Latest Tequila News

Early this year, Mexicans took to the streets, aggrieved at the high price of tortillas. Costs had soared as ethanol makers bought up corn to turn it into fuel-alcohol. It isn't the first time that alcohol-production in Mexico has pushed up the cost of tortillas. In 1914 the Mexican government responded to high corn prices by forcing distillers to stop making corn liquor. The Compañia Alcoholera Nacional inked a deal with the government agreeing not to make any distilled spirits from grain for 10 years. No wonder tequila -- which is distilled from the fermented juices of a spiny succulent, the agave -- solidified its place as the essential Mexican drink.

For some time, tequila had a tawdry reputation in the States. A 1912 article in the Lincoln, Nebraska Evening News took up the subject of "American Bums in Foreign Lands" (an archetype later embodied by Humphrey Bogart in "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre"). The reporter declared, "Ninety percent of the American tramps in Mexico are victims of tequila."

SAMPLING BLANCO TEQUILAS
 
Very Good
• Fina Estampa $27.59
Beautiful balance of the agave sugars and earthy, vegetable flavors. Reminiscent of the citrus-juniper collaboration that gives good gin its twang.
 
• El Diamante del Cielo $31.95
An interesting mix of sweet and spice: the smell of apples and brown sugar, followed by a peppery, cinnamon taste.
 
Good/Very Good
• Partida $41.99
An elegant bottle containing a tequila made with the timid taste buds of vodka drinkers in mind.
 
• Trago $49.99
A whiff of smoke on the nose, with a sour vegetal taste that hints of well-boiled Brussels sprouts (but in a good way).
 
Tequila would see its first real success among Americans during prohibition, when a trip to Nogales, Juarez or Tijuana was a chance to indulge in some legal drinking (not to mention the opportunities for smuggling). As a headline in the Lima News & Times-Democrat put it, "U.S. Prohibition Helps Mexico: Supplying America With Booze Is Great Industry." But it was World War II that made a real market for the drink in the States, where distillers had turned to war work, making industrial alcohol. French, U.K. and American spirits became scarce, and many of the substitutes were vile. "Sensitive Martini-boys and Gibson-girls still shudder" at the thought of wartime gin from Argentina, M.F.K. Fisher once wrote. "They took to tequila and vodka in desperation."

Now tequila and vodka are staples, and hardly out of desperation. Though bargain tequila revenues have hit the skids, the pricey artisanal stuff has enjoyed solid growth. The number of cases of high-end tequila sold grew by 5% from 2005 to 2006. That's nothing like the explosion (as inexorable as it has been inexplicable) of the highest-end vodkas -- 39% growth in one year. But the upscale tequila market has still been robust enough to encourage the entry of plenty of new competitors. In 2002, just five new brands of tequila were floated in the U.S. By contrast, according to the Adams Beverage Group, some 40 tequilas were introduced to the American market in 2006.

One reason this tremendous expansion of brands is possible is that Mexico enjoys a healthy diversity of distilleries, with scores of independent producers. Many of them are now concentrating on producing a full range of high-end tequilas, from the fresh and limpid blancos, to the woody and amber añejos. I decided to give four of the newest blanco tequilas in the U.S. a try. I found that the competition for the premium drinker's dollar has led to a raft of excellent choices.

Trago, introduced in November, is from a relatively new distillery, and it presents the tequila in an all-too modern package -- a bottle with the shape (and all the charm) of an International Style skyscraper. The tequila had a whiff of smoke, and was not without flavor. But I thought the agave expressed itself in the kind of sour taste that reminded me of well-boiled Brussels sprouts. That may sound less than appealing, but I don't mean it that way. Vegetable notes are desirable in tequila. They were just a little out of balance in the Trago.

Partida Blanco is produced by the well-established David Partida distillery, which makes a slew of tequila brands, mostly for the Mexican market. The best feature of the Partida is its elegant bottle, polished enough for perfume but with a vaguely canteen-like shape in harmony with ranchero life. The tequila itself leaned toward the bland, and I wonder if the idea was to distill the spirit with as neutral a flavor as possible, with the timid taste buds of vodka drinkers in mind.

El Diamante del Cielo provided more for the senses, with an interesting mix of sweet and spice. The sweet was delivered to the nose -- a smell of apples and brown sugar. The spice was on the tongue -- refreshingly peppery, with a cinnamon bite. In a way, the taste of El Diamante del Cielo is fitting, given that the brand was devised by an entrepreneur, Jeff Hopmayer, whose previous enterprise was making scones for Starbucks.

My favorite of the lot, though, was the Fina Estampa. The tequila wasn't afraid to let one taste the agave sugars, balancing that sweetness perfectly with earthy, vegetal flavors. The combination evoked the citrus-juniper collaboration that gives good gin its twang.

How to drink these tequilas? They make for first-rate Margaritas, but really warrant drinking neat, preferably in the small, narrow glasses called caballitos. You can indulge in the salt-and-lime ritual, which is well enough known in the U.S. Though it is certainly a traditional Mexican way to drink tequila, I'm not that enamored of the routine. I find it distracts from the more delicate flavors of a good tequila; it also encourages gulping, tied as it is for many people to memories of tequila bacchanals in college.

Somewhat more civilized, and civilizing, I think, is the Mexican habit of keeping tequila company with Sangrita, a drink of orange, tomato and lime juices spiked with chilies. One drinks a shot of Sangrita as a chaser; it both soothes and jolts the palate, and it functions as a well-advised breather between glasses of tequila.

Make a batch of Sangrita ahead of time so that you can let it chill in the fridge. Sangrita can be an elaborate affair requiring jalapeños in a blender, but for starters, try this recipe: 10 ounces of tomato juice, 8 ounces orange juice, 2 ounces lime juice and an ounce and a half of Cointreau. Spice it to taste with a dash, more or less, of Tabasco, and some salt and pepper.

Source:
The Wall Street Journal Online
By ERIC FELTEN

CASA NOBLE TEQUILA SPONSORS “THE AMERICA’S CUP OF POLO” IN A JOURNEY FOR THE CURE

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – May 7, 2007 – While the official polo teams of the United States and England battle it out for the first-ever “America’s Cup of Polo,” founding sponsor Casa Noble will present its ultra premium tequilas including Casa Noble Añejo, winner of a double gold medal at the 2007 San Francisco Spirits Competition, in support of the event’s beneficiary - Journey for the Cure.

“The America’s Cup of Polo,” created by United States Polo Association (USPA) to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the settlement at Jamestown, will be held on May 12, 2007, inside historic Morven Park in Leesburg, Virginia, just outside Washington D.C.  Casa Noble joins a collection of elite brands including Cartier, Merrill Lynch, The Ritz Carlton and ESPN as founding sponsors of this historic sporting event, which benefits Journey for the Cure, a non-profit foundation dedicated to the National Multiple Sclerosis and The Leukemia and Lymphoma Societies.  

The event is being spearheaded by “The America's Cup of Polo” Chairman Tareq Salahi, an avid polo competitor and vintner, and top-ranked international polo professional, Charles Muldoon who is a survivor of Hodgkins Lymphoma.

Salahi sees the event as an opportunity to unite and rally around the American ideals of freedom and democracy.  "These ideals are what fundamentally makes America so strong.  With this event, we are bringing people together to celebrate the community, in Virginia, across the country and abroad," says Salahi.  Towards that end, world leaders including President George W. Bush, His Majesty King Abdullah and Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan, and other high profile Heads of State have been invited to participate as part of the event's greater mission.

More information about Casa Noble Tequila can be found online at: www.casanoble.com

For tickets and information about “The America’s Cup of Polo,” visit www. americascuppolo.com

Journey for the Cure, www.journeyforthecure.com

Joe Sanders
323-939-7999
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

NEW YORK — On a Friday night at La Esquina, a hip, subterranean candlelit brasserie and tequila bar in NoLita, a 30ish, well-dressed man with slicked-back hair strutted up to the bar and asked, "What's your best tequila? I want top, top, top-shelf."

The bar chef recommended Milagro Tequila Romance, grabbed a bong-like, hand-blown crystal bottle and filled each of three glasses with 1.5 ounces.

"Cool bottle," the patron noted.

The tab for the trio? $156.

Welcome to today's world of tequila, where super-premiums rule, snifters supersede shot glasses, sales soar thanks to an influx of ultra-premiums, and infused and flavored tequilas add a new twist. And yes, the bottles are cooler than ever.

A staple on bar shelves for years, tequila is now the third-fastest-growing spirit (behind single-malt scotch and Irish whiskey) in the nation, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. Expect plenty more to be consumed Saturday at Cinco de Mayo celebrations across the USA.

The greatest jump in sales comes in the super-premium category, where the 2.6 million gallons sold in 2006 was a 50% increase from the previous year, according to the spirits council.

Tequila, distilled from the fermented juices of blue agave plants in Mexico, still suffers from a not-so-illustrious past. Blame it on the hangover-waiting-to-happen stuff loaded with impurities and sugar that has long thrived at frat parties.

Laurence Kretchmer, author of The Mesa Grill Guide to Tequila, says he hears people complain about "a very bad experience" with tequila. "I say, 'You didn't have a bad experience with tequila. You had an experience with a bad tequila.' "

Tequilas fall into two categories: 100% agave tequila, which must be bottled in Mexico, and tequila of 51% agave sugars and 49% other sugars, which can be bottled outside Mexico.

Some of the pure tequilas are meant to be savored like cognac or single-malt whiskey. The rage these days is aged, or añejo, tequilas, which rest for at least a year in oak barrels that bring on more complex tastes and warm, smooth finishes.

But some aficionados prefer blanco, which is bottled immediately after distillation.

"Blanco is just the way it is right out of the still and really tells you about the quality of the manufacturer," says Anthony Dias Blue, executive director of the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Tequila bars and tastings are more popular than ever. Your name needs to be on the list at La Esquina, where the only thing lacking is a velvet rope. Once-a-month tequila dinners at Salud Tequila Lounge in Chicago became so popular that a second night has been added. Café Coyote in San Diego has a tequila ambassador to help customers sort through the menu's 110 tequilas. And at Las Ventanas Al Paraiso, A Rosewood Resort in Los Cabos, Mexico, guests (most from the USA) can take tequila lessons with tastings.

Along with more sophisticated consumers has come more sophisticated (and pricier) packaging. Patrón unveils its $500 Gran Patrón Burdeos this month. The limited-production añejo, aged 12 months in Bordeaux barrels, comes in a crystal bottle with a crystal stopper presented in a handcrafted black walnut box. Gran Centenario's Leyenda, which retails for $249.99, is aged an average of four years in French Limousin oak barrels and is packaged in a beautiful leather and burlap case. Both are a bargain compared to 1800 Colección, aged in deeply charred barrels of French oak and presented in a pewter and glass decanter designed by renowned Mexican artist Alejandro Colunga — all for $1,800.

Kretchmer, for one, has expressed concern. "I don't want tequila to become identified as this super expensive premium," he says. "I want it to remain something that people drink all of the time."

Organic also has entered tequila's lexicon. Tequila-maker 4 Copas received its organic certification last month. 4 Copas and Partida also are marketing organic agave nectar, a natural fructose sweetener extracted from the blue agave plant that can be used in place of simple sugars and such in cocktails.

New, too, are infused tequilas. Orange slices and chili peppers are visible inside 267 Infusions' two tequilas. Tequila followed the path of rum and vodka last year with the debut of flavored tequilas. Margaritaville, Milagro and Jose Cuervo are a few of the brands to tout tequilas in a variety of flavors, including orange, lime and tropical fruit.

"I understand flavoring vodka, but flavoring tequila?" Dias Blue asks. "Tequila has a really distinctive flavor, so why mess with it?"

It's another way to jazz up cocktails. Margaritas are still the favorite tequila-based drink, but mixologists create fancier concoctions.

"If I mentioned to someone five years ago I was mixing tequila with champagne, they'd think I was mad," says Naren Young, a cocktail specialist and consultant. "Now bartenders are looking for more interesting spirits to work with that have more character, and tequila fits that mold perfectly."

Source:
Kelly Carter, Special for USA TODAY

U.S. cities celebrate National Mexican holiday observing Puebla’s victory over the French

It is party time in the United States with the Cinco de Mayo fiestas around the corner. So raise your tequila glass and rock out Mexican style to celebrate the holiday that commemorates Mexico’s victory over the French.

Cinco de Mayo is one of the most celebrated Mexican national holidays in the United States, where many U.S. businesses and restaurants are decorated in green, white and red, the colors of Mexico’s flag, to observe this important day in traditional Mexican fanfare. Although Cinco de Mayo celebrates the determination of Mexicans to remain free from foreign control, it is not Mexico’s Independence Day.

HISTORY
Following the devastating loss of the Mexican-American War in 1848, Mexico was both financially and morally defeated. In 1861, president Benito Juarez issued a moratorium in which all foreign-debt payments would be suspended for a period of two years. Furious and eager to collect payment, England, France, and Spain invaded Mexico.

Unbeknownst to the other countries, France had its own agenda, ultimately aiming to impose a monarchical government upon the nations of Central and South America. Shortly after President Juarez offered a type of promissory note that guaranteed payments on its debt after the two years, England and Spain returned home, but the French continued their siege on Mexico.

On May 5, 1862, Juarez commanded General Ignacio Zaragoza to block the advance of the French forces at the fortified hills of Loreto and Guadalupe near the city of Puebla. With only 2,000 men, most of them local Zacapoaxtla Indians from the Puebla region with no formal military training and little weaponry, the Mexicans were able to briefly defeat the French army of 6,000.

The victory was short-lived, though soon after, France conquered Puebla and the rest of Mexico, ruling until 1867. Through a popular revolt, Juarez was finally restored to power, remaining leader of Mexico until his death in 1872.

BEYOND CINCO DE MAYO
Cinco de Mayo was born in the central Mexican state of Puebla. Its capital city, also called Puebla, is one of the most impressive and oldest colonial cities in Mexico. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its unique beauty, the magnificent historic center is an ideal starting point for a Cinco de Mayo tour.

While in Puebla, visitors can enjoy the historical Cinco de Mayo sites such as the tomb and monument of Ignacio Zaragoza, the general who led Mexico to victory over France. The site of the battle is also a popular destination, featuring a museum with a display of hundreds of toy soldiers set up to show what happened on that day. Art expositions, concerts of both contemporary and classical Mexican music and a Mexican film series are also part of the attractions.

An annual parade is held down Cinco de Mayo Avenue, and festivities include a reenactment of the famous battle. Men dress as French and Mexican soldiers and generals, and women wear the clothing of the “soldaderas,” the women who cooked and looked after the soldiers in wartime. In some representations, the Mexican soldiers carry machetes and old gun-power rifles, and the French soldiers carry bags with wine bottles and fruit.

Puebla has much more to offer besides its traditional Cinco de Mayo sites. Also worth a visit are the museums displaying archeological objects, paintings, railroad cars, and other historic treasures, as well as many shops that specialize in Talavera pottery and traditional treats. Wander through the Los Sapos district to buy antiques and to sample wonderful poblano dishes including mole and chiles en nogada (when in season) from a wide range of restaurants.

Puebla State offers other beautiful cities to visit in addition to its capital city. Cholula, located about 5 miles from the city of Puebla, has a very important archeological site that includes the “Gran Piramide” (the Big Pyramid), also known as the Tenapa Pyramid, occupying more space than any other pyramid in the world. Built on top of the pyramid is the church Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios which was completed in 1666. Its symbolic position stands witness to the role of the Catholic church in the conversion of the indigenous people.

CINCO DE MAYO CELEBRATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES
Typically held during the first week of May, Cinco de Mayo boasts carnivals, street fairs and multi-day festivals held over the U.S. Below is a list of some of the largest celebrations in the United States.

ALBUQUERQUE (New Mexico): May 5 --The New Mexican capital, Albuquerque, will be hosting a Cinco de Mayo celebration with Ballet Folklorico. This troupe from the Mexican state of Nayarit, showcases a vast wealth of artistic tradition from Nayarit and throughout the Mexican republic.

ATLANTA (Georgia): May 6 --Considered the largest outdoor Hispanic family festival, Fiesta Atlanta takes place at Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta, the day after Cinco de Mayo. Over 25,000 people are expected to attend this event with a day-long celebration of Latino culture, music, food and handicrafts.

AUSTIN (Texas): May 3-6--The Texas capital city of Austin hosts the annual Cinco de Mayo Music Festival, featuring an array of activities including Little Cinco, a Jalapeño Eating Contest, and dance contests including Salsa, Jitterbug, Polka and more.

CHARLESTON (South Carolina) --Charleston’s second annual Cinco de Mayo Festival will take place on Cinco de Mayo, at the Visitors Center Bus Terminal in downtown Charleston from 7 to 11 PM. The celebration featuring an authentic mariachi band will also have performances by DJ Luigi Bravo of Latin Groove and professional salsa dancers, as well as a variety of Mexican food, margaritas and beer.

CHICAGO (Illinois): May 4-6 -- From Friday to Sunday, Plaza Garibaldi will be home to a Cinco de Mayo festival in Chicago. With over 25,000 people expected to attend, this event at Little Village, sponsored by UNIVISION, is sure to be a festive hit.

DENVER (Colorado): May 5-6--Touted as the largest Cinco de Mayo Festival in the United States, Denver’s festival is lo maximo. Now in its 19th year, the festivities emphasize the celebration of freedom and culture, Denverites enjoy six stages of live entertainment, dancing, food and crafts at the Civic Center Park. In addition, the celebration includes a special concert with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra among others, on May 4 and a Cinco de Mayo Civil Rights Award event held (date to be announced).

EL PASO (Texas): May 5 -- This “Taste of the Border” festival featuring mariachis, margaritas, tequila and a mole extravaganza kicks off at 3:00 and goes into the wee hours of the night.

LITTLE ROCK (Arkansas): May 6 -- Organized by the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), this 9th annual Cinco de Mayo party will be held in the River Market Pavilion in downtown Little Rock. Miss Cinco de Mayo will be crowned at this all day event.

NEW BRUNSWICK (New Jersey): May 5 -- Featuring a variety of different Mexican foods and musical talents is the Cinco de Mayo Festivities in New Jersey, supported by Mexico Americana at Joyce Kilmer Park.

NEW YORK (New York): May 6 -- Organized by the Fiestas Patria de Casa Puebla committee is the Cinco de May Festival in Queens. From 10 to 6 on Sunday, there will be a variety of musical talents, foods and handicrafts at Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

OAKLAND (California): May 5 -- This traditional celebration which had over 100,000 attendees last year, the Cinco de Mayo Fruitvale Festival & Parade, located in the Fruitvale district of Oakland. The family festival will feature stages of entertainment, more than 200 vendors, children’s activities and arts and crafts.

PORTLAND (Oregon): May 3-6--Portland’s Cinco de Mayo Fiesta is a family oriented, fun-filled event featuring four entertainment stages, delightful activities for children, artisans and vendors from the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Visitors can also enjoy the Third Annual Mariachi Festival, folkloric ballet and delicious food from some of the finest restaurants in the Northwest.

ST. PAUL (Minnesota): May 4-5--Festivities include salsa-tasting contest, a children’s area, sports zone, craft vendors, a parade, a history area and live music and entertainment, featuring a variety of Hispanic/Latino dancers, performers and musicians.

SAN ANTONIO (Texas): May 4-6--San Antonio draws about 30,000 to its festivities with food booths at its historic Market Square, street dancing, handicrafts, concerts and other commemorations. Everyone from mariachis and folkloric dancers to Tejano and conjunto groups provide plenty of entertaining activities.

SAN DIEGO (California): May 5-6--Visitors will enjoy a weekend of festivities including open-air entertainment featuring more than 200 performers at eight venues, also more than 100 specialty booths handcrafts and a Mexican feast featuring a delicious variety of regional cuisine

About the Mexico Tourism Board
The Mexico Tourism Board (MTB) brings together the resources of federal and state governments, municipalities and private companies to promote Mexico's tourism attractions and destinations internationally. Created in 1999, the MTB is Mexico’s tourism promotion agency, and its participants include members of both the private and public sectors. The MTB has offices throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America.

Source:
PR.com
Erick Laseca
Mexico Tourism Board
312-228-0517
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
http://www.visitmexico.com

New top-shelf varieties are meant to be savored

Like a brash fraternity kid who graduated, filled his closet with designer suits, and got a job on Wall Street, tequila has gotten an image makeover in the past few years. And thanks to an improved reputation, it has rapidly found its place next to other top-shelf spirits.

"People are interested in exploring and trading up and looking for new tequilas," says Greg Neises, bartender at Masa in the South End. The Southwestern-style eatery has more than quadrupled its super-premium tequila selection and now offers about 95 options. "There's an awareness that different styles of tequila have different characteristics."

Translation: Tequila has come a long way from the rot-gut stuff that made you wince back in college.

"They want high-end, well-aged stuff," Patrick Sullivan, owner of the B-Side Lounge, says of his customers. Demand has spiked so much, Sullivan says, that brands he used to buy by the bottle he now orders by the case.

New industry regulations, an increase in art isanal production, and UNESCO's recognition of Mexico's tequila-producing Jalisco region as a World Heritage Site have burnished the drink's reputation. Add a bit of pop-culture buzz and -- voila -- instant phenomenon.

Since last April, tequila sales in Boston have shot up by almost 12 percent, according to Neils en Tracking, and the super-premium category is driving that growth. Unlike mixtos -- less expensive varieties that are blended with sugar and other additives -- premium tequilas are double-distilled from the juice of a cooked blue agave. Most brands come in three styles: blanco, or silver, which is not aged; reposado, which is "rested" in oak barrels for at least two months; and añejo , aged a minimum of one year in oak.

Dawn Lamendola, beverage manager for the Commonwealth Restaurant Group, says she's added several more super-premium tequilas at Mistral in the past two years, bringing its selection up to 15. Guests are becoming as particular about their choice of tequila, she says, as they are about their vodka. That's because people aren't just throwing back tequila shots and biting a lime to mask the taste. Top-shelf tequilas are meant to be sipped and savored.

So many would-be connoisseurs are sampling high-end tequilas that two new restaurants are practically dedicated to the spirit. The InterContinental Hotel's concept bar Sushi-Teq offers about 70 premium tequilas, and La Verdad, Ken Oringer's taqueria on Lansdowne Street, has about 50.

"I want to bring true tequila that not everybody understands yet to Boston," Oringer says. Having traveled extensively in Mexico, he suggests drinking tequila with sangrita, a thick tomato/citrus juice. A shot is served with each pour at La Verdad.

So where does all this leave that summer staple, the margarita? It has gone arti sanal, with many restaurants using premium tequilas and fresh citrus juices.

The house margarita at La Verdad is sweetened with agave nectar. At Rendezvous in Cambridge, they use rosemary-infused tequila.

Meanwhile, mixologists all over town are proving that the spirit works well in other cocktails, too. Ole co-owner Ivan Torres has taken to making gimlets, mojitos, and caipirinhas with blancos. San Francisco cocktail expert Jacques Bezuidenhout, who's consulting on the drink list at Oringer's new steakhouse, KO Prime, says replacing whiskey with an oaky añejo makes an "elegant and complex" Manhattan.

Then there's Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli, a bartender at Eastern Standard in Kenmore Square, who captures tequila's versatility. He's whipping up a cocktail he calls the Jaguar: a blanco mixed with herbaceous Green Chartreuse, Amer Picon, and Fee Brothers Orange Bitters and garnished with a flaming orange rind. Talk about getting fired up over tequila.

Source
Liza Weisstuch, Globe Correspondent - The Boston Globe