Pesquera Reserva is made entirely from Tinta del Pais—the local name given to Ribera's own thick-skinned version of Tempranillo—sourced from older vines within the boundaries of Pesquera de Duero. The vineyard has a south-facing exposure on poor, very pebbly soils over a clay subsoil, and has an altitude of over 800 metres.
Aged for 24-30 months in oak, followed by 12 months in bottle, the Reserva is a significantly more intense, powerful and nuanced version of its younger sibling. The Fernández team have been known to drop 50% of the fruit to regulate the yields, producing wines of power and complexity balanced with the classic high-grown freshness of the region. The Especial label is reserved for wines that have been aged in bottle before release, in this case, for 10 years after harvest.