Lucien Bernard & Cie: A Century at the Heart of Brandy
In 1860, under the leadership of Henri Bernard, a fifth-generation family member, the sugar refinery diversified its activities. He expanded the scope of the family business with the opening several distilleries, including one in Charente-Maritime to distill beet. However, changing circumstances led to the relocation of the distillery to Bordeaux in 1910, where it was renamed Bernard Frères & Leurent (after the engineer in charge of technical operations). These early experiences in distillation marked a decisive turning point.
In 1919, Lucien Bernard, a native of northern France and a recently demobilized officer, joined the family business as Commercial Director. A visionary and entrepreneur, he founded his own distilling company, Lucien Bernard et Compagnie, on January 18, 1928,ith the support and investments of the Bernard family and the one of his spouse. Established on Quai Deschamps, at the foot of the Pont de Pierre in Bordeaux, the company quickly gained recognition for the quality of its extra-neutral rectified spirits, becoming a key player in the French market.
The 1930s ushered in a new era with the creation of a State Monopoly, the Service des Alcools. Lucien Bernard combined expertise and precision to meet production quotas and requirements and become one of the few authorised distillers in France.
Family succession has been a driving force behind the company. In the 1950s, Lucien’s sons—Yves, Claude, and Jean Bernard—joined the business. Under their leadership, the company evolved significantly, acquiring aging cellars in Bordeaux, specializing in the distillation of wine-based spirits (a superior alternative to beet or grain based neutral alcohol), and constructing a new larger facility in Ambès, 20 miles north of Bordeaux, in the early 1970s. This strategy enabled the company to meet growing demand while improving the quality of its productions.
The 1980s proved to be a challenging period, as the company faced the threat of the government's potential dissolution of the Service des Alcools. In response, the Bernard family decided to diversify in 1982, expanding beyond distillation into wine trading and wine growing.
Subsequent generations have carried on this legacy with the same passion, modernizing infrastructure and forging strategic partnerships in France and abroad.
Today, Lucien Bernard & Cie is renowned for its expertise and the superior quality of its productions. With renovated facilities, new aging cellars, and the inauguration of the Bernard Group’s headquarters in 2020, the company continues to uphold its commitment to excellence and the craft of brandy. With over a century of experience, Lucien Bernard & Cie remains a key player in the spirits industry, combining a strong family heritage with a vision for value creation.