Why Wine-Touched Tequilas are Trending
Tequilas aged in wine casks have become trendy recently, as producers play with different barrel influences. But “Rosa” tequilas, like “cristalino”, aren’t an official category.
Blanco tequilas rested in red wine barrels are often called “Rosas”. In fact, this is the only approved term for blancos that have achived their color from red wine casks.
Red wine barrels will turn a blanco tequila pink, but without the help of additives, that color won’t last for long. A product without color added will quickly oxidize and turn into a shade of salmon, and eventually lose its pink color entirely.
Sherry casks are technically white wine barrels, so tequilas rested in them don’t carry the term “rosa”.
Tequilas rested or aged in wine casks bring more than color to the final profile. They are often sweeter because they pick up residual sugars from the wine it previously held. For this reason, even though they are a blanco, the regulator will permit a higher amount of dry extract weight for these products.
Red, or white, the influence that wine casks can bring to a tequila is an entirely new flavor profile. Our research shows that wine-aged products can be somewhat polarizing. Some tasters don’t enjoy the aromas and flavors brought on by wine or sherry casks. But many do.
So, we took ten of the best of these wine-touched tequilas, and sent them to our panel.
Here are which ones they liked the most, and their tasting notes, so you can decide which are right for you. From lightly aged reposados, to rich sherry-soaked añejos, we think wine casks can bring a whole new set of aromas and flavors to the party.
Montagave Blanco ‘Héritage’
First off, we have Montagave Blanco ‘Héritage’. This tequila hit it out of the park in our blind tasting. Tasters loved its anise, fruit, cinnamon and butter notes, and lingering finish. It’s rested in Bordeaux barrels for just 45 days.
El Negocio Reposado
Not far behind, was another tequila, El Negocio Reposado, made at the same distillery as Montagave, NOM 1123, Cascahuín. It’s also aged in French Oak cabernet barrels for 4 months. With notes of agave, honey, vanilla and apple, it has some subtlety to it. It was enjoyed by both men and women on the tasting panel.
Patron Sherry Cask Añejo
Scoring third was Patrón Cask Collection Sherry Añejo. Tasters found rich flavors of dried berries, baking spices, oak and pecan with a silky finish. It was aged for over 2 years in Oloroso Sherry casks, and if you have a hard time finding it, Old Town Tequila still has a bunch of it. That’s where we bought the bottles for this blind tasting.
Dos Ángeles Caídos Blanco Rosa
Close behind, Dos Ángeles Caídos Blanco Rosa fell into the top scorers with notes of caramel, butterscotch, bourbon and a long, rounded finish. For us, this is one of the best in the lineup. It’s gentle and has a ton of subtle complexity, yet is not overpowered by wine notes. It is rested in Tempranillo barrels from Viñas del Sol, a small Mexican town in Baja California, just a 1.5 hour drive south of Tijuana.
Cazcanes No. 9 Rosa Reposado
On its heels was Cazcanes No. 9 Rosa Reposado. This high-proof rosa brought rich flavors of caramelized agave, vanilla, cherry and apple. It was aged for 82 days in French Oak Cabernet barrels that came from various wineries in Napa, California.
Don Fulano 20th Anniversario
Next up was another one of our personal favorites, Don Fulano 20th Anniversario, aged entirely in sherry casks. With layers of cooked agave, dried fruit, butter, pepper and that slight signature Don Fulano funk, it’s full of complexity.
Tico Blanco Rosa
Just on its tail, and only available in the UK, is Tico Blanco Rosa. This very light rosa offered brine and mineral notes with a touch of baking spices and a dry finish. This one also comes from the Cascahuín distillery, so they’ve obviously got their rosa game down! Seven of the judges scored this a 90 or higher, and for a few it was their overall favorite.
Inspiro Rosa Reposado
Next up, Inspiro Rosa Reposado inspired tasters with its naturally sweet agave, honey, butter, and lots and lots of fruit aromas. It’s aged in rosé wine barrels from France. One of the judges commented: “All in all, great sipper. I would keep it on my shelf 100% (of the time).” We totally agree.
Codigo 1530 Rosa Blanco
Hey, let’s talk about Codigo! Codigo 1530 Rosa Blanco was one of the first rosa blancos we ever tried. They were into the wine cask game before it was trendy and it still stands out for its cooked agave, light caramel, anise and warm fruit notes.
Cazcanes No. 9 Rosa Blanco
Rounding out our top 10 wine-aged tequilas is Cazcanes No. 9 Rosa Blanco. Just like the brand’s Rosa Reposado, it is higher proof and as one taster put it, “a spice bomb”, with agave, citrus, hay, brine, and pleasing baking spices. We think this drinks more like a spicy blanco with some wine barrel influence so if you’re a fan of a blanco profile, this might be a match for you.
In the end, all of these tequilas are good. Wine barrels can bring a whole new aroma and flavor profile to a tequila, and a touch of sweetness, too.
Let us know in the comments which ones you prefer!
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