Founded in 1750, Weingut Dr. Leimbrock – C. Schmidt has a rich history of generations of winemaking. In the late 19th century, Emilie Herrmann Leimbrock, a young widowed mother, followed in her father’s footsteps and successfully led her winery until her retirement. The story goes that she kept the cellar key under her pillow until shortly before her death.
In the mid 20th century, Emilie’s grandson Friedhelm took a special interest in the family’s winemaking business. He married married Eleonore ‘Lore’ Schmidt, also from a family winery, Conrad Schmidt in Brauneberg, Together they cultivated steep slopes in the best vineyards of the Middle Mosel, which they brought from the farms of their ancestors into their marriage. Lore Leimbrock completed viticultural training, as well as a home economics additional education, applying her knowledge to both viticulture and hospitality at the winery. Friedhelm Leimbrock, who graduated as a master winemaker, led his own company and served as chairman of the supervisory board of the Middle Mosel.
Friedhelm and Lore Leimbrock's firstborn son, Friedrich Wilhelm Leimbrock, completed viticultural training, a oenology study in Geisenheim and a doctorate on cross-sectioning in steep slope wine growing. Since the age of 16, Dr. Friedhelm Leimbrock has served as winemaker. After completing her studies in business administration in Mainz and her viticultural training in Trier, their youngest daughter, Ulrike Leimbrock, started working in the family winery in 1982. For many years she, along with her mother Lore, has led the winery. Ulrike officially took over operations in 2013, and today her daughter, Andrea Oeffling, is involved in sales & marketing.
Ulrike Leimbrock Oeffling, Andrea Oeffling, Friedhelm Leimbrock
The Leimbrock focus is on dry and semi-dry Rieslings; Spätlese and Auslese wines. Their current vineyard, established in 1967, covers 22 acres (8.5 hectares) of ‘Devon’ soil (weathered slate) in some of the best locations on the Mosel - Graacher Himmelreich (0.3 ha), Bernkasteler Bratenhöfchen/Badstube (0.4 ha), Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr (0.6 ha), Brauneberger Juffer (0.9 ha), Mülheimer Sonnenlay (2.8 ha). Annual production is 7,500 9L cases; 90% of their production is sold in Europe.
