Today is National Margarita Day. But instead of loading up on gallons of Cuervo and sour mix, why not up the posh factor and sip some premium tequila instead? It's a classier way to pay homage to agave.
Bertha Gonzalez, co-founder of Casa Dragones tequila (a premium, 100% blue agave joven tequila), is the first woman to hold the prestigious designation of Maestra Tequilera. Which means she knows a hell of a lot more about tequila than you do.
So ahead of the Casa Dragones' pairings at the Delta Diamond Dishes event on Saturday, we spoke to Gonzalez for some tips on how to make the leap from taking shots to sipping.
1. Sip it.
"I think for anybody that has an affinity for the category or has an affinity for handcrafted spirits - my recommendation is to try to give themselves the time and the place to be able to order the tequila and actually sip it and enjoy it," Gonzalez says.
2. Notice the visuals.
"Appreciate the visual characteristics of the spirit."
3. Waft in the aroma.
"Take notes on the aroma. The aroma says so much about the product. Try and decipher for yourself, what is the aroma?"
4. Notice the taste and finish.
"When you are really curious about a product, when you define it in your own words, the visual characteristics, the taste and finish, it's a great exercise."
5. Compare your notes to the tasting notes.
"Go to our website and look for our tasting notes. We invited some of the most well known palates in Mexico to help us write our notes."
6. Build a repertoire.
"I think in any category, it's always great to have a repertoire. Try a blanco and joven and do some thing with reposado and anejo. Get to know the categories that way."
Casa Dragones will be featured at SoBeWFF's Delta Diamond Dishes Dinner at Marlins Park on Saturday, February 23, at 7 p.m. It'll be paired with dishes by Miami's own Michelle Bernstein, including bone marrow galbi, tuna and avocado tostadas and esquites with charred shishito peppers. It's also available at several Miami eateries, including Prime 112, Michael's Genuine, DB Bistro Moderne and Hakkasan.
You can check out the tasting notes here. Might want to print a copy if you're headed to DD.
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