B of Euronext Paris (FR0000060873 – BVD) and has been part of the EnterNext© PEA-PME 150 index since 1997.

Marie Brizard et Roger International, the French beverage manufacturer and marketer known for its iconic Marie Brizard brand, is acquired by Groupe Belvédère.

In the summer of 2007, Vodka Sobieski launched its “Truth in Vodka” campaign, focusing on what’s most important – tradition, heritage, authenticity and taste. In the fall of 2007, Vodka Sobieski was ranked No.1 vodka in the premium category by the Beverage Testing Institute (BTI) in a blind-tasting of 108 vodkas, the largest vodka review in its history, and won a gold medal and Best Buy award.