History of the group
- 1832 Adam Henkell (1801 – 1866 ) founds Henkell & Cie., wine merchants in Mainz, Germany.
- 1856 Wine is also produced in the newly constructed ’champagne factory’ in Mainz.
- 1864 Johann Jacob Söhnlein founds the Rheingauer sparkling wine factory in Schierstein on the Rhine, Germany.
- 1866 23-year-old Rudolph Henkell
(1843 – 1912 ) takes over the management of Henkell & Cie. - 1868 The produce of the Rheingauer sparkling wine factory, made from basic Schloss Johannisberger wines, is named Rheingold. When, in 1876, the Bayreuth festival opens with ’The Ring of the Nibelungen’, Richard Wagner names the sparkling wine Rheingold.
- 1876 On March 28th, Rheingold is the first brand of sparkling wine to become a registered trademark. Contract signed between the Söhnlein and the Fürst von Metternich-Winneburg’sche Domain regarding preemptive rights to Domain Schloss Johannisberg wines.
- 1877 Contract signed between Söhnlein and the Fürst von Metternich’sche Domain regarding the guaranteed supply of basic wines for the next ten years.
- 1891 Otto Henkell I (1869 – 1929) joins his father’s company. 1894 Knowledge of the significance of brands leads to the creation and commencement of advertising for Henkell Trocken.
- 1898 The Henkell Trocken brand is entered in the trademark register.
- 1904 At Henkell, a consistent brand policy is pursued with an ’advertising budget’ of 100,000 Marks.
- 1907-1909 The young architect Paul Bonatz builds an ultra-modern “Sektkellerei” (German sparkling wine cellars) in a classic style for Otto Henkell. The company’s base is transferred from Mainz to Biebrich on the Rhine.
- 1910 Henkell & Co is the sparkling wine market leader.
- 1912 After the death of Johann Jacob Söhnlein, his youngest son, Friedrich Wilhelm (1860 – 1948), takes over the business.
- 1922 The company changes its name to ’Söhnlein Rheingold AG’.
- 1924 Emma Söhnlein-Pabst (1871 – 1943), the wife of Friedrich Wilhelm Söhnlein, is given a seat and vote on the company’s supervisory board and becomes the proprietress of the sparkling wine cellars, the “Sektkellerei”, in 1932.
- 1929 From 1929 to 1944 Otto Henkell’s brother, Karl Henkell, who in 1944 dies from injuries caused by a bombing raid, manages the sparkling wine company Henkell.
- 1933 Sektkellerei Schloss Rheinberg GmbH is taken over by Söhnlein Rheingold AG.
- 1934 Contract signed between Söhnlein and Fürst von Metternich-Winneburg’sche Domain Schloss Johannisberg regarding the exclusive use of the Schloss Johannisberger Cabinet wine label and the neck label bearing the coat of arms of the house of Prince von Metternich-Winneburg.This was the origin of today’s Fürst von Metternich sparkling wine.
- 1935 The name Pikkolo (Piccolo) is trademarked for Henkell ’s split bottles.
- 1936 The ’Gentleman in Black’ becomes the trademark and symbol for Henkell Trocken.
- 1948 Otto Henkell II (1923 – 1988 ) becomes the 25-year-old managing director at Henkellsfeld and undertakes the reconstruction of the company.
- 1950s Henkell Trocken is advertised intensively with wide groups of purchasers becoming aware of the Piccolo. The Rüttgers brands are launched as private labels.
- 1958 Bielefeld entrepreneur Rudolf August Oetker takes over Söhnlein Rheingold AG.
- 1960 Corporate agreement between Söhnlein Rheingold KG and Arthur Barth, Berlin, and entry into business with Wodka Gorbatschow.
- 1960/61 Söhnlein takes over Lutter & Wegner KG, Berlin, Germany.
- 1963 Söhnlein Rheingold KG takes over Burg Weisenau cellars, Germany.
- 1964 The consumer brand Söhnlein Brillant is launched. Henkell introduces Rüttgers Club into the retail food trade.
- 1971 Fürst von Metternich Riesling Sekt is introduced to the market via the catering trade as premium quality sparkling wine.
- 1975 Henkell takes over the Carstens KG cellars, Neustadt / Weinstrasse, Germany.
- 1979 Launch of the Adam Henkell brand in specialised retail outlets and the restaurant trade.
- 1982 Otto Henkell II retires from active business life.
- 1987 The long-time competitors Henkell & Co and Söhnlein Rheingold KG merge. The administrative headquarters of the new company, Henkell & Söhnlein Sektkellereien KG, are now located at Henkellsfeld in Wiesbaden-Biebrich, Germany.
- 1992 Takeover of Hungarovin Kft., Budapest, the Hungarian sparkling wine market leader.
- 1995 Hungarovin Kft. gains a majority shareholding in Balatonboglári Borgazdasági zrt.(BB). Henkell & Söhnlein takes over the Kurpfalz Sektkellerei AG in Speyer, Germany.
- 1996 Foundation of Henkell & Söhnlein Polska Sp.z o.o., Warsaw, Poland.
- 1997 Henkell & Söhnlein acquires Deinhard AG, Koblenz, Germany. Henkell & Söhnlein takes over a qualified majority share holding in Vinpol Sp.z o.o. in Toru´n, Poland.
- 1999 Takeover of a qualified majority shareholding in Bohemia Sekt a.s., Starý Plzenec, Czech Republic.
- 2000 Henkell & Söhnlein takes over a qualified majority in the Slovakian sparkling wine company Hubert J.E.s.r.o.in Sered’ on August 1st. In September it also takes over Gratien & Meyer S.A.S.in Saumur, France, which incorporates Gratien & Meyer, Seydoux S.A., a company founded in 1984, also located in Saumur, as well as the champagne cellars Alfred Gratien S.A.S.located in Epernay.
- 2003 On June 1st Henkell & Söhnlein takes over distribution and trademark rights for the Menger-Krug manufactures, Deidesheim. Henkell & Söhnlein takes over S.C.Astese Production S.r.l. in Bucharest, Romania on October 1st, 2003. With the brand Angelli, Astese is Romania’s market leader in sparkling wine.
- 2004 Henkell & Söhnlein takes over the brands Kupferberg Gold and Scharlachberg Meisterbrand. With Kupferberg Gold the Group secures one of the most successful sparkling wine brands in Germany and Austria, with a history dating back 150 years. With Scharlachberg Meisterbrand, Henkell & Söhnlein strengthens its spirits portfolio with another top ten brand.
- 2005 The Czech Henkell & Söhnlein subsidiary, Bohemia Sekt a.s., takes over the spirits brands Pražská Vodka, Nordic and Silver Ice on June 1st, 2005. After this acquisition, Bohemia Sekt is not only the leader in the domestic sparkling and still wine markets, but also in the vodka market.
- 2006 Henkell Sparkling wine celebrates its 150th anniversary. What began in 1856 as the first sparkling wine production site has since developed into one of the largest and most modern sparkling wine cellars in Germany. The Söhnlein Brillant portfolio welcomes a new member: Söhnlein Brillant Alkoholfrei (non-alcoholic). The brands Der Gute Pott and Stern-Marke of the A.Racke GmbH & Co. Bingen are taken over. For Henkell & Söhnlein this results in a sustainable expansion of business in the market of spirits.
- 2007 Henkell & Co celebrates the 175th anniversary of its wine cellars, and Henkell & Söhnlein introduces two innovations into the market: Carstens SC Jahrgangssekt, a vintage sparkling wine made from organically grown grapes, closing a gap in the market, and Prosecco Yello is the first Prosecco sold in elegant 200 ml aluminium bottles. Furthermore, the premium brandy Scharlachberg Xtra Reserve,an extra mild and extra smooth tasting extension of this product range, enters into the market.
- 2008 On April 1st 2008, Henkell & Söhnlein Sektkellereien KG from Wiesbaden in Germany takes over a qualifying majority shareholding of the Italian Prosecco supplier, Mionetto S.p.A. located in Valdobbiadene, Treviso. The Group is now active with subsidiaries in ten European countries.
