Fancy a tipple? Spanish winery pays homage to pioneering 19th century British railway engineer

A SPANISH vineyard has paid homage to a British engineer behind the first railway line from Madrid to the south of the country.

In its latest wine bottle design, a Ronda-based vineyard has created a new ‘tinto’ named after John Morrison, who built the tracks in southern Spain in the late 19th century.

Somewhere between the neat rows of vines and the distant hum of a passing train, Huerto de la Condesa winery has managed to bottle a slice of history. 

Labelled ‘The Algeciras Gibraltar Railway Company, Ingeniero Mr Morrison’ it is a blend of Syrah, Graciano and Malbec grapes.

Aged for 12 months in French oak barrels, it appropriately has a picture of a steam train, vineyards and the emblematic town of Ronda in the distance.

Its beautifully designed label depicts the historic steam train going along the track that borders the winery itself, the surrounding rolling hills of vineyards, and the city of Ronda.

It was created as a toast to the engineer who oversaw the complex line that runs up into the Serrania de Ronda from the coast near Gibraltar, and then continues to Madrid via Antequera.

“It was very important for all the Ronda locals back in the 19th century to bring the first railway project to this town,” explained a spokesman for the vineyard.

“The railway was primarily developed by British financiers, and the development of the Ronda-Algeciras railway began tourism in our region.”

The Olive Press sampled the new wine, which the owners describe as ‘a cherry-hued number that opens with ripe dark fruit notes and leaves a fresh, elegant aftertaste’.

The flavours seem to echo the landscape, bold yet balanced, where renowned red grapes of Ronda come together beautifully and pair wonderfully with red meats and savoury dishes.

The story behind the wine begins in the late 1870s, when Morrison, with the financial support of London stockbroker and later MP Sir Alexander Henderson, won the rights to build a railway from Algeciras to Bobadilla, near Antequera.

The wine, named after the company that built the railway line linking Ronda to cities such as Algeciras, Gibraltar and Madrid, is named after its engineer John Morrison.

The story behind the wine begins in the late 1870s, when John Morrison, with the financial support of Sir Alexander Henderson, won the rights to build a railway from Algeciras to Bobadilla.

Masterminded by the British engineer, the first section of the tracks from Algeciras to Jimena was officially opened in October 1890, with the section connecting Ronda to Bobadilla being completed in 1891.

From Bobadilla junction, the line then headed up to Madrid.

Mr Morrison’s rail track played a key role in bringing tourism to iconic Ronda and also allowed British officers garrisoned in Gibraltar to visit inland Spain, and travel further on into Europe.

Since the arrival of the railway, Ronda’s picturesque architecture and rich cultural heritage have inspired many famous writers and playwrights, capturing the hearts of Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles.

Running three times a day in each direction, the route includes 22 stops, starting from the English territory, winding through the mountainous landscapes of southern Spain, and reaching Ronda in just under an hour and a half.

For Huerto de la Condesa, whose vines border the tracks, the connection is more than symbolic.

The winery has a long tradition of referencing the English-developed railway, as their vineyards border the Ronda-Algeciras train tracks.

One of their earlier wines, El Chacachá, takes its name from the rhythmic sound of the old steam trains that echoed across the region’s valleys.

The vineyards of Ronda are among the most diverse in the world, with differences in altitude, soil, and grape varieties creating a wide range of wines.

In 2023 and 2024, Huerto de la Condesa expanded its vineyards by five hectares, planting red and white Garnacha, alongside smaller sections of Tintin Herrera, Tintilla de Rota, and Viognier.

These carefully chosen varieties of grapes thrive in Ronda’s climate, producing wines that capture the character of the region’s varied soils, altitudes, and sun-soaked slopes.

Perhaps known better as the ‘Mr Morrison’ wine, Huerto de la Condesa hasn’t just paid tribute to the past, they’ve poured it into a bottle.

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