Cortijo Los Aguilares
A Basque tech entrepreneur, a love of Burgundy, and 900 metres of Andalusian altitude. This shouldn’t work. But it does.
The Winery
Cortijo Los Aguilares is a winery 5 kilometres from Ronda, on an 800-hectare estate between two natural parks, producing Pinot Noir that has won three gold medals at the Mondial des Pinots in Switzerland — the world’s most prestigious competition for this grape. No other Spanish Pinot Noir has done that.
Essentials
- Founded: 1999
- Location: Puente de la Ventilla, carretera Ronda–Campillos, Málaga
- Altitude: ~900 metres above sea level
- Estate: 800 hectares total
- DO: Sierras de Málaga
- Distance from Ronda: 5 km
The Winery
Cortijo Los Aguilares was founded in 1999 by a Basque tech entrepreneur named José Antonio Itarte, who bought an 800-hectare Andalusian estate and planted Pinot Noir because he loved Burgundy. Most people in the wine world would have told him not to bother. He ignored them. The winery has since won three gold medals at the Mondial des Pinots in Switzerland — the world’s most prestigious Pinot Noir competition — and no other Spanish producer has come close.
The estate is still family-run. The winemaker, Bibi García, has been making the wines since 2007.
The wines
Cortijo Los Aguilares produces around 100,000 bottles per year. The Pinot Noir — roughly 10,000 bottles in a good vintage — is the headline, but the range is broader than most people realise.
| Wine | Style | Grapes | Price | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLA Tinto | Entry-level red | Tempranillo, Garnacha, Syrah | ~€12 | — |
| Pago El Espino | Mid-range red | Petit Verdot, Syrah, Tempranillo | ~€23 | 93/100 |
| Breñal | Dry white | Garnacha Blanca, Viognier, Vijiriega | ~€30 | — |
| Garnacha | Single-varietal red | 100% Garnacha | ~€32 | — |
| Graciano | Single-varietal red | 100% Graciano | ~€31 | — |
| Pinot Noir | Double-harvest | 100% Pinot Noir | ~€42 | 94/100 |
| Tadeo | Premium | 100% Petit Verdot | ~€42 | 94/100 |
| Tadeo Tinaja | Premium | 100% Petit Verdot | ~€63 | 94/100 |
Why a winery in Andalusia makes Spain's most decorated pinot noir
Pinot Noir at 36 degrees north, in full Andalusia, sounds like a bad idea. And yet the 2008, 2010, and 2018 vintages have each won gold at the Mondial des Pinots in Berne, a blind-tasted competition judged by specialists, and no other Spanish producer has matched that record. At around €30–35 a bottle, it’s one of the most singular wines coming out of southern Spain right now.
Visiting the winery
| Experience | What it involves | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tasting | Tour of vineyard and cellar + tasting of the range | Standard visit; book via website |
| Picnic | Outdoor picnic in the vineyard with wines and local products | One of the better things to do near Ronda |
| Terroir Immersion | Extended experience with food, wines, walk | Contact winery directly |
The winery offers several visit experiences, all bookable at their website. Book in advance — they’re a working estate, not a drop-in visitor centre.
A car is essential. There is no public transport.
- From Ronda centre: ~5 km, around 10 minutes via the Ronda–Campillos road
- From Málaga airport: ~1 hour 20 minutes
- From Marbella: ~1 hour via the A-397
FAQ
Is the Cortijo Los Aguilares Pinot Noir actually good?
Yes. It’s won three gold medals at the Mondial des Pinots in Switzerland — 2008, 2010, and 2018 vintages — which is a blind-tasted competition judged by Pinot Noir specialists. No other Spanish Pinot Noir has that record. It costs around €30–35 and is made in limited quantities, around 10,000 bottles in a good vintage. In a bad vintage, the winemaker doesn’t make it at all — they skipped 2017 entirely.
Why does Pinot Noir grow in Andalusia?
Altitude, mainly. The vineyard sits at 900 metres above sea level between two natural parks, where summer nights are cool and the thermal swing between day and night can be significant. The winery also uses a double pruning technique that shifts the growing season later into autumn, when temperatures are more even. The result is a grape with the natural acidity and finesse that Pinot Noir requires.
Is there anything else on the estate besides wine?
Quite a lot, actually. The 800-hectare estate includes dehesa woodland with Iberian pigs, cereal fields, and ancient olive groves. The old cortijo building — a traditional Andalusian farmhouse — was restored by the Itarte family and now serves as the tasting room and reception space. It’s a working agricultural estate, not just a winery.
How do I visit Cortijo Los Aguilares?
Book in advance at their website. The winery is 5 kilometres from Ronda — about 10 minutes by car. You’ll need a car; there’s no public transport. Experiences include a standard winery visit and tasting, a picnic under a centenary oak tree, and a winter picnic in a historic bandit’s cabin. All are worth it for different reasons.