Picard Vins & Spiritueux is a family-owned Group whose history began with just a travelling still and a few vine stocks in Chagny, in the heart of the Burgundy wine region. Over the course of three generations, the Picard family has succeeded in building a solid business by applying their passion for their craft and developing their savoir-faire in wines and spirits. The Group has grown to become one of the leading producers and distributors of wines and spirits in France.
OUR HISTORY
In 1951, Louis-Félix Picard created a wine production and distribution company in Chagny which he managed with his wife. He worked a small vineyard and operated a travelling still that toured the villages between Beaune and Chassagne-Montrachet during the distillation season. A new chapter in the family history began in 1958 when they were joined by their son Michel. Michel learned the ins and outs of the craft and began to develop the business by delivering the family’s products to restaurants and private individuals in the town of Chagny on his delivery scooter, which became a familiar sight in the area. It was not long before he had expanded distribution to other parts of France and abroad. The business continued to grow yet succeeded in remaining an entrepreneurial family venture. In 1968, his wife Liliane, originally from Santenay, also became involved in the family business.
The mid-1980s marked a return to the vineyards for Michel and Liliane who wished to strengthen their ties with their terroir for the long term. They began developing their wine-related activities and purchased their first wine domaine, Château de Davenay in Montagny, in the south of the Côte Chalonnaise, in 1986. Their next acquisition was Domaine Voarick in Mercurey in 1991 then Champs-Perdrix in Rully in 1993, followed by Levert-Barault in 1997, also in Mercurey. In 1998, the Picard family purchased Château de Chassagne-Montrachet, a magnificent property standing at the entrance to the village, as well as some of the vineyards from the former domaine. Chassagne-Montrachet has since become the main base for their Burgundy vineyards which have grown to cover 140 hectares of vines split between the south of the Côte de Beaune and all of the villages of the Côte Chalonnaise.
In the 1990s, the company began to branch out into other wine regions and made several new acquisitions. Maison Foucher, which is at the entrance to Sancerre in the Loire Valley, joined the Group in 1994. This was followed by Les Grandes Serres in Châteauneuf-du-Pape in 2001 and J.Denuzière in Condrieu in 2003.
Michel and Liliane Picard
Château de Chassagne-Montrachet
In 1993, Michel Picard’s intuitive spirit saw him follow in the footsteps of his distiller father by developing the spirits side of the business. He took over the Distillerie Girard which was producing aniseed spirits in Jonquières, Provence, at the time. The Alsatian distillery Klein-Wanner followed in 1997, as well as further acquisitions including the Tullibardine single malt whisky in Scotland, Savanna and Charrette rums in Reunion Island and then Louis Royer cognac.
All of the brands have since been brought together under PVS’ spirits arm, Terroirs Distillers.
CONTINUOUS DEVELOPMENT
Michel and Liliane encouraged their children Gabriel and Francine to continue their studies and gain their own experience before joining the family business. Both worked for international groups, one with Pepsi-Cola and the other with Nike.
Gabriel joined the family business in 1997, first in the role of European Export Manager and then assisting his father in the development of the Group’s activities before eventually taking over as General Director 10 years later.
In the late 1990s, it was Francine’s turn to become involved in the family business. In 2004, she took over the running of the 140 hectares of vineyards in Burgundy and began converting them to organic and biodynamic growing.
Francine and Gabriel Picard
PICARD VINS & SPIRITUEUX
IN DATES
ORIGINS
OUR BURGUNDY DOMAINES
OTHER WINE REGIONS
ON THE SPIRITS SIDE