Forbes selects the Ronda winery Descalzos Viejos among the essential visits in the world

The prestigious international magazine Forbes has chosen the Ronda-based Descalzos Viejos as one of the 21 essential global wineries. This recognition places the Serranía de Ronda within an exclusive club of wine-related destinations.

The publication believes that these wineries are changing the way people experience wine tourism by focusing on “beautiful landscapes, warm hospitality, and a strong sense of belonging to the place.”

A description that perfectly fits a visit to the Ronda winery, which is located in a unique setting like the Hoya del Tajo and in a historic building with 500 years of history, as it is a former Trinitarian convent reconverted by architects Flavio Salesi and Francisco Retamero.

Indeed, the publication highlights the balance between the historic building with centuries-old frescoes that host the production of their wines by the winemaker, Vicente Inat.

A recognition that, according to one of its managers, Flavio Salesi, is the result of the daily work done both in serving their visitors and in the wine production process. "Here the owners continue serving and you can see that it is a lively winery with a soul where they can see the daily work,” he pointed out.

Moreover, he considers it as an award in the form of international impact for Ronda itself, since he sees it as a top-tier destination that is succeeding in attracting high-quality tourism thanks to projects like the wineries or tourist complexes like La Donaira.

“Luxury does not mean inaccessible, the case of visits to the wineries is an example,” and increasingly, these types of clients with a high purchasing power are seeking to experience different kinds of activities where Salesi believes the city of Tajo could play a very prominent role if there is a commitment to developing the current offerings.

History

Regarding the visit to the winery, which is only done by prior reservation, visitors have the opportunity to combine a unique landscape surrounded by vineyards in the Hoya del Tajo, a building with more than 500 years of history, and the tasting of their red and white wines.

This winery is one of the few in Spain situated in a building of these characteristics that originally was a Trinitarian monastery. Specifically, thanks to the Royal privilege of Queen Juana I of Castile, the Trinitarian Order founded this Convent in 1505 on the slopes of the Tajo. This place, which had been an ancient hermitage, was dedicated to an image of Christ of the Remedies, a gift from the Catholic Monarchs.

After the order moved to its new location in the center of Ronda, the facilities were abandoned until 1998, when the current owners bought this property from the Colombian concert pianist, Rafael Puyana, and began a process of complete restoration to turn it into the headquarters of the winery, adjacent to the newly planted vineyards in the lower part of the estate.

This recovery process not only involved consolidating the main nave but also enabled the gardens, orchards, ponds, fountains, and surroundings to be toured during the visit. In fact, if the weather permits, tastings are often held in one of these spaces under the shade of its lush trees and with the profile of the Tajo de Ronda as a backdrop.

Frescoes in the main altar

Additionally, in the main hall, which currently houses the central element for production with the area of tanks and barrels, you can also see on the main altar the remains of the frescoes that presided over it. Specifically, these are of the saints Rufina and Justa.

All these elements are joined by the fact that the owners themselves take care of attending to the visitors, making it even more special to tour the facilities with the very initiators of its recovery and creation of one of the main wineries in Ronda.

This fact also allows for personalizing these visits, to the extent that it is possible to organize small private events that have attracted the interest of major car brands or luxury travel agencies.