Famille Ruhlmann-Schutz - Vins d'Alsace et du Languedoc -
34, rue du Maréchal Foch 67650 Dambach-la-Ville Alsace, France
34, rue du Maréchal Foch 67650 Dambach-la-Ville Alsace, France
Our values are rooted in family and passed down from generation to generation. Learn more about the different members of our winemaking family.
Jacques-Emile followed a traditional path of wine studies, beginning with a vocational diploma in viticulture, followed by a BTS in viticulture and oenology, and a professional bachelor’s degree. His education gave him the opportunity to travel and refine his craft across France — in Alsace, Champagne, Bordeaux, and Languedoc — as well as abroad, with a harvest season spent winemaking in California.
A worthy son of André, Jacques-Emile feels truly at home in the vineyards. “You’re better off outside — it’s a privilege. Every day, you see something different.”
Most in his element when walking, observing, and caring for his vines, Jacques-Emile is naturally reserved — though always thoughtful. He’s also a visionary. After completing his studies in Narbonne, it was his idea that led to the acquisition of Château Valmont in 2016.
If he had to choose just one grape variety, it would undoubtedly be Pinot Noir. His explanation is characteristically practical: “It’s the Swiss Army knife of grapes — you can make white from black!” A clever remark, highlighting the many winemaking possibilities offered by this versatile “multi-layered” grape.
When it comes to new terroirs, South Africa particularly intrigues him. Iconic Alsatian varieties such as Pinot Gris and Riesling thrive there — and, as he pragmatically notes, “there’s no jet lag!”
Practicality is essential when managing a technical team of ten people, working across two vineyards — seven in Dambach-la-Ville and three in Languedoc — alternating every two weeks between the sites. Jacques-Emile handles this challenge with dedication and focus.
To balance his more solitary nature, Jacques-Emile has another passion: hunting. Though rarely alone, as he never misses the chance to bring along his two loyal companions, Muscat and Tanin — two magnificent Braques — on his Alsatian and Languedoc adventures.
The fairies of wine and gastronomy must have gathered around her cradle — unless it was Bacchus himself.
It was only natural that Louise-Anne chose to pursue a career in hospitality and fine dining. After earning her technical high school diploma, she continued her training in La Rochelle, completing a BTS degree before specializing in sommellerie. The stars aligned quickly, opening the doors to the world of Michelin-starred establishments.
She first joined the prestigious Les Prés d’Eugénie under Michel Guérard for a formative internship, before flying to New York to take on the role of Maître d’Hôtel at the Ruhlmann brasserie.
There is no such thing as coincidence. Back in France, strengthened by her experience in team management, she was selected by Gilles Goujon’s team to work on the opening of the Restaurant Maïence (led by a Meilleur Ouvrier de France) in Strasbourg.
In 2018, she left Alsace to follow Goujon for a season in the Corbières at L’Auberge du Vieux Puits, a three-Michelin-star establishment. She found herself just 20 minutes from Château Valmont, newly acquired by the Ruhlmann-Schutz family.
In 2019, she answered the call of an Alsatian gastronomic institution, Le Crocodile, then undergoing a major revival led by part of the Goujon team. The restaurant regained its Michelin star just six months after reopening.
Driven by a constant desire to learn and grow through new encounters, Louise-Anne set her sights on new horizons. With ambition and determination, she joined the five-star Hôtel Marinca in Corsica as Head Sommelier alongside Chef Romain Masset for two years. In March 2024, the establishment was awarded a Michelin star.
In the medium term, Louise-Anne hopes to develop the wine tourism experience in Dambach and fully express her craft as a sommelier there.
For now, she continues to follow her lucky star. In autumn 2024, she will return to her native Alsace for a new gastronomic adventure as Director of the Restaurant Le Crocodile — perhaps the final step before rejoining the family estate.
Thomas SchutzThomas is the eldest of the cousins, the big brother of Antoine, and something of the anchor of the family quartet.
An engineer from Arts et Métiers with a dual degree from Metz–Karlsruhe, he completed an internship in China. Thomas made his mark in industry, first as a team leader overseeing shipping and foundry operations, and later as a Lean Manager at Constellium.
In 2018, a position opened at the family estate, and Thomas adapted quickly. He managed sales administration for two years, leveraging his strengths in analysis, strategic foresight, and quality improvement. With his broad vision, he contributes valuable proposals to optimize the estate’s organization.
Officially a manager since 2021, Thomas ensures smooth communication between departments and serves as the main contact for major clients in France. From financial control to recruitment and inventory management, he applies his solid cross-functional skills in service of the Ruhlmann-Schutz family estate.
Calm and composed by nature, Thomas channels the bursts of creativity and energy from the other members of the quartet. By balancing ideas with facts and figures, he helps maintain harmony within the team — but make no mistake, he also knows how to welcome guests and celebrate in style!
In the medium term, his focus is on infrastructure and development, expanding the estate’s wine tourism and hospitality offerings. His guiding question: “How can we welcome our clients and partners even better, and offer them unforgettable experiences?”
Thomas also embodies a strong sense of roots and commitment, working not only for the long-term sustainability of the family estate but also to enhance the visibility and vitality of the village.
Can artistic flair and business acumen go hand in hand? Antoine is living proof that they can.
He studied at a Business School and completed a Master’s in Entrepreneurship in the USA, with a stopover in Hong Kong working for an importer. Having lived in Paris for eight years, Antoine embraced city life and was active in the events industry. A self-taught graphic designer with a constant curiosity for new fields, he also co-created a magazine dedicated to art and culture, Beware
Magazine.
Returning to his native Alsace in 2016, he took charge of business development, particularly for exports. With his commercial background, he gradually immersed himself in the world of wine — from viticulture and winemaking to legal subtleties and wine denominations.
Over time, he has built a structured and strengthened team, supporting him in his mission. Sensitive to beauty and guided by a strategic vision shared with the quartet, Antoine also leads communication and marketing, aiming to present the estate with a cleaner, more readable image. As the Ruhlmann-Schutz family creates gastronomy-focused wines, Antoine ensures this is communicated clearly.
Full of ideas and energized by the quartet’s synergy, he balances creativity with strategic focus, seizing opportunities that align with the estate’s growth objectives.
When the estate won the Grand Prix du Jury at the Mondial des Vins Blancs with a 96-point score in April 2024, a door opened to the world of haute gastronomy — a door Antoine is determined to keep open.
And if Antoine mentions Merlot, he’s not referring to an experimental vineyard plot for climate research — it’s the name of his four-legged companion, a charming Corgi who has become the estate’s mascot.
André doesn’t own any vineyards himself.
He passionately tends what he likes to call his “vineyard gardens”, or as they say across the Rhine, “Weingarten.” Highly sensitive, he sees everything in our environment as interconnected — it requires careful observation, listening, and the courage to take risks.
It is likely this shared boldness, together with his wife Laurence, herself from a family of winemakers, that inspired them to take on the challenge of taking over the estate in 1994 alongside their brother- and sister-in-law.
Christine, originally a pharmacy technician, gradually became fully involved in the estate, dedicating herself 100% to tasks such as sales administration. Passion, know-how, and trust go hand in hand with oversight: her husband, Jean-Victor, has taken charge of the estate’s administrative and financial management.
With his expertise in the banking sector, he has structured the business, putting it on solid footing to support its future growth.
