From Saarbrücken to the wine cellars of France – 60 years of trading history
Herzberger was founded in 1963 by Rolf Herzberger in Saarbrücken – as a trading company with a clear focus on French wines and spirits. With exclusive import contracts for wine houses such as Patriarche from Burgundy, Listel from the South of France, and Malesan from Bordeaux, he laid the foundation for what still defines the company today: long-standing, reliable partnerships with renowned producers. In 1994, Ralf Herzberger took over the company in the second generation and consistently developed it into one of the leading German specialists for wine, sparkling wine, and spirits. In 2020, Herzberger became part of the Groupe Castel – one of the most significant French family businesses in the wine world – but remained an independent German subsidiary based in Saarbrücken. In 2023, the company celebrated its 60th anniversary under Managing Director Dr. Michael Heinrich. At the end of 2024, the range and staff of the Wiesbaden-based wine importer Heinz Hein Weinhandel were acquired and integrated.
Solid partnerships instead of changing suppliers
Herzberger sees itself as an importer and distribution partner that relies not on volume business, but on stable relationships with selected producers. The long-standing cooperation with exclusive partners is the backbone of quality assurance – not an internal certification system, but mutual trust that has grown over decades. The warehouse at the headquarters in Saarbrücken holds over three million bottles and enables fast, flexible supply to the trade – from food retail and specialist wine shops to the catering industry. The team of around 20 employees at the company headquarters provides personal support to customers on-site, with their own industry know-how that has been built up over decades.
Bordeaux, Cellini, and a growing international portfolio
The focus is traditionally on France: Herzberger distributes wines from all major French wine-growing regions, with a special emphasis on Bordeaux – including a wide selection of Châteaux wines as well as France's best-selling Bordeaux brand, Baron de Lestac. Through the exclusive distribution for Nicolas Napoléon from Paris, sparkling wines, AOP wines, and non-alcoholic alternatives are added to the portfolio. Spain is represented by Bodegas Marqués de Cáceres and Grupo Yllera, Portugal by the Adega Cooperativa de Cantanhede. The spirits line Cellini is the second strong pillar: Herzberger manages it as the Grappa market leader in the German retail sector. The Cellini range extends from aged Grappa rarities to Limoncello and Pistacchio-Crema to ready-to-drink cocktails such as the Espresso Martini – a portfolio that covers the table from digestif to after-dinner cocktail.
