[ad_1]
Store salt and lime: there is no room for them at Audrey Formisano's tasting table.
the TequileraThe tequila sommelier wishes everyone who visits her for a tequila tasting at the Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa to forget that this spirit may have been an accomplice of the hangover that crushed the soul during their studies. She emphasizes that tequila has gone from party to craft, and it can be as nuanced – and as pleasant – as a glass of wine or fine cognac. You just have to change your approach and Formisano is here to help you.
Like its accent, Formisano is imbued with Spanish and French influences. She studied the hotel industry and obtained her sommelier accreditation in Marseille, France, a region known for her rosé production. At the beginning of the year, a passion for learning Spanish brought her to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and it's here, just 90 kilometers from the city of Tequila, where the spirit originated that she discovered her passion for the country's favorite drink.
It's something that is certified Tequilera shared with customers during tequila tastings featuring the hotel's exclusive brand, CasaMagna, which she helped develop from the factory to the bottle. She shows blue agave in cactus gardens and explains that it is these plants, which grow for seven years before being shaved to perfection. piña Tequila is manufactured and can only be made in and around the state of Jalisco.
Fortunately, she says, you can enjoy it anywhere. Here, we asked Formasiano to share tips for sipping, savoring and inevitably choosing a bottle of tequila, even after the end of the holidays.
Fortune: Imagine we're doing tequila tasting right now. What is happening?
Formisano: When we take tequila, we will use our senses, right? So, let's see, for example, the color, as we say we have the first one: the Blanco, the white tequila. We will look at the color and then we will start to look around the glass to see if he has legs. Then we will feel it and ask you what: is it fresh, floral? What kind of perfume do you feel? And then, of course, take a sip to see how you feel in your mouth. And then, I would say, oh, maybe we should have some shrimp, because the white tequila goes very well with the fish. I did a bachelor party with only one dessert.
Are all your tequila tastings associated with food?
Yes, it's about balancing the taste in your mouth. White tequila will open your appetite. It's good with light flavors like seafood, lime, apple. It's good for aperitifs. Reposado is usually associated with heavier dishes or heavily flavored dishes such as chicken or more powerful fruit. Añejo is usually served with a dessert – all chocolate – like a mousse. When you take a drink like that, it's for drinking. Some tequila can be compared to a good cognac that I have at home, and that's what tequila is for me.
What is the difference between tequilas?
There are five types. I always tell my guests that blanco is like the passport to tequila. The Mexicans consider it the purest because it has not been in an oak barrel at all. Blanco, or "white" in Spanish, smells of agave, has a floral taste and a fresh finish.
the joven, which means "young", also has a fresh taste. It's like a mix between Blanco and repositioneven if it is less popular or is not worn regularly.
the reposition"Reposed" is when you start to smell the barrel oak notes, which can come from France, the United States or Canada. The barrels can be used up to seven times, and the reposition can be in the barrel for a year. It tastes like chocolate or vanilla, depending on your palate, and has a smooth, buttery finish.
the añejo"Aged" has a strong oak odor and may have a chocolate, caramel or even toasted almond flavor with a creamy finish. He stays in the barrel until three years old.
the añejo extra, "extra age", ultimately depends on the brand of tequila. It can be very woody, grilled or smoked.
Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa
What to look for when selecting a tequila if they can not taste it first? The bottle tells us something?
The alcohol content must be between 38% and 42%. For a pure blue agave tequila, no sugar can be added during production and no other alcohol can be mixed after distillation. This bottle will indicate 100% agave. If this is not the case, this is called a mixto: 51% agave with 49% sugar, like sugar cane. That's not to say it's a bad tequila, but tequilas made with 100% blue agave are ideal for sipping or mixing with cocktails. I would like to use the Blanco or maybe reposition tequila in cocktails.
On the back of the bottle, the cathode ray tube (Consejo Regulador del Tequila, or "Tequila Regulatory Lawyer") means that the product is certified. This is the denomination of origin. People think it's tequila because we are in Mexico, but no! This is because we are in the state of Jalisco, which is so important for the country.
Fill the void: If you like a vodka soda …
Try a Paloma made with white tequila, grapefruit, soda and a drizzle of salt.
If you like gin and tonic …
Try La Bandera, which looks like Mexico, with lime, white tequila and sangrita.
If you like an Old Fashioned …
Opt to sip a añejo.
What is the biggest misconception people have about tequila?
In Europe or the United States, tequila is about college years – that's what we think about. Unfortunately, when you are in Vallarta, jerseys say "One Shot, Two Shots, Three Shots, Ground," so people think you're going to get drunk with tequila or have a headache. It's not like that at all. Tequila does not concern the hangover; it's about the experience.
[ad_2]
Source link