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Wine, tequila show kinship
By The Wine Ladies
April 20, 2011
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On a recent tour of Mexico’s second oldest tequila distillery, Casa Herradura, in the city of Guadalajara, we discovered that wine exhibits common ground with Canada’s fastest growing spirit. From the significance of terroir, to the art of harvesting, the relevance of natural yeast and the use of oak barrels, the parallels were great. A similar ritual to wine appreciation including nosing, swirling and slurping exists with this often misunderstood spirit.
Just as many of our wineries follow the regulations of the VQA (Vintners Quality Alliance), so must tequila producers follow rules set out by the CRT (Tequila Regulatory Council). The CRT dictates the origin of the agave plant for tequila – predominantly produced in the state of Jalisco – the type of agave and the ripeness of the plant at harvest. As with wine, the relevance of tequila terroir is key, with a variety of soils producing fruity, citrusy notes at higher altitudes and peppery spicier ones in lowland and closer to the sea.
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Casa Herradura is the only 100 per cent natural distillery in Mexico. The proof is in the vat, as we learned that the fermentation is spontaneous, wild yeast with no addition of specific yeast to kick-start or accelerate the process.
Our guide, Herradura International Brand Director Ruben Aceves, also introduced us to the barrel cellar, stocked exclusively with 200-litre American white oak barrels. The parallels between barrel use with wine and this complex spirit is once again evident. Oak chips and larger oak barrels, as available in the wine industry, are also used in the production of tequila, although not at Casa Herradura. The small barrels of varying levels of “toast” are selected to flavour and add complexity just as they do with wine. The duration of oak aging is also a factor.
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The highlight of the tasting was the Herradura Seleccion Suprema, aged for 49 months. It was very dark in colour with an intense aroma of brown spice and floral notes, and a soft finish. Retailing at $400 per bottle, it’s a little rich, but memorable.
Stemware
Riedel, The Wine Glass Company, founder of the functional wine glass, has introduced a glass specifically designed to showcase tequila. An elegant slender glass with a tall stem, it is meant to lift fine tequila to the level it deserves.
Ritual for appreciation
As with wine, nose, swirl and taste tequila with the entire palate, and notice the “legs.”
Food pairings
Just as there are basic rules for food and wine pairings, so are there for food and tequila, says Herradura Ambassador Ruben Aceves.
- Starters and light food with Blanco: the more basic, crisp authentic tequila with subtle cooked agave taste.
- Main courses of fish, chicken, seafood or beef with Reposado: “rested” in Spanish, aged for a minimum of two months.
- Desserts: paired with Añejo.
About the authors:
The Wine Ladies, Georgia and Susanne, founded by the entrepreneur sister team in 2003, take life one sip at a time. As national TV personalities, columnists and hosts of their own weekly TV and radio show about wine, food and lifestyle, their motto “everything in life somehow comes back to the vine” keeps their audiences entertained and informed. For more information, visit www.thewineladies.com.
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