Ronda Mountain Vineyards

Mountain vineyards on the Roman road from Cádiz to Málaga. The dramatic gorge made this a strategic fortress; the altitude makes exceptional wines. Ronda DO is experiencing a renaissance after centuries of obscurity.

What to do there

4 things to do

1. 1 Descend Into the Bridge That Hemingway Denied History · Price: low

   Inside the central arch of this 98-meter-high bridge is a room that was used as a prison and, during the Spanish Civil War, as a torture chamber where both sides threw prisoners into the gorge below. Enter the Puente Nuevo Interpretation Centre (Plaza de España, €2.50) from the town hall side. Climb into the central chamber — small, stone, completely original. Ernest Hemingway based the opening massacre of 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' on what happened in this town, though he later claimed he fabricated it. Look down through the viewing slit toward the gorge floor, 98 meters below. This is where prisoners looked before they died. Open Mon–Fri 10am–7pm (summer), 10am–6pm (winter), weekends 10am–3pm.

   Backup: If the centre is closed (check hours), the exterior view of Puente Nuevo from the Camino de los Molinos path below the gorge is free and shows the full 98-meter drop. Take the path down from near the old Arab baths.

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2. 2 Find the City Where Roman Coins Had Grapes On Them History · Free

   'Acinipo' means 'amongst the vineyards' in Ibero-Latin — this Roman city was so defined by wine that when it minted its own coins, they showed grape bunches, not emperors. Drive to Acinipo archaeological site (20km northwest via A-374, free admission, Wed–Sun 9am–2:30pm, taxi €25 each way). This is the direct ancestor of the wine you'll taste at Bodega Schatz today — Romans planted these same hillsides until phylloxera wiped everything out in the 1890s. Stand in the center of the remarkably preserved theater stage (capacity: 2,000 seats). The view from this platform of the Serranía de Ronda hills is exactly what Roman audiences saw 2,000 years ago during performances.

   Backup: If Acinipo is closed (Wed–Sun only), the Museo de Ronda in the old town (Calle Armiñán) has Roman coins and artifacts from Acinipo, including examples of the grape-stamped coins. Free admission, and it puts the archaeology in context.

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3. 3 Taste the Wine One Man Revived From Extinction Wine · Price: moderate

   In 1982, Friedrich Schatz was 18 years old, from a Stuttgart winemaking family with records back to 1641, and he found this finca in Ronda with the initials 'FS' on the gate — Finca Sanguijuela — and took it as a sign. At Bodega F. Schatz (Finca Sanguijuela s/n, book via f-schatz.com, €25–€35, minimum 2 people) there were ZERO functioning wineries in the Serranía de Ronda when he arrived. He was not reviving a tradition but restarting one, alone, on land Acinipo's Roman farmers would have recognized. He makes 15,000 bottles a year biodynamically and is still there. The tour includes vineyards at 700+ meters altitude and tasting of 4–6 wines. Ask specifically about his Acinipo red and ask: 'What did you find when you arrived in 1982?' He will tell you about the abandoned terraces.

   Backup: If Schatz is fully booked, Cortijo Los Aguilares (Carretera de Ronda Campillos km.35) is at 900m altitude making 6,000 bottles of Petit Verdot per year at €40/bottle. Book via their website.

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4. 4 Locate the Convent Where Juana the Mad Signed the Wine Estate History · Price: moderate · Optional

   This estate's founding document was signed by Queen Juana I of Castile — 'Juana la Loca,' daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella. The Trinitarian order she endowed at Finca Descalzos Viejos (Partido Descalzos s/n, strictly by appointment via wineronda.com) had the specific mission of ransoming Christians captured by North African pirates. Monks from here sailed to Barbary coast ports with gold to negotiate for Spanish prisoners. The Retamero family bought the abandoned ruin in 1998, spent a decade restoring it, and won the 2007 Architecture Award for Restoration. Contact well in advance — they only take small private groups and the owners personally guide visits through the convent architecture, original cellar, and restored orchards. Ask about the Trinitarian ransom missions — they know this history intimately.

   Backup: If the appointment is impossible, Descalzos Viejos wines are sold at Ronda wine shops including Ronda Gourmet on Calle Virgen de la Paz. Buy a bottle, read the label's history, and drink it at the Puente Nuevo viewpoint.

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Insider tips

• Descalzos Viejos winery is in a former convent with old vines

• The Puente Nuevo bridge view is one of Spain's most dramatic

• Visit in spring when wildflowers carpet the mountains

• Combine with white villages of the Serranía