Johannes Leitz took control of the family business in 1985.
Weingut Josef Leitz
Winemaking has been in the Leitz family since 1744. However the Josef Leitz winery as it stands today was re-built in 1947 after suffering bad damage during the war. Today’s owner, Johannes, took control of the family business at a young age following the premature death of his father in 1985 and set out to re-establish the reputation of Weingut Leitz. When Johannes first took a hold of the reins, the estate consisted of just 3 hectares of vineyard; he grew this to 28 and in 2007 took over the Weingut Erbslöh in Geisenheim, expanding the Leitz operation to include 32 hectares of vineyard in Geisenheim and Rüdesheim. Today, Weingut Josef Leitz, a member of the VDP, produces quality German Riesling with an international reputation.
The winery has vineyards in the top sites of Rüdesheim, including Berg Roseneck and Berg Kaisersteinfels, the latter of which is home to vines over 70 years old. The vineyards are located on an array of different soil types, from grey and red slate to sandy loam, loess and quarzite and Johannes strives for wines that, above all, reflect the terroir of the individual vineyard site.
When it comes to viniculture, the Leitz practice is to do as little to the wines as possible. The grapes are harvested in two or three selections. Artificial yeast is used for the making of sweet wines but natural yeast for the dry styles. Weingut Josef Leitz lives by the philosophy that ‘quality is made in the vineyard and maximised in the press house, but not in the cellar’.
99% of the wines produced are Riesling from dry-style through to Beerenauslese quality-level wines, balancing acidity with lusciously sweet fruit flavours. In 2007, the winery produced 30,000 cases of wine, 85% of which were exported around the world to countries including the US, UK, Norway, and Sweden (in decreasing order of value).
Weingut Leitz constantly receives international acclaim and praise from those in the know. Number one German wine fan, Jancis Robinson MW, thinks Johannes Leitz is ‘one of the absolute superstars, not just of the Rheingau, but of German wine in toto.’
Leitz wines are imported into the UK by Awin Barrett Siegel Wine Agencies and are on sale in branches of Oddbins, Tesco, Waitrose, Marks and Spencer and Justerini & Brooks, and online from Tanners. Visit the Wines of Germany online ‘Wine Search’ facility to view stockists: http://www.winesofgermany.co.uk/advanced-search.lml
