Why the future of Spritz is French

But Murielle Dessenis, Brand Architecture & Activation Director for Gins & Aperitifs at Pernod Ricard’s Crystal Brand Unit, believes there’s a distinctly French chapter of that story that’s only just beginning.

She tells us more about the Lillet Rosé Spritz, what it truly takes to build a signature serve and why, behind all the strategy, there are real people in a small village in the region of Bordeaux who make it all possible.

How would you describe the Lillet Rosé Spritz and what makes it different?

It’s a very, very balanced approach to the Spritz. A fine Bordeaux wine base and the citrus infusion of Lillet Rosé, together with a grapefruit soda that brings this refreshing, vibrant taste. And a beautiful pink colour that is, let’s say, very Instagrammable.

The profile is light and refreshing, but also very fruity. It echoes and amplifies everything irresistible about Lillet Rosé.

In French we say gourmand – a taste that is really difficult to resist.

We know the Spritz has been really harnessed by Italian brands. But as a French, elegant brand, we believe we should have our own twist, doing the Spritz our way. That means elevating it, offering a simple and irresistible alternative with a fine quality spirit at the heart and a serve that feels effortless yet refined.

Was the simplicity of a two-step serve a strategic choice, and how do you balance that with the ambition to elevate the category?

Simplicity and sophistication – for me, there is no gap.

If you look at luxury, fashion or French style, it’s not about being complex. It’s about simplicity, done elegantly. Lillet is French by definition, so it was really important to keep the serve simple. 

Whether you’re behind the bar or at home, the Lillet Rosé Spritz is easy to make and easy to enjoy – because the real luxury is having more time to savour the moment.

Take us through the development of a signature serve. What are the non-negotiables?

Number one, it has to taste delicious. I think sometimes we forget that we are in the business of pleasure. Because we have a fantastic product, it would be a shame – an insult actually – to mix Lillet Rosé with something that isn’t delicious.

Then of course, visual is everything. Coming from gin, we always said the first sip is always with the eyes – the right glass, the garnish, the poésie around the drinking experience. That natural pink hue in the right glass – that’s a critical part of the Lillet Rosé Spritz experience.

And then pragmatism. The mixers, the garnishes, they have to be easily accessible not just for bartenders, but for consumers too. 

We talk a lot about ‘treatonomics’ and for me, that’s the perfect summary of the Lillet Rosé Spritz. Something elevated, yes, but a small moment of pure joy that is easy to make and even easier to savour.

How much of a brand’s commercial success do you attribute to having a clear, ownable serve?

I’m not sure there is a magic recipe. Sometimes a drink is a recipe. Sometimes a drink is just a drink, but with different recipes. And sometimes, those serves become something even bigger: a moment of sensation, a little pause that is a moment in itself.

And that’s the evolution of the Spritz. It started with one serve, one brand. Now you see it reinventing itself with new brands, new recipes, entering different moments and positionings. The Spritz has become a feeling, a sensation of sharing.

We see this playing out every day in how the boundaries between on-trade and off-trade are shifting. First you’re drinking something great on-trade, then you want to reproduce that at home, because the dream is to be the bartender yourself. That’s why a simple, delicious, irresistible drink is so critical.

What do you see as the biggest opportunity in how the industry approaches signature serves, and how is Lillet leading the way?

I think the future of serves is all about lightness – but lightness across every dimension. Light in ABV, light in calories, but still with deliciousness in taste and real congeniality in the moment. 

That combination of lightness and depth, I think that’s what will craft the future of signature serves.

And that’s exactly where Lillet Rosé sits naturally. We are already light by nature. The Spritz amplifies that in the most delicious way possible. And that, for me, is a very exciting place to be.

The Spritz has become a genuinely global format. What does that say about how consumers are redefining the drinking occasion?

It’s quite an interesting story, the Spritz evolving from a Mediterranean ritual to a truly global occasion, perfectly in tune with a shift in consumer behaviour. People were already moving towards earlier drinking occasions, looking for something refreshing, lighter and more balanced. And always with a bit of style, that Instagrammability was part of the story from the very beginning.

And now what is fantastic is to see how it’s reinventing itself – moving beyond the classic recipe into more versatile and premium positionings, more sophisticated and varied taste approaches. Different moments, different profiles, different brands.

And that for me shows that the Spritz is going beyond just the initial serve. Our opportunity – and our answer – is what we bring as Lillet to really elevate that occasion.

Where are you focusing your energy most this summer?

Very simply: glass in hands.

We know that trying Lillet means love at first sip. In French, we say: once you taste it, you cannot resist. And it’s true. So liquid to lips is everything, getting this product in the hands of consumers, starting with on-trade.

This also includes education of bar owners and bartenders – ensuring the perfect serve is delivered perfectly every time. We also have digital campaigns to show what that looks like: very straightforward, very Lillet – effortlessly stylish, with quality at the heart.

And geographically, we have big ambitions. The Lillet Rosé Spritz deserves a global stage, and that’s exactly where we’re taking it this summer.

Imagine yourself on a French terrace, golden hour, Lillet Rosé Spritz in hand. That is the scene we want to own.

The aperitif category is growing but also crowded. Where does Lillet Rosé sit in this landscape?

We are the French elegant Spritz, rooted in 150 years of history, in the freshness of the recipe, in the wine base from Bordeaux. And the superiority in the taste, for me, is the real differentiator. We are also more mindful – lower ABV, lower calories, without ever compromising  on taste or style.  

But our real strength is the team behind it, the people in Podensac, working every single day to deliver a product of excellence in taste, their know-how, their savoir-faire, their dedication. This cannot happen without them. Behind every great serve, there are real people striving to get it right. Every single day.

Lillet is not like any other brand. It’s a brand coming from a little village, with real people who have been working on it, and giving everything to it. That human story is at the heart of everything we do.

The low- and no-ABV aperitif space is growing fast. Does that sharpen or complicate the conversation around Lillet Rosé?

It’s a fantastic opportunity for Lillet. On the no- and low-alcohol side, the challenge is always taste. The lower the alcohol, the harder it is to bring the aromas to life. Lillet Rosé is already naturally low in alcohol and has clear superiority in taste, so that challenge is actually one of our biggest advantages.

And we’re already walking down the no-ABV avenue. We have introduced Lillet Blanc 0% in Germany, a fantastic offer in the zero segment. It’s delicious. And I am very, very positive that it will be a game changer.

The Lillet Rosé Spritz sits right in the sweet spot between the two: all the flavour and elegance of Lillet Rosé, with a lightness that is perfectly in tune with how people choose to drink today.