Wine & Spirits - June 2013 - (Page 14)

Alipús Mezcal This trio of mezcals make a fascinating and delicious study in how much altitude and the distiller’s hand affect the ﬁnal product. The San Juan Del Río is made from espadín agave that’s dry-farmed and grown in iron-rich soil at 4,600 feet; mezcalero Don Joel Cruz then ferments the crushed roasted agave in open oak vats before distilling, making a very easy-to-drink, fruity and sweet mezcal with light smoke, spice, and dried corn husk notes. For the San Andrés, the espadín agave is grown at 5,000 feet in calciferous low hills and fermented in cypress vats by Don Valente Angel. The spirit is more vegetal, but well balanced with earthy and ﬂoral qualities. Don Cosmé Hernandez grows the espadín agave for the San Baltazar Guélavila at 5,700 feet on rocky hills and ferments the must in pine vats; it’s a wonderfully funky, smoky mezcal that’s lightly sweet and a little fruity. Taken together, these offer exceptional value and are a must-have for anyone interested in mezcal. Imported by Craft Distillers, Ukiah, CA; San Andrés, 48.1% abv; San Juan Del Río, 48.5% abv; San Baltazar Guélavila, 48.4% abv; all $45 u Lo by ante tam Bus Agave Tapatio Tequila Tapatio, a brand of Tequila that has been popular in Mexico for the past 75 years, has ﬁnally made its way to US shelves, and, boy, are we happy. Made at La Alteña distillery from estate-grown blue agave from the Arandas highlands of Jalisco by master distiller Carlos Camarena, Tapatio is renowned for delivering luscious agave ﬂavor at a great price. The Blanco is vibrant with citrus, earthy sweetness and roasted fruit scents that deliver in ﬂavor; cinnamon and menthol notes add extra complexity. The Reposado is more woody, mineral and roastedagave in ﬂavor. The Añejo’s 18 months in used Bourbon casks both concentrate the agave ﬂavor and liberate bright citrus aromas: it’s pungent with dark-roast agave, brown sugar and lime zest scents and heavy in the vanilla tones of oak—but not so much so as to mask details like cacao and dried chile. At the reasonable prices, these are Tequilas you’ll be happy to share. Imported by Domaine Charbay Distillers, Ukiah, CA Blanco, 40% abv, $33/liter; Reposado, 40% abv, $38/liter; Añejo, 40% abv, $44/liter SPIRITS & Tequila Following my mad journey through the bars and mezcalerias in Mexico City (see p. 34), and with the days getting longer and warmer, my liquor cabinet has become overwhelmingly agave focused. Here are some of the best of the new wave of Tequilas and mezcals, from A to Z. Montelobos Joven Mezcal A new label, this comes from the Lopez family, which has been producing mezcal for ﬁve generations. They start with espadín agave organically grown in the Sierra Madre range near Montelobos (Mountain of Wolves), roast it in traditional stone-lined earthen pits and crush the cooked agave by mule-powered stone wheel. The Joven leans towards the vegetal end of the spectrum, but the smoky, earthy ﬂavors bloom like sweet roasted corn and mint with each sip. Its only detraction is the massively heavy bottle and large lip on the opening, a combination that makes pouring a bit of a challenge. Imported by William Grant & Sons USA, NY; 43.2% abv, $50 14 WINE & SPIRITS JUNE 2013 Mezcal

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wine & Spirits - June 2013

Wine & Spirits - June 2013
Editor’s Note
Happenings
Fined & Filtered
Letter from Bordeaux
Mezcal
Destination: Atlanta, GA
Napa Cabernet, Interrupted
Tempranillo à la Chambolle
Mezcal in Mexico City
Value Brands of the Year
Introduction
Top Values of the Year at $15 or less.
Ribera del Duero
Southern France
Southern Italy
Hungary
American New Releases
Imported New Releases
Books

Wine & Spirits - June 2013