Tequila Sauza Tour

After having visited most of the distilleries in Tequila we finally visited Tequila Sauza yesterday. What a great tour. For $150 pesos they take you to a demo agave field where they explain agave growing process and demonstrate how the Jimador harvests them. Then they take you over to the processing plant where they conduct a fairly extensive tour complete with a sampler at every corner. This is definitely the cleanest, safest, most state of the art facility I have seen there yet. I was amazed and surprised to see that Sauza processes the agave entirely different then any other facility I have seen. Their Hornito "Black Barrel" tequila was very good. If you haven't checked out Sauza it is worth the visit.

¡Sauza es "nuestra tequila"!     

CB:

When you say they process the agave differently - can you explain how? Any photos from your tour?

Like Herradura, Jose Cuervo and a few others owned by large International Corporations, I would guess that the influx of money has really helped in their expansion. We last went on a Sauza tour in 2002 (when there was no charge) and from your report, maybe we should plan on another tour to see the changes?

slainte39 wrote:¡Sauza es "nuestra tequila"!     

not my cuppa-bleccchh!. did you know that the blanco 750 sells fer around $35cdn in most of canada?

Pedro wrote:

slainte39 wrote:¡Sauza es "nuestra tequila"!     

not my cuppa-bleccchh!. did you know that the blanco 750 sells fer around  $35cdn in most of canada?

Ni yo, tampoco.....that used to be their marketing slogan, years ago, when they and Cuervo were the only two big boys around, insinuating that Cuervo was a "gringo" tequila.

i don't go fer either one-gracias. both are gringo teq. ain't they-SNORK!

If you haven't tried it. do !! Can't be called a Tequila because of where i's made. Cheap and smooth

http://elcompadre.mx/home.html

100% Agave, finamente destilado y añejado en barricas de roble blanco

Pedro wrote:i don't go fer either one-gracias. both are gringo teq. ain't they-SNORK!

Neither is a gringo tequila. Both produce good products.

Jeff Raybourne wrote:

Pedro wrote:i don't go fer either one-gracias. both are gringo teq. ain't they-SNORK!

Neither is a gringo tequila. Both produce good products.

and that's a matter of opinion ain't it

Pedro wrote:

Jeff Raybourne wrote:

Pedro wrote:i don't go fer either one-gracias. both are gringo teq. ain't they-SNORK!

Neither is a gringo tequila. Both produce good products.

and that's a matter of opinion ain't it

Yeah it is. Tell us why they are "gringo" tequilas, since you made the claim.

Sauza makes a mighty fine margarita imo..   
But I 'm just a hot and thristy guy...

Arguing over tequilas is much like arguing over which is the best cut of steak and what the best method of preparation. Just my opinion formulated after reading the histories of various tequila companies and the history of exportation, I often call tequilas "Gringo Tequilas" when they export large quantities NOB. I believe that the original "Gringo Tequila" was Jose Cuervo Especial Gold which was a MIXTO with only 51% agave tequila but every college kid in the 60's had to guzzle it. This Jose Cuervo Especial Gold was also responsible for the nasty reputation of the tequila hangover. As the market started to mature NOB, a door opened for Sauza and others who actually produced 100% blue agave tequila. What in the world is wrong with anyone choosing a given tequila as their favorite based upon their particular tastes with a total disregard to a brand's reputation?

I did stumble onto a previously unknown tequila review site that I particular like for the layout and the guy's candid comments:
http://www.tequilatourist.com/?view=flipcard
Click on a bottle to view a review that often contains some history.

Visit Tequila plants or any liquor plant or winery and you will come out with a nice story but you will never hear the true story, believe me, I worked in the business for over 30 years and some in my family also make wine.

Pick a wine or a liquor because you like it and forget the stories, do a lot of tastings . A lot of what you hear is what the sales or marketing people want you to believe . Some of the stuff is true but it is rarely the whole ruth, they just tell you enough to make an expert out of you....
The larger the plant the truer it is but do not expect to hear the truth and nothing from the truth from the little guys either.

espíritu del lago wrote:Sauza makes a mighty fine margarita imo..   
But I 'm just a hot and thirsty guy...

You need a damned fine bartender to make a margarita that you can really tell the difference... Then maybe that bartender is you?

sparks wrote:

espíritu del lago wrote:Sauza makes a mighty fine margarita imo..   
But I 'm just a hot and thirsty guy...

You need a damned fine bartender to make a margarita that you can really tell the difference...

Not really.

Pedro wrote:i don't go fer either one-gracias. both are gringo teq. ain't they-SNORK!

Now that Diageo (Guinness Beer) got out of bed with Cuervo, Herradura and Jimador are the prevalent "mick tequilas" in Ireland.  Of course they rode in on the coat tails of "Big Daddy Jack Daniels", their owner.

sparks wrote:

espíritu del lago wrote:Sauza makes a mighty fine margarita imo..   
But I 'm just a hot and thirsty guy...

You need a damned fine bartender to make a margarita that you can really tell the difference...    Then maybe that bartender is you?

You would be correct. .

Seagram used to handle Herradura and owned Chivas and a few others..so the distribution was good in the UK. When Seagram sold to Vivendi , Diageo got most of the liquor and spinned off brands that were in conflict with what they alreay had so Brown Foreman bought Herradura. Who got Patron anyone knows..it is owned by two guys in Vegas but who is distributing it in the US?

Pretty much anything you may care to know about Patron can be found here:
http://patronspirits.com

In my estimation, Patron has achieved its position in the marketplace by spending excessive amounts of money on marketing and brand recognition.

That is how liquor is marketed. (Champagne , and perfumes as well.) You throw money against the wall and see what sticks then if it sticks a little you throw more money, advertise, hire a lot of beautiful chicks for tastings, payoff bartenders to push it and so on and so forth.
There is not a whole lot to say about distilled spirits but money talks. That is why liquor salepeople are not knowledgeable on the products past a few facts that can be applied to just about any liquor but they know how to spend money. know about sales statistics,shelf placements and distribution and were beautiful girls can be rented for the day..
People without a big budget do not go very far.
As my husband said to a kid who was selling Chivas." that is not hard to sell Chivas Regal, it is like toilet paper everyone has to have some."

Neil
thanks for the site that says everything , I learned NOTHING:: can you tell me where it is made exactly ? Do they have their own distillery, have you seen pictures of their facilities and al their wonderful whiskey barrels or anyone in chage of charding them .
Any info on the people selecting only the best plants with the right sugar..by the way which upscale tequila does not do that. Any idea where all the plants that do not make the cut go? I guess the competition .

When I worked at Seagram I asked all these questions and never got any answer but I got a bunch of free prodcut so we had lots of margaritas..
I was lucky , I worked for the fine wine division .

By the way I heard the whole spill with great difficulty since I am now retired and I used to get paid to hear it.. Nothing absolutely nothing is said .
Except that you can taste the agave in good tequila, I sure hope so..

By the way these guys made their money selling something like hair product which goes back to what I said about selling liquor...

Yes I know they have their own company, do they now do their own distribution is a large liquor company distributing them? I did not hear about that either but maybe I turnd off too soon as I cannot bear that type of site...

Brigitte:

From all that I have been able to find, Patron Spirits distributes not only Patron Tequila but also Pyrat Rum and Ultimat Vodka.  Patron Tequila was originally developed and produced by "Siete Leguas" up until 2002 when they were incapable of keeping up with the demand.  Patron built their own distillery in Atotonilco el Alto and TVMexico did a report three years ago about the distillery:


As for how they manufacture their tequila, here is a video apparently produced by someone not connected with Patron:

I left Seagram in 98 and they sure did not want to say where the Tequila was coming from, I guess that would have been confusing,,
Seagram was their distributor and they found themselves wihtout a distributor when many of the beands were spinned off by Diageo so that is why I was asking, not that it is a fascinating subject. I saw it at Superlake a few months a go now so I guess the shortage is over ..