Marc Hoellinger

After two decades in the upper echelons of the luxury sector, working for brands with powerful identities for whom culture, emotion and pleasure are the driving forces, Marc Hoellinger joined Deutz in 2022. In doing so, he discovered an independent House rooted in a specific location, a unique expertise and exacting standards, all driven by a commitment to creativity and the transmission of tradition. His role is to support the House’s creative talents and provide them with the means to express their talent.

Deutz is a House first, a brand second, driven by the talent of its teams and the boundless creativity of its Cellar Master Caroline Latrive. Guided by her leadership, Marc Hoellinger does not seek to break with tradition, but rather to build upon it, respectfully delving into a rich legacy of two centuries of history. He cultivates greater technical precision, a deeper understanding of the terroir, and a more confident embrace of uniqueness. A positioning and viticultural approach designed for the long term; a House driven by a philosophy of total independence and an unwavering loyalty to its values. The guarantee of an uncompromising future and continuity built collectively – both internally, through a dynamic that unites all the teams, and externally with the winegrowing families, some of whom have been working alongside Maison Deutz for five generations.

For Marc Hoellinger, creativity is the major challenge; giving the teams the means to create freely and without obstacles. Champagne has historically been a land of blends. This art of blending reinvents itself every year, starting with a blank page as the teams choose the right terroirs, the right plots, and the proportions of Champagne’s three main grape varieties, all in search of the House’s distinctive style. A sensitive, free and wholehearted act of creation that underpins the iconic role of the Cellar Master. “The human touch is at the heart of our craft,” says Marc Hoellinger. “At Deutz, the Cellar Master is the soul of the House. In a sense, she is responsible for its artistic direction.”

“A great House does not need to resemble others to exist.” Marc Hoellinger sees this quiet certainty as the most enduring form of excellence. Neither the largest nor the loudest, Deutz moves at its own pace, guided by its own convictions, without taking the easy route. A singular House in its own right, whose beating heart has always been in Aÿ, “a place with a palpable sense of poetry,” and whose ideal size allows it to collectively forge uncompromising convictions. Accounting for less than 1% of Champagne’s output by volume, the House also makes no compromises on the quality of its grapes – sourced mainly from Premiers and Grands Crus within a 12-mile radius of Aÿ – or on its values. This selectivity is another powerful expression of its singularity.

Marc Hoellinger is convinced that, within the collective adventure that is Champagne, there will always be a place for Houses that keep the product at the heart of everything they do, without compromising on quality, and driven by a sincere environmental vision. As such, his ambition for Deutz’s future is clear: to continue creating wines that inspire emotion, in keeping with the very spirit of the House.