Famille Ruhlmann-Schutz

Domaine Ruhlmann-Schutz — Great Wines of Alsace and the Corbières Since 1688

A family of winegrowers at the heart of the Alsace vineyard. Some families make wine. Others live for it. The Ruhlmann-Schutz family clearly belongs to the latter.

Since 1688, when a Hungarian knight named Ruhlmann settled in Dambach-la-Ville in the heart of the Alsace vineyard, the family has cultivated vines and passed down its know-how from generation to generation.

Over the centuries, what began as a small family farm has grown into a renowned wine estate known for its Alsace wines, its Grand Crus and its expansion into other terroirs, particularly in the Corbières with Château Valmont.

Today, the estate is driven by a new generation: four passionate cousins who carry on the family legacy while looking confidently toward the future.

A family history rooted in Alsatian viticulture

The modern history of the estate began in the 1960s when Jean-Charles Ruhlmann and his wife Marthe decided to develop vine cultivation.

At the time, the family still practiced diversified agriculture: cereals, tobacco, livestock and a few vineyard plots. The first harvest was difficult and marked by frost, but the couple persevered.

Little by little the vineyard expanded. Jean-Charles worked the land while Marthe traveled across France in her iconic 2CV, selling the first bottles directly to customers. Their determination laid the foundations of the estate.

In the 1980s viticulture became the main activity. After Jean-Charles’ passing in 1993, the family rallied around the project. His son André Ruhlmann took over the vineyard with Christine, Laurence and Jean-Victor Schutz.

In 1994, Domaine Ruhlmann-Schutz was officially created.

An exceptional Alsace vineyard between the Vosges and the Grand Crus

Today, the estate extends over nearly 40 hectares of vineyards around Dambach-la-Ville and several nearby villages.

The vineyard benefits from remarkable natural conditions:

altitudes ranging from 175 to 420 meters
optimal exposure on the slopes of the Vosges Mountains
dry and sunny climate protected by the Vosges massif
diverse soils including granite, sandstone, marl and limestone

This geological diversity allows each grape variety to be matched with its ideal terroir, producing Alsace wines that are precise, mineral and expressive.

The Grand Crus of the estate

Grand Cru Frankstein

Located in Dambach-la-Ville, Grand Cru Frankstein is one of the estate’s most emblematic terroirs.

Planted around 300 meters above sea level with a southeast exposure, this terroir is based on two-mica granite that gives the wines intense minerality, remarkable finesse and great aging potential.

Flagship wines from this terroir include:

Riesling Grand Cru Frankstein
Muscat Grand Cru Frankstein
Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Frankstein

Grand Cru Muenchberg

Located in Nothalten, the Grand Cru Muenchberg — known as the “Monks’ Hillside” — benefits from a unique terroir composed of volcanic rocks and Vosges sandstone.

Protected by the Ungersberg massif and facing south, it produces wines of remarkable aromatic depth, particularly a complex and elegant Riesling Grand Cru Muenchberg.

The iconic grape varieties of Alsace

The estate cultivates the full range of traditional Alsace grape varieties:

Riesling
Gewurztraminer
Pinot Gris
Pinot Noir
Muscat
Pinot Blanc
Sylvaner
Auxerrois
Chasselas

This diversity allows the estate to produce a wide range of wines, from fresh and aromatic cuvées to great gastronomic wines with long aging potential.

Château Valmont: an expansion into the Corbières

In 2016, the family broadened its horizons by acquiring Château Valmont, a wine estate located in the Corbières near Narbonne.

This new project allows the family to explore a completely different terroir: the Languedoc, shaped by Mediterranean sunshine, wild garrigue and powerful southern wines.

Certified Organic since the 2020 vintage, Château Valmont naturally complements the Alsatian estate.

A new generation leading the estate

Today, the estate is run by a quartet of cousins who combine tradition, modernity and ambition.

Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann oversees the vineyard and wine production.
Louise-Anne Ruhlmann, a trained sommelier, contributes her expertise in wine experience and wine tourism.
Thomas Schutz, an engineer and manager, structures the organization and prepares the future of the estate.
Antoine Schutz leads commercial development, export strategy and communication.

Together they bring the wines of Ruhlmann-Schutz to more than 25 countries around the world.

International recognition

The estate’s work has been recognized many times on the international stage.

In 2024, the Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives 2021 received the Grand Jury Prize at the Mondial des Vins Blancs with an outstanding score of 96/100.

This distinction confirms the quality of Ruhlmann-Schutz wines and the precision of the work carried out both in the vineyard and in the cellar.

Environmentally responsible viticulture

The family has always worked in harmony with nature.

Today this commitment is reflected through several certifications:

High Environmental Value certification (HVE Level 3) across the estates
Organic certification for Château Valmont since 2020
progressive organic conversion of certain Alsace vineyard plots

The objective is clear: produce authentic wines while preserving soils and biodiversity for future generations.

The estate’s emblematic wines

Among the most representative wines of the estate are:

Sylvaner Vieilles Vignes – Cuvée de l’Amphithéâtre
Riesling Grand Cru Frankstein
Riesling Grand Cru Muenchberg
Muscat Grand Cru Frankstein
Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Frankstein
Crémant d’Alsace Brut “Jean-Charles”

Each cuvée reveals a different facet of the Alsatian terroir.

Why are the wines of Domaine Ruhlmann-Schutz so highly regarded ?

Thanks to an exceptional Alsatian vineyard, renowned Grand Crus, a family history spanning more than three centuries and a viticulture deeply attentive to terroir, the Ruhlmann-Schutz family produces wines that are precise, elegant and profoundly gastronomic.

These wines tell a story, the story of a family and its land.