Tinto Pesquera de Alejandro Fernández

Dreams that come true

In terms of success, only Vega Sicilia of Ribera del Duero can match Pesquera of Alejandro Fernández. Fernández makes wines of rich and exceptional character at relatively realistic prices, and he is therefore the archetype of a "success story" in modern times. Born in 1932, he left school at age 14 and was raised in the fields. Accordingly, his "curriculum vitae" includes such occupations as carpenter, blacksmith and inventor of numerous agricultural machines which the processing of the a.o. beet fields had to facilitate.

Their entrepreneurship and family unity were the drivers that helped them become what they are today: a family-owned business with four wineries, a hotel and a team of more than 120 employees. With a clear philosophy, love of wine and passion to share it with the world, Familia Fernández Rivera has continued to dream and grow, with their wines and products currently available in more than 70 countries.

One of his first assistants (and mentor), oenologist Teofilo Reyes, will have a defining influence on the style of the wine by placing more emphasis on the ripeness of the grapes than barrel aging. At a time when Spanish viticulture was in decline and vines were being torn out to be replaced by beets, Fernández planted vines and marketed his first wine in 1975.

Unlike most Spanish wines that age in barrel in wineries and are sold when they reach maturity,the Pesquera ages in bottle along the lines of the great Bordeaux. Very austere ruby-purple color, lots of fruit, typical wood, remarkable ripeness and intensity, with a beautiful structure and many tannins, due to these characteristics the Pesquera is considered the current measure of the potential of Spanish wines.

Tinto Pesquera

Tinto Pesquera is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream, a door always open to the riches of the world of wine and of Ribera del Duero, and the origin of all that Familia Fernández Rivera is today. As a tribute to Pesquera de Duero, the birthplace of Alejandro Fernández and Esperanza Rivera, the founders of Familia Fernández Rivera, and with origins in a 16th-century stone wine press, Tinto Pesquera began producing its first wines in 1975 to demonstrate the value of the terroir of Ribera del Duero by pioneering the production process of tempranillo grapes.

Thanks to the tireless work of Tinto Pesquera, it was one of the wineries that drove the rise and prominence of Ribera del Duero and one of the engines behind the appellation of origin. True to the essence of the brand, today Tinto Pesquera continues to advocate the production of excellent red wines that can represent the specific characteristics of each year and plot, committing itself to new technologies and always looking forward to the future, while maintaining its original essence and dedication to craftsmanship.

"MUCH MORE THAN THE ORIGIN"

Condado de Haza

Condado de Haza, located in Roa, Burgos, and surrounded by a vast vineyard of tempranillo that extends beyond what the eye can see, lies Condado de Haza, a Castilian château that pays homage to the terroir. To improve its wines, the structure of this winery, which covers 200 hectares of vineyards, was designed by digging into a hill, which also created a wine cellar nearly 30 meters deep that allows wines to be stored at ideal temperature and humidity conditions.

Since 1993, Condado de Haza stands as a 360º estate, where the full life cycle of the wine takes place, resulting in different wines with a unique and exceptional character thanks to the heterogeneous soils of the terroir, with a predominance of clay soils and the presence of sand. Also, with a strong commitment to the surrounding environment, Condado de Haza is committed to 100% organic production.

Dankzij zijn uitstekende wijnen werd Condado de Haza Crianza in 2008 door het prestigieuze tijdschrift Wine Spectator onderscheiden als een van de ‘Top 100 Wijnen’ ter wereld.

“THE CHÂTEAU OF THE RIBERA DEL DUERO”

El Vínculo

El Vínculo opened its doors in the heart of Campo de Criptana, a winery with which Familia Fernández Rivera aimed to emphasize that wines of excellent quality could also be produced in La Mancha.

One of the peculiarities of El Vínculo is that it was Familia Fernández Rivera's first winery to produce white wines, and Alejairén is the company's most special label, one of the most renowned and highly regarded white wines in the area. Naast de productie van wijnen met tempranillo-druiven werkt El Vínculo ook met de Airén-druif, waarvan de productie in sommige gevallen komt van “Viñas del país” (Wijngaarden van de Regio), ofwel oude en zeer uitzonderlijke pre-phylloxera wijngaarden die uitstekende druiven produceren.

“THE UNION OF TWO CASTILES"

Dehesa de la Granja

In Vadillo de Guareña, and more specifically, in a winery that is more than three centuries old, two of the Fernández Rivera family's passions first came together through Dehesa La Granja. Thus, on one of the most beautiful estates in Zamora, viticulture, agriculture and animal husbandry came together to produce aged cheeses, grow chickpeas and extract Extra Virgin olive oil, with the aim of achieving the highest quality. In this unparalleled environment, as you might expect, wines are produced with tempranillo grapes aged for long periods in American oak barrels. The cornerstone of the project is an underground cave of 3,000 square meters built in 1750, an unbeatable environment for preserving the secrets of these noble and intense wines.

In 1998 revitalizeerde Familia Fernández Rivera een driehonderd jaar oude ondergrondse wijnkelder en integreerde deze in het landschap, waarbij de wijnstokken een thuis deelden met een veeteeltbedrijf met meer dan duizend driehonderd koeien.