Portraits of winemakers

HAULLER FRÈRES: LIGHT, FINE AND ELEGANT WINES

Guillaume and Ludovic: Ambitious Young Winemakers

Guillaume and Ludovic are two ambitious young winemakers. Aged 21 and 25 respectively, they have taken over the reins of the Louis Hauller Family Estate in recent years. "We represent the 5th generation of our family," explains Ludovic, who comes from a commercial background. His passion for wine was ignited by an internship in California’s Napa Valley. With a BTS in viticulture-oenology from Beaune, Guillaume started his career at the Girardin Vincent négociant. When the opportunity arose to purchase 10 hectares in the family region, Guillaume returned to the estate. Ludovic joined him a year later. "It’s extremely enriching because when you sell wine, you are selling a part of France’s history, Alsace’s, and your family’s, and you meet many people," says the young winemaker.

Hauller Frères Range: 3 Wines, 3000 Cuvées Annually

The Hauller family’s history with wine dates back to the 18th century. It all began with Ludovic and Guillaume’s great-great-grandfather, François-Joseph Hauller, a master cooper. The Domaine Louis Hauller emerged in the early 20th century when his grandson, Louis Hauller, purchased vineyards and settled in a property in Dambach-La-Ville, a town halfway between Strasbourg and Colmar.

"Our grandfather started with 3000 bottles and 2 hectares of vineyards. Today, we have 27 hectares of vineyards and produce 300,000 bottles per year," summarizes Ludovic.

In this small, thriving business, Guillaume handles vineyard maintenance, while Ludovic manages sales and promotion. When it comes to winemaking, the two brothers work closely together in the cellars with the help of their parents, who are still active on the estate, and six full-time employees. Upon their arrival at the Domaine, Guillaume and Ludovic created the Hauller Frères range, consisting of three wines made from Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Riesling.

"The name comes from our great-great-grandfather’s first cooperage, which was called 'Hauller Frères.' Since we are two brothers, it was the perfect opportunity to pay homage with this little nod!"

Since its creation, about 3000 cuvées from the Hauller Frères range are produced each year. What characterizes them best? Elegant, refined, and light wines that draw heavily from the Burgundian winemaking method, as seen with the Pinot Gris cuvée, which is aged in barrels.

"Consolidate, Sustain, Enhance"

As perfectionists to the core, the two brothers place a strong emphasis on producing wines of great precision, values they view as a legacy from their great-grandfather.

"He used to tell his clients that if his barrels weren’t airtight, they didn’t need to pay for them. This shows he was confident in the quality of his product; if it wasn’t perfect, he preferred not to sell it!"

Looking to the future, the Hauller brothers aim to expand their range, particularly focusing on export sales to Asia and the United States.

"Our primary goal is to consolidate the range, sustain it, and enhance its value."

Guesthouse in a Giant Barrel

Keen to promote "a quality wine that is not always well highlighted by the region’s winemakers," Ludovic and Guillaume are particularly sensitive to the growth of wine tourism. Starting next spring, they plan to showcase their new guesthouse: a giant barrel entirely crafted by their grandfather for this purpose.

"It was his gift for his 50th wedding anniversary with our grandmother, as he likes to say," smile the Hauller brothers.

Visitors will be able to stay overnight in this unique accommodation for around a hundred euros. The Hauller brothers are also available 7 days a week to welcome visitors to the estate and organize tastings in the cellar.