Depardieu to launch Russian ‘bio-vodka’

Gérard Depardieu has announced plans to launch a “bio-vodka” made from spring water and a chain of three restaurants in his adopted home country of Russia.

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The 65-year-old actor famously renounced his French citizenship in 2012 following President Francois Hollande’s proposals to impose a 75% tax on the countries wealthiest.

Depardieu was granted Russian citizenship in January 2013 by President Vladimir Putin, whose citizens’ earnings are subject to a flat tax rate of 13%.

The actor told a Russian newspaper that the first restaurant, to be named “Gerard”, will open in Moscow in October serving French and Russian dishes, as reported by The Telegraph. 

He also has plans to open restaurants in St Petersburg and Saransk – the town in which Depardieu’s residency in Russia was officially recognised.

On Monday, the actor revealed separate plans to launch a “bio vodka”, according to reports by The Moscow Times, an environmentally friendly version of the spirit made from spring water.

Speaking to the Russian paper ITAR-Tass, he said: “This will be my first experience with manufacturing spirits, and I hope it will be successful.

“Nevertheless, I would like to see as more people choose wine as their alcoholic beverage of choice.”

While this is his first foray into spirits, the actor is already established within the world of beer having founded the Brasserie Des Sources (Brewery of the Springs), in 1997 with acting friends Miou Miou, Renaud and Claude Berri with the aim of catering for the French population in the UK.