A boutique organic winery in the Serranía de Ronda

Three and a half hectares of vineyard at 800 metres of altitude, surrounded by fruit trees and an old water reservoir that recalls the estate's origin as an orchard. Here the wines are made exclusively from our own grapes, under certified organic practices and with minimal intervention, seeking character, balance and a faithful expression of the terroir.

A family project where each bottle is born from a simple idea: the utmost respect for the product and the nature that gives it to us.

People in Arriate say that Huerta El Corchero once formed part of a much larger property. It lies at about 800 metres of altitude, in the Sierra de las Cumbres. The land where our vines now grow was then a difficult area: sloping, crossed by water rushing down from the mountain when it rained, and poorly suited to the usual dehesa crops.

For that reason, according to the village's memory, this corner was entrusted to some nuns so they could plant their vegetable garden and a few fruit trees. The water filled a reservoir where many locals remember swimming in summer and coming to eat fruit straight from the trees.

Decades later, in 1998, Martin Kieninger discovered this almost abandoned place and decided to settle here with his family. He wanted to preserve that orchard spirit, so the estate is home not only to vines: many fruit trees and several centenary trees are also still here.

The old reservoir collects the water that flows directly from the mountain springs and nourishes our land. It still holds a central place on the estate, from where there is a privileged view over the vineyard, the village of Arriate and the Sierra de las Nieves.

It all began with a hundred vines, a small tank and a barrel. The first wine surprised with its quality and character, which led to continued planting until reaching around three and a half hectares of vineyard today.

The estate is home to French varieties such as Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Pinot Noir, as well as the white Chardonnay; Spanish varieties such as Garnacha Tinta and Tintilla de Rota; and others less common in the area, such as the Austrian Blaufränkisch.

All the wines are made exclusively from our own grapes, which allows us to control every step of the process, from vineyard to bottle. Annual production ranges between 15,000 and 20,000 bottles, all under the DOP Sierras de Málaga.

The work is carried out under certified organic practices, both in the vineyard and in the winery. The philosophy is simple: quality before quantity, minimal intervention and maximum respect for nature, so that each wine expresses the estate's own character.

Working the vineyard organically means embracing a constant challenge. The herbs that grow around each vine are removed by hand, and pest control is based on careful prevention throughout the year, encouraging the presence of beneficial fauna that forms part of the vineyard's natural balance.

Careful observation of the vineyard and of each year's weather conditions is essential. We use natural solutions, such as fermented milk from local cows to fight fungi, and we periodically introduce beneficial fauna that helps maintain this balance while reducing any other treatments to a minimum.

At the start of the project, Martin dug a trench around the estate to channel the water coming down from the mountain and prevent the rains from washing away the soil and damaging the harvest. Over time, that trench became a hedge, partly natural and partly planted, which now surrounds the vineyard and gives it an almost wild character, reinforcing the biodiversity that protects the vines.

Image of two dogs running across the estate

The harvest is carried out at night, by hand and with headlamps, so that the grapes reach the winery first thing in the morning, when they still retain their lowest temperature. During August and September, when the heat is most intense, working cool is essential to preserve freshness, avoid oxidation and better retain aromas.

The estate has a team made up mainly of women from Alcalá del Valle who have been harvesting here for more than ten years. They are highly skilled professionals, with extensive experience in harvests throughout Spain and part of Europe, and an essential part of the project.

Once harvested, the grapes undergo a manual cluster-by-cluster selection to ensure that only fruit in perfect condition continues through the process.

After destemming, the grapes go into stainless steel tanks, where red wine fermentation begins. This starts spontaneously, with yeasts native to the grapes and the vineyard. During the process, temperature and density are monitored, and the cap is worked with manual punch-downs to gently extract colour, aromas and structure.

Once alcoholic fermentation is complete, the wine is pressed delicately and malolactic fermentation begins, in which lactic bacteria, naturally present in a healthy vineyard, transform malic acid into lactic acid, softening the acidity. Afterwards, depending on the intended style, the wine may go into oak barrels for ageing or remain in tank to keep a fresher, fruitier profile.

The pomace, skins and other solid remains left after pressing are returned to the vineyard as fertiliser, thus closing a production cycle that respects the environment.

In the case of whites and rosés, after destemming the grapes go directly into ovoid tanks, where they ferment at around 15 °C and remain for between five and ten months before bottling. The ovoid shape creates a constant movement of the fine lees, bringing creaminess and texture to the wine. In addition, the material of these tanks favours controlled micro-oxygenation. The goal is always to preserve freshness, balance and varietal purity.

A small team for a human-scale winery, where each wine is cared for closely, from vineyard to bottle.

At the head of it is Martin, winemaker and oenologist, responsible for the making of the wines and for the development of the project since its beginnings. Jesús is responsible for much of the work in the vineyard and the winery. Sonia is more focused on wine tourism, welcoming those who visit the estate and sharing the history, philosophy and way of working of the winery, in addition to the tasting of our wines.

Sara looks after the administrative and image side of the winery. Throughout the year, the team also relies on the help of different collaborators who help the project continue growing without losing its close and artisanal character.

In recent years, viticulture in Ronda has undergone a recovery process that has restored to the area an almost forgotten tradition. Today, the combination of altitudes, soils and microclimates in a small space creates exceptional richness. Its location between the Atlantic, the Mediterranean and inland Iberia brings together different climatic influences, with winds and rainfall that add complexity and character to the vineyard.

Added to this is the singularity of its soils, where marine fossils can still be found, recalling a past in which these lands were covered by the sea.

Each project interprets this territory in its own way, but they all share the same origin: a diverse landscape expressed in unique wines. In this way, Ronda has become a mosaic of styles where variety is not the exception, but the very essence of its identity.

A boutique organic winery in the Serranía de Ronda

A small team for a human-scale winery, where each wine is cared for closely, from vineyard to bottle.

From this old orchard turned vineyard, in the heart of the Serranía de Ronda, come wines that speak of altitude, landscape and care.