Marquis de Montesquiou Auctions Rare Release

Renown Armagnac House to Offer 1865 Vintage at Auction

NEW YORK, April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Marquis de Montesquiou, the celebrated
Armagnac house, announces the auction of a rare 1865 vintage Armagnac. As a
preview of the celebrations marking the 700th anniversary of Armagnac in 2010,
collectors will have the opportunity to own a piece of history at an April 25
auction at Christie's in New York.

Since 1865, this Armagnac has aged in the Montesquiou cellars, known in the
region as the "Cathedral." After maturing for 143 years, it was bottled on
June 10, 2008. Each bottle of Montesquiou 1865 is individually numbered and
presented in a collector's box featuring a solid silver signature. The silver
piece was created by acclaimed Parisian jeweler, Arthus-Bertrand, renowned for
creating the Legion of Honor medal.

Founded in the 11th century, La Maison Montesquiou was a pioneer in the long
history of Armagnac. Its oldest family members, the Counts of Fezensac, served
under Clovis, King of the Franks in the year 480. At the top of the list of
its most esteemed members is Count d'Artagnan, musketeer under King Louis XIII
and the hero of Alexandre Dumas' famous novel "The Three Musketeers." The
history of the Montesquiou family and Armagnac is closely linked, and for
centuries Montesquiou Armagnacs have represented one of the oldest brandies in
the world.

Jean-Francois Collobert, International Director for Pernod International,
explains, "We have chosen New York to hold this historic auction because it
represents a hub of American history and destiny, just as the 1865 vintage
exemplifies the illustrious past and brilliant future of Montesquiou Armagnac.
La Maison Montesquiou thus reaffirms its supremacy over the centuries, true to
the spirit of the musketeers and the prestigious Montesquiou line."

A starting price for the 1865 vintage, which represents the quintessence of
Armagnac, has been set at 7,000 USD. Proceeds will go to GoodPlanet, a
non-profit organization dedicated to raising public awareness of environmental
protection and the current ecological crisis. This partnership upholds Marquis
de Montesquiou's commitment to safeguarding natural resources, evident in
their eco-design packaging and ecologically-sound distillation practices.

ABOUT LA MAISON MONTESQUIOU

Sold on every continent, Montesquiou Armagnacs have received awards for
excellence each year. Once again, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition
has awarded the excellence of the Montesquiou Armagnacs in 2009 with a
platinum award and a double gold medal for Marquis de Montesquiou 1904, a
platinum award and a double gold for Marquis de Montesquiou Cuvee Pierre de
Montesquiou Comte d'Artagnan, and the special mention of Best Armagnac with a
double gold medal for Marquis de Montesquiou Cuvee Louis 1er.

ABOUT PERNOD INTERNATIONAL

Pernod International is a French division of Pernod Ricard, and responsible
for global marketing for a portfolio of prestigious brands including Pernod,
Pernod aux plantes d'Absinthe Superieure, Cafe de Paris, Suze and Marquis de
Montesquiou.

SOURCE Pernod International

Avril Nunez, anunez@ttc-pr.com, or Sara Bigelow sbigelow@ttc-pr.com, both of
The Thomas Collective, +1-212-229-2294