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About us - A fusion of tradition and cosmopolitan lifestyle What is the origin of our company's name? 1848 refers to my great-great-great grandfather Nikolaus Schönleber. He founded the Schönleber bakery in 1848 in the house in which I was later born, which then went on to be the family business for the next 140 years. The picture shows the bakery "Schönleber" in 1908.  My name is Walter Schönleber. Walter Schönleber Firstly some more information about me: I was born in 1960 in Mittelheim (today a part of Oestrich-Winkel), a village on the banks of the river Rhine. in the Rheingau region.My family name was first mentioned in records in the middle of the 14th century in Central Rhineland, very close to my birthplace. The earliest bearers of this name stood out as being as people with the talent of always seeing the good sides of life. This name appeals to me as I too have an eye for all things unusual and beautiful and am curious to discover everything life has in store for us. Driven by this curiosity, the travel bug bit me at an early age and I set off on frequent and long journeys. Mostly on my bicycle - my first long bicycle tour led me to the northernmost point of Europe - the North Cape. This made such an impression on me that it didn't take long until I set off again. On my bicycle again I now travelled over the Alps to the south of Europe and beyond. Israel - Egypt - Sri Lanka - Singapore - Australia were some of the stops on my route which took me all the way to New Zealand. On my way I met Monika in Tasmania who shared my love for travelling. After more than a year and having pedalled a distance of 18 000 kilometres (11 000 miles) I returned to the Rheingau. Together with Monika I travelled across Canada and the US, during which time we spent one winter in a log cabin in Alaska. Then we moved to New Zealand together and spent several years there. Being a A-grade mechanic, a stainless steel welder and a baker in my spare time was not enough for me so I took up pilot training in New Zealand and got my commercial pilot's licence. Finally we returned home for good. Today we are proud parents of the next generation growing up in the former bakery.  "With God for Emperor, King and Fatherland" On the Order of His Majesty the Emperor and King Some more to my family tradition: The revolutionary year 1848 was not only a fateful year for Germany but also for my family. My ancestor born in 1817 bought the community bakery and this was to influence the fortunes of many generations to follow. The tradition of the baker's trade continued until 1992 when my father died. I am very proud of this family tradition which - despite all my travels - has instilled a deep-rooted love of my home region with its history and winegrowing culture which go back thousands of years. This in turn has led to the development of a widespread network of contacts to well-known wine-growing estates, restaurant owners, craftsmen and historians. Thanks to all my encounters and many ensuing friendships with people from all over the world I have decided to introduce other travellers to the beauty and culture of my home region with the same enthusiasm and openness as I had the pleasure of experiencing abroad. A warm welcome to you from me and my team!  The Team (from left)
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