Women In The Tequila Industry: Graciela González Cortes

ElMayortequila-ambassadorsThe latest Tequila Boss Lady to join our gallery of famed Women In The Tequila Industry is Graciela González Cortes of the family owned El Mayor tequila.

More than just her family’s brand ambassador, she is also a co-owner of Destiladora González González (NOM 1143) and a fourth generation Master Distiller herself.

Over 125 years of hard work by the González clan has gone into perfecting the art of growing agave and distilling tequila, with Graciela, her brother Paul, and their father, Don Rodolfo working closely to make El Mayor–a 2015 Brand Of Promise(c) winner–widely acclaimed and heavily sought after.

Tequila Aficionado Media asked Ms. González our standard handful of questions.  For her convenience, and that of our Spanish speaking audience, this interview is published in both English and Spanish.

el mayor

***

TA:  How would you describe your experiences as a high ranking woman in your position in a primarily male dominated industry?

(¿Cómo describiría sus experiencias como una mujer de alto rango en su posición en una industria dominada principalmente masculina?)

GG:  My experiences have been very gratifying [rewarding] since it is this same GG_ElMayorposition that has allowed me to learn and to increase my knowledge in order to globalize [expand] them within the industry.

It’s satisfying to experience, step-by-step, the opening [opportunities] for women in this field, even though it is primarily male dominated.

(Muy gratificantes, ya que la misma posición me ha permitido aprender y acrecentar mis conocimientos para globalizarlos en la industria.

(Es satisfactorio vivir paso a paso la apertura de la mujeres en este ámbito aunque aun sea dominada principalmente por hombres.)

TA:  How have you been able to change things within your industry?

(¿Cómo han sido capaces de cambiar las cosas dentro de su industria?)

GG:  To be honest, I’m not sure that I’ve changed anything, but I’m definitely working on it.

One of my major dreams is to get people to appreciate the years of arduous work that exists behind every bottle of tequila and to transmit the passion my family, our team and I put into each product.

(Para ser honesta, no se si he logrado algún cambio pero definitivamente estoy trabajando en ello.

(Uno de mis mayores sueños es lograr que la gente sepa apreciar los años de arduo trabajo que existen de tras de cada botella de Tequila, poder transmitir la pasión que mi familia nuestro equipo y yo ponemos en encada producto.)

elmayor

TA:  What do you see as the future of women working within the Tequila Industry?

(¿Qué ves como el futuro de las mujeres que trabajan en la industria del Tequila?)

GG:  Very good and promising.

Actually, women’s participation within the industry is growing incrementally in different parts [aspects] of the process.  From the fields, tasting panels, bottling and administration.

It’s gratifying being a part of these changes and to witness, day-by-day, how the doors are opened for us women.

(Muy bueno y prometedor. 

(Actualmente la participación de la mujeres dentro de la industria va en incremento en diferentes partes del proceso.  Desde el campo, panel de catado, embazado y administración.

LMAYORambassadors-cortes(Es gratificante poder ser parte de este cambio y presenciar como día a día se abren mas las puertas para nosotras las mujeres.)

TA:  What things would you like to see changed?

(¿Qué cosas gustaría cambiado?)

GG:  I’d like to see the volumes of tequila in more countries.  That its presence increases incrementally worldwide so that more people can take delight in Tequila’s unequaled flavor.

To take the tradition and grandiose Mexican culture throughout the world with just a sip of this majestic spirit.

(Me gustaría que los volúmenes del Tequila estuvieran concentrados en mas países.  Que su presencia incrementara globalmente para que así mas personas pudieran deleitase con el inigualable sabor del Tequila.

(Llevar la tradición y grandiosa cultura Mexicana por todo el mundo, con tanGG_ElMayorToast solo un sorbo de esta majestuosa bebida espirituosa.)

TA:  Is there anything you’d like to say to women who may be contemplating entering and working in the Tequila Industry in one form or another?

(¿Existe algo que le gustaría decir a las mujeres que pueden estar contemplando entrar y trabajar en la industria del Tequila en una forma u otra?)

GG:  Yes, definitely do it.

In my experience it’s an industry filled with challenges, but more than anything, rewards.  For women, these include, day-by-day, more participation, acknowledgement and respect.

I invite you to form part of this passionate industry!

(Si, que definitivamente lo hagan.

(En mi experiencia es una industria llena de retos pero mas que nada gratificaciones.  La cual es incluyente con las mujeres, día a día tenemos mas participación, reconocimiento y respeto.

(Las invito a formar parte de esta apasionante industria!)

[Tweet “#GracielaGonzalez @elmayortequila Las invito a formar parte de esta apasionante industria!”]

~~~~~~~~~~

Learn all about tequila from field to glass and then get paid to share your love of agave spirits with others! Buy Them Both Now!

Tequila Aficionado Media Announces the 2015 Brands Of Promise Award Winners!

Honors Bestowed During LIVE Blab Webcast

For Immediate Release!

PLATINUMFINAL2015March 14, 2016, San Antonio, TXTequila Aficionado Media’s Third Annual 2015 Brands Of Promise© Awards were broadcast LIVE on Blab in Tequila, Mezcal and other assorted agave-related categories. See the full list of medal recipients here.

[Tweet “@TequilaAficion Announces #2015BOP Medal Winners!”]

Among the brilliant stand outs of 2015, Ambhar Tequila took the Judges’ Best-of-Show accolade scoring highly in several categories. Recent upstarts GOZA and Papa Bueno also made significant showings.  In a surprise return to the Brands Of Promise© Reposado class, Del Bravo Spirits unanimously took the Platinum award with Route 66 tequila.

[Tweet “Congrats to @AmbharTequila for winning Best-Of-Show #BOP2015”]

Legacy brands Orendáin, Milagro, Tequila 1921, Centinela and Herradura were well represented in both the High-End and Value segments, while Dulce Vida and Suerte convincingly cornered the Extra Añejo tequila market.

In what proved to be the toughest bracket for the judges to date, Malinalli Tequila swept the Platinum trophy in the hard fought Blanco division, with Ambhar, El Mayor, and Mamalón tequilas close on its heels.

The surging Mezcal classification was dominated by the popular Gracias A Dios brand, while Montelobos and Amarás collected Golds in each of their groups.

[Tweet “Congrats to @graciasadiosmz and @Montelobos in the #2015BOP mezcal categories!”]

Gold Medal Winner Lisa Elovich, brand owner of Organic Tequila One With Life, was ecstatic, saying, “Thank you so much! It is such an honor to get this award. I know this will help us with marketing and distribution.” She graciously added, “Congratulations to all of the nominees and winners! So happy to be part of it!”

In an equally gracious statement made over their Instagram account, medal recipient Papa Bueno Tequila wrote, “We are honored to have been among this impressive group of nominees! We love tequila and congratulate all the winners and thank Tequila Aficionado for the time, humor and love they bring! Definitely Bueno!”

About the Brands Of Promise Awards

All brands were judged by Founder, Alex Perez and CEO, M.A. “Mike” Morales, as well as by other Tequila Aficionado staff, on how they performed during Tequila Aficionado’s wildly popular Sipping Off The Cuff™ video series seen regularly on TequilaAficionado.com and viewable on its YouTube channel.

[Tweet “The Brands Of Promise™ Awards help brands by leveling the playing field with NO FEES”]

Unlike other spirits contests, The Brands Of Promise™ Awards does not require participating agave spirit brands to pay an entry fee.  It also does not charge winners additional hefty licensing tariffs for the rights to use the medal award graphics on their labels, neck tags, shelf talkers, brochures, point-of-sales materials and websites.

For a full list of Brands Of Promise© winners, click here.

 

 

To enter your tequila, mezcal, sotol, raicilla, bacanora or other agave spirit or related product in the coveted Brands Of Promise™ Awards, click here.

~~~~~~~~~~

Learn all about tequila from field to glass and then get paid to share your love of agave spirits with others! Buy Them Both Now!

El Mayor Anejo Tequila Review

El Mayor Tequila

Elegantly structured and perfectly balanced, El Mayor® is internationally recognized as the world’s best-tasting family of 100% de agave tequilas. Indulge yourself and experience the handcrafted, award-winning taste of El Mayor Tequila. El Mayor is available in Blanco, Reposado and Anejo.

Sipping Off The Cuff™

Sipping Off The Cuff™ began as an audio podcast in 2006 and is Tequila Aficionado’s first and longest running tequila review program.

Sipping Off The Cuff(TM) is broadcast every Friday (and occasionally Tuesdays) on YouTube and TequilaAficionado.com. If you are a Tequila, Mezcal or Sotol brand owner and would like your product(s) reviewed on an upcoming episode of Sipping Off The Cuff(TM), please contact Mike@TequilaAficionado.com.

~~~~~~~~~~

Learn all about tequila from field to glass and then get paid to share your love of agave spirits with others! Buy Them Both Now!

El Mayor Reposado Tequila Review

El Mayor Tequila

el mayorElegantly structured and perfectly balanced, El Mayor® is internationally recognized as the world’s best-tasting family of 100% de agave tequilas. Indulge yourself and experience the handcrafted, award-winning taste of El Mayor Tequila. El Mayor is available in Blanco, Reposado and Anejo.

Sipping Off The Cuff™

Sipping Off The Cuff™ began as an audio podcast in 2006 and is Tequila Aficionado’s first and longest running tequila review program.

Sipping Off The Cuff(TM) is broadcast every Friday (and occasionally Tuesdays) on YouTube and TequilaAficionado.com. If you are a Tequila, Mezcal or Sotol brand owner and would like your product(s) reviewed on an upcoming episode of Sipping Off The Cuff(TM), please contact Mike@TequilaAficionado.com.

~~~~~~~~~~

Learn all about tequila from field to glass and then get paid to share your love of agave spirits with others! Buy Them Both Now!

El Mayor Blanco Tequila Review

El Mayor Tequila

el mayorElegantly structured and perfectly balanced, El Mayor® is internationally recognized as the world’s best-tasting family of 100% de agave tequilas. Indulge yourself and experience the handcrafted, award-winning taste of El Mayor Tequila. El Mayor is available in Blanco, Reposado and Anejo.

Sipping Off The Cuff™

Sipping Off The Cuff™ began as an audio podcast in 2006 and is Tequila Aficionado’s first and longest running tequila review program.

Sipping Off The Cuff(TM) is broadcast every Friday (and occasionally Tuesdays) on YouTube and TequilaAficionado.com. If you are a Tequila, Mezcal or Sotol brand owner and would like your product(s) reviewed on an upcoming episode of Sipping Off The Cuff(TM), please contact Mike@TequilaAficionado.com.

~~~~~~~~~~

Learn all about tequila from field to glass and then get paid to share your love of agave spirits with others! Buy Them Both Now!

Congratulations to the 2015 Sip Award Winners

NEWPORT BEACH, California, June 30TH 2015 – Eighty seven consumer spirit enthusiasts gathered at the waterfront Balboa Bay Resort on May 31, 2015 to participate in the 7th annual consumer based spirits competition. The 2015 SIP Awards comprised of 423 brands from all over the globe competing for rank at the impartial mercy of consumer based blind-tasting.

route 66, sip awardThe 2015 SIP Awards was a battle among the elite in each of the world’s most popular Spirit categories. Each chilled, undiluted sample was presented to Judges in NEAT glasses, scientifically engineered to deliver an enhanced consistent tasting experience.

Tequilas, Gins, Rums, Whiskeys, Cognacs, Vodkas and Liqueurs were some of the participating spirits this year, each graded on Aroma, Taste, and Finish.

sip award

The 2015 top rated brands included these agave spirits:

Platinum – “Best of Class”

El Jimador Blanco
DECADA Tequila
El Tesoro Reposado
El Mayor Anejo
Zignum Mezcal Anejo

Platinum Winners

Malinalli Tequila, sip award

Route 66 Tequila
El Mayor Reposado
Tarantula 100 Reposado
Hornitos Black Barrel Tequila
Herradura Anejo
Agave 99 Anejo
Malinalli Extra Anejo
Zignum Mezcal Reposado
AGA-VIE Esprit D’Agave

Design

DECADA Tequila
Kah Tequila Series
(For a complete list of the categories, winners, and photos from the event, visit: www.sipawards.com)

Staying true to the commitment to provide the most reliable measure of international beverage quality ratings, every year’s Judges are every-day spirit consumers and extensively screened to ensure no affiliation with marketing, wholesalers or distributors tied to the spirits industry.  “People deserve the highest quality spirits at their fingertips. I want to level the playing field by stripping away the hype to provide quality brands a fair platform on which to compete.” Says Paul Hashemi, founder of SIP Awards.

kahAwards include Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Best of Class for each category. The newest award introduced in 2014, is the Consumers’ Choice Award, which honors a brand’s unwavering commitment to their Legacy, Craft and to the ever important Consumer Palate, by placing in the SIP Awards two or more consecutive years.

The SIP Awards has experienced exponential growth within each of its 15 beverage categories. The increasing number of participating brands reflects SIP’s ability to provide spirit makers a valuable, unbiased and exciting opportunity to distinguish themselves in the industry.  It has also shined light on the obvious need in the marketplace for its honest arbitration.

About SIP Awards

Catering to the opinions and palates of the discerning public, the SIP Awards present a unique, spirit judging competition, unaffected by industry bias. This pragmatic and refreshing model of evaluation provides an honest stage for feedback and recognition where top brands showcase their achievements. To learn more about the SIP Awards beverage competition, venue partnerships, or for a complete list of 2015 winners, visit www.SIPAwards.com.

Download the Sip Awards Press Release here sipawards2015pr

~~~~~~~~~~

Learn all about tequila from field to glass and then get paid to share your love of agave spirits with others! Buy Them Both Now!