Another tequila sunrise

Published 6:41 pm Monday, November 24, 2008

Last month, in the midst of summer, I told you about imported beer and local breweries. Along with beer, the most popular summer drink has to be the margarita. However, many enthusiasts dump in the cheapest tequila, ice cubes and commercial mix and then turn on the blender.

But there is so much more to doing tequila right than that. When my husband and I were in Mexico at one of his conventions, one participant purchased a tequila for several hundred dollars to share with fellow attendees. That tequila, which we drank straight, was smooth with many layers of flavor. We had no idea that the Mexican liquor could cost that much or be so delicious. Our curiosity was peaked.

Tequila is made by fermentation and double distillation of the sap of the blue agave plant. The plants are cultivated for perhaps as long as 9,000 years. They are not cactus, but are related to the lily and amaryllis family. Agave takes 12 years to mature. It then must be replanted. This long growth cycle, plant losses from disease, labor issues and an unexpected increase in demand for agave have combined to significantly push up tequila prices.

At the liquor store you are confronted by dozens of tequilas with prices from less than $20 to more than $100. Knowledge of tequila categories and bottle labels can guide you from uninteresting bulk tequila to a premium beverage with wonderful flavors and character.

Tequilas can be made from as little as 55 percent agave. The type not produced from 100 percent agave is known as “mixto” because it has other sugars mixed with the agave during fermentation to lower production costs. This is the most common tequila in the United States and is the type often used for margaritas in bars. These tequilas seldom cost more than $25 for a standard-sized bottle. Bottle labels will always state if a tequila is 100 percent agave.

Stepping up to 100 percent agave tequila is like moving from an indifferent jug wine to a good varietal wine. An interesting taste test is to compare the high-volume, relatively low-cost, artificially colored Jose Cuervo Gold (that has on its label meaningless words like “especial” and “premium”) to a 100 percent agave tequila like Herradurra Gold, Cazadores Gold or Cuervo’s own Gran Centenario. Sip them at a cool room temperature, and don’t use salt or lime. You should be able to easily identify the wonderful agave flavor largely missing from most bulk “mixto” tequilas. If you are doing some serious tasting, sip sangrita to cleanse your palate between tastes. Sangrita is a tomato/orange juice blend traditionally served with straight tequila. (See the recipe below.)

Besides the amount of agave, the other important distinction between tequilas is aging. Aging falls into three categories. Trust your own taste to decide which style you prefer.

Blanco (also called silvers) are not aged. These are a bit rough, but can have a very distinct agave flavor — especially if marked “100 percent agave.” Closely related is the un-aged oro (gold) named because of its coloring (usually brought about through the addition of caramel and sometimes oak essence).

Reposado (rested) tequilas have been aged for up to a year in wood barrels, and seem to have a sharper and peppery flavor, perhaps from the wood. These tequilas have not been aged long enough to lose a forward agave flavor. Some reposdos that are not 100 percent agave are quite nice and affordable. For example, the Reposado 1800 produced by Cuervo is approximately $30. Reposados from 100 percent agave tend to cost $35 to $40. This is my favorite style.

A^pbejo has been aged for one to five years in oak, and takes on a smooth, woody aroma. This style is most appropriate for sipping alone without lime or mix. A^pbejo is typically also 100 percent agave. The A^pbejo 1800 and Herradura A^pbejo are good choices. Because of the cost of aging, these are normally the most expensive tequilas and typically run between $40 and $50.

After you find the style you prefer, find a producer you like. The producer influences the tequila’s taste by the processes it uses, the growing environment for its agave plants, and the type of equipment used in production.

A few companies produce most of the tequilas we find in our local stores, and most of them have several brands. To identify the producer, look for the Mexican government-assigned “NOM” number. For example, Cuervo’s NOM number is 1104 and you will see it on brands including Jose Cuervo, Centenario, 1800, and others. Recently, I compared tequilas from Herradura and Cazadores and enjoyed both brands. The silvers from either are good on the rocks, and make premium margaritas. The Herradura A^pbejo is very smooth and is perfect for just sipping straight.

After you open a premium tequila, don’t shove it away on a shelf as you might handle other spirits. After exposed to oxygen, it begins to slowly decline and should be consumed within a couple of months. For the person who has everything else, Riedel, the glassware manufacturer famous for wine-specific glasses, also produces glassware for each type of tequila.

Recipes

Serve tequila straight with a chaser of Sangrita, or make a premium margarita.

Sangrita

1 cup extra spicy Bloody Mary mix

1 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice

1/2 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice

3 teaspoons grenadine

Dash of chili powder

Pinch of salt

Fresh ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in a glass pitcher. Add ice and stir well. Serve chilled as a chaser alongside room-temperature tequila.

Margarita

A proper margarita lets the flavor of the tequila dominate the drink. It must be made with fresh juice and no commercial mix.

1 part freshly-squeezed lime

3 parts reposado tequila (or a good silver like Herradura’s)

2 parts orange liqueur. (Cointreau)

Shake with ice, strain into glass optionally rimmed with salt.

Update on the auction of Washington wines

The auction in late August raised a record-setting $1.9 million for uncompensated care at Children’s Hospital and for the Washington Wine Education Foundation — a 20 percent increase over last year.

Dee Hitch can be reached at rockypointlane@aol.com.