Weingut Leitz

Johannes Leitz took over his parents’ business in 1985. The wine estate that he inherited has achieved international renown since then, with dry Grosses Gewächs (grand cru) Rieslings that count among Germany’s finest. Johannes puts his own stamp on these white wines, showing off the specific terroir from which they were born.

Viticulture in the Leitz family dates back to 1744, but the first family member to focus solely on winegrowing was Josef Leitz, who rebuilt the winery after it was destroyed in the Second World War. After completing his training, Johannes Leitz took sole charge of the 2.9-hectare property in 1985. Since then, he has achieved national and international success while expanding the vineyard area to a substantial 130 hectares (some 43 hectares of which he owns).

International profile

Apart from Germany, the Johannes’s major markets include Norway, Sweden, the UK and the USA. The winery’s continuous growth in recent years has done it no harm at all. On the contrary, its top dry Rieslings from Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg, Rüdesheimer Berg Rottland and Rüdesheimer Berg Kaisersteinfels continue to be rated among the best in Germany. Despite earning considerable international acclaim, Johannes has always kept his feet literally and metaphorically on the ground and, in collaboration with local conservation agencies, does his bit to help preserve his beloved UNESCO-listed home landscape around Rüdesheim.

The rise of alcohol-free wine

Johannes’s dry, zeitgeist-capturing alcohol-free wines have also been a hit abroad. Vacuum distillation allows him to evaporate the alcohol gently but preserve the aromas and flavours, creating a drink that ticks all the boxes.

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