New York-based Pernod Ricard USA announced that Lillet, a wine-based aperitif produced in Bordeaux, France, has joined the Pernod Ricard USA portfolio of premium spirit and wine brands, effective Jan. 1. Lillet is owned by Pernod Ricard but previously was distributed in the United States by William Grant & Sons Inc., New York.

“We are very excited to welcome this growing, profitable and delicious brand into our portfolio,” said Bryan Fry, president and chief executive of Pernod Ricard USA, in a statement. “Lillet is a premium product with a long history of quality and craftsmanship, and world-renowned reputation within the bartender and mixology community as well as among loyal consumers. We are pleased to welcome Lillet into our organization and look forward to further unlocking its potential.”

 Lillet’s versatility allows it be prepared in numerous options for consumption, the company says. The traditional method is on ice with a slice of orange peel but there also are more modern ways to enjoy the product such as in a long drink with ice, tonic water and fresh fruit slices, it adds. The brand also can be used as an ingredient in classic cocktails like the Vesper and the Corpse Reviver #2. 

Bordeaux’s first and only aperitif, Lillet, was founded in 1872 by merchants of fine wine, Raymond and Paul Lillet. Made in the village of Podensac, south of Bordeaux, the award-winning brand is created with a blend of carefully selected wines that are mixed with fruit liqueurs and quinine in a recipe passed down through generations, the company says. Lillet is available in Blanc, Rose and Rouge.