The Boy, the Coincidence & the Land Where Grapes Were Money
At 18, Friedrich Schatz — a boy from South Tyrol whose family had made wine since 1641 — left home with two certainties: he would continue the family tradition, and he would not do it in Germany. In 1982 he arrived in the Serranía de Ronda, a region where phylloxera had erased viticulture in 1878 and the land had surrendered to cereals. From 3 hectares at 700 metres, he became the first organic and biodynamic producer in the Sierras de Málaga, making 6 wines without added sulfites, each labelled with a letter of his own name.
Origin — South Tyrol, Korb, the 18-Year-Old & the Finca That Shared His Initials
The Schatz family comes from Trentino-South Tyrol, the German-speaking province in the north of Italy, nestled against the Dolomites. They later settled in Korb, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, southern Germany. And they had been making wine since 1641 — a lineage of viticulture that stretched across three centuries, two countries, and one language. Friedrich — Federico, as he would become — grew up in this tradition. The vineyard was not a choice. It was a birthright. But at 18 years old, he had already made a decision that would break the chain: he would continue the family trade, but he would not continue it at home.
In 1982, Friedrich set out to find a better climate. He travelled through various countries and regions, weighing options, tasting soil, listening to wind. He finally chose Spain — specifically Ronda, a town perched on a dramatic gorge in the heart of Andalusia, geographically Mediterranean but strongly influenced by the Atlantic. The Serranía de Ronda was not an obvious choice. The region had been one of the great wine centres of Roman Hispania — the ancient city of Acinipo, known as Ronda La Vieja (Old Ronda), was called Land of Wines, and grapes were so central to its economy that they were minted on coins. But in 1878, phylloxera arrived. The vineyards — all 13,494 hectares of them in the Serranía alone — were wiped out. The land, defeated, turned to cereals. By the time Friedrich arrived, there had been no wine production for over a century. His family thought he was crazy.
He found a farm called Finca Sanguijuela — a peculiar name, located on the Sierra de la Sanguijuela. The coincidence was almost too perfect: the initials of Finca Sanguijuela and Federico Schatz were the same — FS. This became the winery's logo. The farm already had a small vineyard, but tests had to be carried out with different varieties to see which adapted best to the land and the altitude. It was a long road. Ronda, at that moment, was not a qualified area for planting vineyards. There was no DO, no infrastructure, no community of winemakers. Friedrich was alone, with 3 hectares, a 340-year family tradition, and a conviction that the Serranía could be great again.
The first thing he did was learn the language. An accelerated Spanish course in Marbella helped, but it was the "practical lessons" with the bricklayers who restored his house that gave him what he calls his perfect Andalusian accent. He married a woman from Pamplona. They had a daughter, now 13, who is learning the trade. And slowly, the Serranía began to wake up. Alfonso of Hohenlohe arrived in the 1990s. Other bodegas followed. In 2001, the Sierras de Málaga DO was established, with the Serranía de Ronda as a sub-zone. Today there are 23 bodegas and approximately 250 hectares of vineyards. Friedrich started it all.
The Place — Acinipo, the Atlantic Breath & the Garden of Forestière
Finca Sanguijuela sits at 700 metres above sea level in the Serranía de Ronda, on the road between Ronda and the ancient ruins of Acinipo. The climate is a paradox: geographically Mediterranean, but strongly influenced by the Atlantic — cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers, with diurnal temperature swings that preserve acidity in a latitude where it should not survive. The soils are sandy, silty, and loamy — a mix that provides both drainage and water retention, forcing the vines to work while never starving them. The altitude moderates the Andalusian heat. The Atlantic influence brings freshness. And the history brings weight.
Acinipo — Where Grapes Were Minted on Coins
The ancient city of Acinipo, known as Ronda La Vieja, was one of the great wine centres of Roman Hispania. The name itself means Land of Wines. So central was viticulture to the city's economy that grapes were minted on its coins — a literal currency of wine. The Iberians cultivated vines here before the Romans. The Romans expanded production. And then, in 1878, phylloxera erased it all. Friedrich's vineyard sits in the shadow of these ruins. His wine is not merely a product. It is a restoration — a return of viticulture to a landscape that had forgotten its own name.
The Forestière Garden & the Hens
The bodega sits alongside an impressive garden laid out in the early 19th century by Jean Claude Nicolas Forestière — the same landscape architect who designed the gardens of Casa del Rey Moro in Ronda and Parque María Luisa in Seville. The garden is kept as it was: semi-formal, with low hedging, aromatic plants — myrtle, lavender, santolina, rosemary — and a thriving population of hens that peck about the property, keeping the insect population down. The garden is rich in birdlife, which helps keep pests away from the vines. There is a sense of harmony and interconnectedness that is not romantic affectation. It is the practical expression of a man who understands that a vineyard is not an island.
Organic, Biodynamic & the Preparations 500–508
Friedrich was one of the first winemakers in the region to decide to produce wine organically — and he went further, adopting biodynamic practices certified by CAAE. For plant protection, he uses only elemental sulfur, copper, and biodynamic preparations 500–508: horn manure, horn silica, yarrow, chamomile, nettle, oak bark, dandelion, and valerian. The green seed of autochthonous grasses and legumes is preserved for years between the rows. The canopy is trained in double Guyot on espalier frames at a density of 5,000 vines per hectare. The harvest is 100% by hand. It is not a system. It is a philosophy — one that sees the farm as a living organism, not a factory.
Atlantic Freshness at Mediterranean Latitude
The Serranía de Ronda's unique position — geographically Mediterranean, climatically Atlantic — produces wines of extraordinary freshness and aromatic intensity. The altitude (700m) preserves acidity. The Atlantic influence moderates heat. The sandy-loam soils provide both drainage and mineral complexity. Friedrich understood this immediately. It was why he chose Ronda over every other region he visited. The wines are original, fresh, and aromatic — not copies of Rioja or Bordeaux, but expressions of a terroir that had been silent for a hundred years. The results, as the DO itself acknowledges, were "truly spectacular."
Winemaking — No Added Sulfites, the Open Vat & the Letters of His Name
Friedrich's cellar philosophy is governed by a single, non-negotiable principle: the wine must be lively, full of life, and cared for according to traditional wisdom working in harmony with modern technical means. All six wines are produced without added sulfites — not as a marketing stance, but as a belief that wine, when made from healthy grapes in a clean cellar, does not need chemical preservation. The goal is not merely to make wine. It is to make wine that lives.
The winemaking is deliberately artisanal and mechanical — never industrial. Grapes are hand-harvested and brought to the cellar for destemming and crushing. Fermentation takes place in open vats for approximately one week, with the cap of skins pushed down by hand several times a day — an old-fashioned punch-down that extracts colour and tannin without the violence of pumps. After roughly a month, the wine is pressed. Malolactic fermentation occurs in stainless steel. Then comes ageing: 6 to 12 months in new and used French, Slovenian, and American oak barrels, on the fine lees, with sur lie ageing and batonnage — the regular stirring of lees that adds texture and complexity. It is a marriage of the old world and the new: open vats and stainless steel, hand punch-downs and batonnage, South Tyrolean tradition and Andalusian terroir.
The labels are a playful signature: each wine is marked with a letter from S-C-H-A-T-Z — the founder's surname made visible, as if the wines themselves are spelling out his identity. S is the Chardonnay. C is the Pinot Noir. H is the Lemberger. A is the Finca Sanguijuela blend. T is the Petit Verdot. Z is the Rosado. It is not merely branding. It is a statement: these wines are inseparable from the man who made them. When you drink a Schatz wine, you are drinking a letter of his name.
Friedrich's radicalism is quiet, almost invisible. He does not shout about being natural. He simply is natural — organic since before the term was fashionable, biodynamic since before it was understood, sulfite-free since before it was demanded. He believes in illusion, knowledge, and work — a lot of work. "The secret to doing what you want is none other than a good mix of illusion, knowledge and work, a lot of work." Thirty years have passed. The family has grown. The new generation adds to the wisdom of the grandparents, who continue to help and teach. And nature, in its immense generosity, takes care of everything else.
The Wines — From the S to the Z & the Most Exotic Chardonnay in the World
Bodegas F. Schatz produces 6 wines from 9 grape varieties grown on 3 hectares at Finca Sanguijuela. All are certified organic and biodynamic by CAAE. All are made without added sulfites. All are aged in oak — French, Slovenian, and American — with batonnage and sur lie. The range spans red, white, and rosé, each labelled with a letter that together spell the family's name. The wines are bottled under the Sierras de Málaga DO, a recognition that Friedrich himself helped create through four decades of pioneering work.
Schatz "S" — Chardonnay
White — Serranía de RondaThe most exotic Chardonnay in the world — or so it has been called. Sourced from Finca Sanguijuela at 700 metres on sandy-loam soils, hand-harvested, fermented in open vats, then aged in French, Slovenian, and American oak barrels with sur lie and batonnage. The result is a Chardonnay unlike any other: tropical fruit, white flowers, and a distinct Atlantic freshness that prevents the richness from becoming heaviness. It is a white wine of surprising elegance — not Burgundy, not California, but Ronda — lifted by altitude, cooled by the Atlantic, and shaped by a South Tyrolean hand. No added sulfites.
Schatz "C" — Pinot Noir
Red — Serranía de RondaA 100% Pinot Noir of surprising transparency and finesse — aged for 12 months in oak barrels. In a climate that ought to prohibit the production of decent Pinot Noir, Friedrich has created a wine that defies latitude. The altitude, the Atlantic breeze, and the sandy soils combine to produce a Pinot of red cherry, earth, spice, and silken texture. It is lighter than Burgundy, more aromatic than Oregon, and unmistakably Andalusian — a wine that proves the Serranía de Ronda can coax delicacy from a variety that demands coolness. Medium-bodied, with vibrant acidity and a long, mineral finish. No added sulfites.
Schatz "H" — Lemberger
Red — Serranía de RondaA 100% Lemberger — also known as Blaufränkisch — the variety that connects Friedrich to his Central European roots. Lemberger is a grape of dark fruit, pepper, and firm tannin, and in the Serranía de Ronda it finds an unexpected home. The altitude preserves the acidity that Lemberger needs. The Atlantic influence moderates the heat. And the sandy-loam soils give the wine a mineral backbone that is rare for the variety outside Austria or Germany. The result is a wine of deep colour, spicy intensity, and surprising freshness — a bridge between the Dolomites and the Serranía, between 1641 and today. No added sulfites.
Schatz "A" — Finca Sanguijuela
Red blend — Serranía de RondaThe estate's flagship red — named after the farm itself, a blend of Tempranillo, Syrah, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, aged for 12 months in French oak barrels. Deep cherry red in colour. The nose is intense: red fruits, laurel, thyme, and a distinct Mediterranean forest character. The palate is harmonious and mineral, elegant and complex, with a faithful reflection of the terroir. Notes of cocoa, roasted flavours, and a long, powerful finish. It is the wine that packs a punch — great with paprika-spiced chorizo, mature cheeses, and the hearty tapas of the region. The letter A stands for the farm. But it also stands for Acinipo — the ancient city where grapes were money. No added sulfites.
Schatz "T" — Petit Verdot
Red — Serranía de RondaThe most profound and expensive wine in the portfolio — a 100% Petit Verdot of extraordinary depth and Atlantic character. Harmonious chocolate and currant flavours, a very high-Atlantic freshness, and fantastic acidity that lifts the wine beyond the weight of the variety. The Petit Verdot at Finca Sanguijuela achieves a ripeness that is rare for the grape outside Bordeaux, but retains an acidity and a mineral tension that is unmistakably Ronda. Aged in oak with sur lie and batonnage. Full-bodied, structured, and age-worthy — a wine for dark chocolate, aged Spanish cheeses, and the contemplative drinker. The letter T is the most sought-after letter in the name. No added sulfites.
Schatz "Z" — Rosado
Rosé — Serranía de RondaA bone-dry rosé made from Moscatel Negro — the dark-skinned cousin of the more famous Moscatel, here pressed gently to produce a wine of pale salmon colour and extraordinary aromatic intensity. The nose is of red berry fruits — strawberry, raspberry, wild rose — with a distinct Mediterranean herb note. The palate is crisp, dry, and refreshing, with a saline finish that speaks of the Atlantic influence. It is a rosé that tends toward the redder end of the pink scale — not a Provençal whisper, but an Andalusian statement. Perfect for long lunches, grilled fish, and the terraces of Ronda. The letter Z completes the name. No added sulfites.
Legacy — The Pioneer, the Garden & the Revival of a Desert
Bodegas F. Schatz matters because it is the founding stone upon which the modern Serranía de Ronda was rebuilt — the work of an 18-year-old boy from South Tyrol who, in 1982, looked at a landscape where wine had not been made for a century and decided that 13,494 hectares of lost vineyards could be remembered. In a region that had surrendered to cereals, Friedrich Schatz planted the first vines, built the first bodega, and proved that the Serranía could produce wines of originality, freshness, and aromatic intensity — wines that were not copies of Rioja or Bordeaux, but authentic expressions of a terroir that had been silent since 1878.
His legacy is agricultural. By establishing the first organic and biodynamic winery in the Sierras de Málaga, by farming 3 hectares with preparations 500–508, by preserving autochthonous grasses and legumes, and by training his vines in double Guyot at 5,000 vines per hectare, Friedrich created a model for sustainable viticulture in a region that had no memory of vines. The hens in his garden, the birds in his trees, the aromatic plants in his hedgerows — these are not decorative touches. They are the practical architecture of a closed ecosystem.
His legacy is also institutional. When Friedrich arrived, there was no DO, no regulatory council, no qualified wine-growing area. His success — followed by Alfonso of Hohenlohe in the 1990s and then by 21 other bodegas — convinced the authorities that the Serranía de Ronda deserved recognition. In 2001, the Sierras de Málaga DO was established, with the Serranía as a sub-zone. Today there are 23 bodegas and ~250 hectares. Friedrich did not merely make wine. He made a wine region.
And his legacy is familial. The Schatz family has made wine since 1641 — from the Dolomites to Baden-Württemberg to Andalusia. Friedrich's 13-year-old daughter is learning the trade. His wife, from Pamplona, is part of the project. The grandparents still help and teach. The new generation adds to the wisdom of the old. It is a continuity that spans four centuries, three countries, and one unbroken thread: the belief that wine is not a product but a way of life.
From South Tyrol to Korb to Ronda, from the 18-year-old with a dream to the 60-something with a garden, from 0 hectares to 3 hectares to 250 hectares across the entire Serranía, Bodegas F. Schatz is a testament to what happens when a boy decides that history is older than phylloxera, that the garden is as important as the vineyard, and that the best way to sign your name is to spell it in wine. The boy has spoken. The Serranía listens. And the drinker is transformed.