USA Today Archives - Tequila Aficionado Media

Embajador Commands Craft Tequilas on USA Today!

January 3, 2019April 7, 2017 by Lisa Pietsch

Locks-In Top Spot Among 10 Best Boutique Brands…

November 9, 2016, Austin, TX: In September, 2016, family-owned Embajador Tequila (Spanish for ambassador) was voted among the top tier of boutique tequilas by USA Today’s 10 Best Reader’s Choice List.

In a hard-fought race, Embajador ran away from a tight field of 19 distinct craft sippers for the entire 4 week run of popular voting by knowledgeable tequila aficionados and loyal fans worldwide. A last minute surge from its closest rival nosed Embajador from its lead by just the slimmest of margins.

“We are elated to be counted among the very top craft tequila brands on USA Today’s 10 Best Reader’s Choice,” declared a family spokesperson. “More people will know our Embajador tequila and this motivates us to continue giving our best every day to honor our name as Ambassador of Mexico.”

“It’s an exciting time for Embajador Tequila,” beamed Regional Sales Manager and family member, Andres Garcia. “We have all been putting in long hours to position Embajador in the US market for success by focusing more on the consistency and quality of our tequila rather than mass production or distribution.”

Garcia’s duties include getting Embajador to consumers by partnering with trusted retail outlets and distributors that value the effort and care that goes into every batch of Embajador Tequila.

Indeed, Embajador’s thoughtful and deliberate strategy has secured its place on the top shelves of such prestigious venues like retailer Total Wine & More in Nevada, Arizona and Texas.

Other high-profile locations that have recognized Embajador’s commitment to craft tequila excellence include the luxurious JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa in Tucson; the trendy gastropub Taco Guild in Phoenix; and the famed Barrio Cafés, owned and operated in Phoenix by multiple James Beard Award nominee, the legendary Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza.

“The superior standard of our family brand is the key to our success,” asserts Garcia. “Embajador’s placing as one of the top tequilas in USA Today’s 10 Best list speaks volumes about what the public is seeking—authentic, handcrafted, one-hundred percent blue agave tequila that represents the true spirit of Mexico.”

“Moreover,” adds Garcia, “the fact that Embajador tequila led a very competitive field of pedigreed contenders means that we are on track. Our loyal fans know it, and now, thanks to USA Today’s 10 Best Reader’s Choice, so does the world.”

“Simply put,” he concludes, “it’s about getting a sip of Embajador past the lips, and letting the Ambassador do the rest!”

***

Add multi-award winning Embajador Tequila to your top shelf, now! Contact Regional Sales Manager Andres Garcia at andres@embajadortequila.com, or call 469-216-0567. Learn more about Embajador’s story here. Read about USA Today’s 10 Best Reader’s Choice list here.

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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!

20 Reasons Why USA Today’s Craft Tequilas List Failed

January 3, 2019October 25, 2016 by Lisa Pietsch

Let’s Review…

In a previous post, I enumerated my reasons for dreading my participation in USA Today’s 10 Best Craft Tequila list.

In my experience, something inevitably goes awry with these sorts of “listicles,” and it usually starts with the editor.

Contrary to the galloping propaganda disseminated by some press releases, there were no additional USA Today editors involved in accumulating the original list of twenty craft tequilas. Only the recruited “experts” were involved.

This time around, I blame the curator of these lists whose job it is to engage USA Today’s readership, which in turn leads to its increased ad revenue.

Now that the excitement has died down, it’s time to assess the damage done by deliberately withheld facts, and to clear the air of unbridled misinformation.

[Tweet “Why @USATODAY’s #10Best #CraftTequila List Sucks! “]

The Top 20 Reasons Why USA Today’s Top 10 Craft Tequila List

Sucks

[Caution: Rants Ahead]

1. Lack of Respect.

When someone asks you to accrue a list on your area of expertise, you, as the curator, must assume that that person takes this task very seriously, especially since you’ve taken the time to background check the expert who is going to help you get PAID.

2. Lack of Communication.

When this expert communicates questions to you via email or phone, be aware that this person expects a timely answer, especially when YOU have asked him for his list by a certain deadline.

3. Lack of Trust.

When you deliberately avoid answering questions about who else is involved in

accruing a list for you, you immediately raise suspicion.

As with most “industry experts,” we tend to know one another. In this instance, we could have worked in tandem to come up with a more complete list.

4. Lack of Respect for Relationships.

You must also assume that the expert not only admires those items on his list, but personally knows each producer of those items and has forged lasting relationships with them over the years.

5. More Lack of Respect for Relationships.

Because of these relationships, you must assume the expert is also highly regarded by those craft producers that he has included on his list.

6. Lack of Understanding the Craft Segment.

By virtue of being craft distillers, you must understand that they are not made of money like the Big Boys. These guys literally live by their shoestrings.

7. Lack of Transparency.

Total and complete transparency when communicating with your experts is vital. Explaining what opportunities and hidden fees await the winners is of utmost importance as that intelligence could alter the final list.

8. Lack of Vergüenza (shame).

Where the HELL do you get off asking the winners for money for the licensing rights to use your seals, medals and trophies?

9. Lack of Seriousness.

Do you realize that you are asking for similar fees by more respected and reputable spirits judging contests like the San Francisco World Spirits Competition or the SIP Awards?

10. Lack of Consideration.

Do you see that this lack of transparency on your part on behalf of USA Today could possibly put the expert’s friendships and reputation at risk?

11. Lack of Realistic Expectations.

Do you really believe that these craft brands will fork over money for a meaningless popularity contest–for bragging rights?

12. Underestimating the Brands.

How stupid do you think they (or we, the judges) are?

13. Concealment of True Intentions.

Do you get that we understand that these contests you curate for USA Today are only to generate reader engagement which in turn determines your pricing to advertisers?

14. Greediness.

Double dip, much?

15. Conscious Collateral Damage.

Do you catch on that the winning and losing brands on this list probably now believe that the experts knew about the additional costs to the winners but chose not to divulge this information to them?

16. Lack of Good Faith.

Most all professionally held beer, wine and spirits competitions openly inform participants of additional licensing costs to the winners. YOU deliberately chose to keep this information from your experts.

17. Elimination Due to Perceived Lack of Relevance.

Was it fair for you to eliminate those craft tequila brands because they had little or no social media presence?

18. Lack of Foresight on Your Part.

Bet you didn’t see that one coming, huh?

19. Naïveté On My Part.

I only reluctantly became involved to help promote these deserving craft tequila brands.

20. Underhandedness.

Thanks for cheapening the craft tequila segment.

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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!

Vote for Your Favorite Craft Tequila Brand!

January 3, 2019August 27, 2016 by Lisa Pietsch

Vote Now!

In order to be called tequila, this spirit distilled from the juices blue agave must be made in specific regions of Mexico, most prominently Jalisco and the town of tequila. While no tequilas are produced in the United States, we want to find the best craft tequila brands available in the country, and to do so, we asked a pair of tequila experts to nominate their favorites. Unlike other spirits, tequila brands often share distilleries – there are about 70 of them producing more than 500 brands – so it’s often the brand rather than the distillery that indicates quality. Many of these 20 nominees for best craft tequila brand use traditional methods. Many of the brand owners grow their own agave and personally oversee the entire tequila-making process. All produce high-quality, distinctive tequilas available in the U.S. market. Vote for your favorite once per day until voting ends on Monday, September 12, 2016, at noon ET.

Read Mike’s article on choosing a list of craft tequilas to send to USA Today:

THE TOP 20 CRAFT TEQUILAS YOU’VE OVERLOOKED

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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!

USA Today 10 Best Current Leaderboard for Best Craft Tequila Brand

January 3, 2019August 25, 2016 by Lisa Pietsch

“This is your tequila bucket list.”

~ Rick Levy of Tequila Aficionado

If you’ve seen Mike Morales’ article on the Top 20 Craft Tequilas you’ve overlooked then you’ll understand that picking one (or even 10) from this list is like picking your favorite child. It’s too difficult to do, so your best bet is to vote twice a day for your favorites and spend the rest of your time sipping all of them.

Congratulations to all the nominees. If Mike could pick a top 50 list, it still wouldn’t be enough. Thank you to all the wonderful brands out there who are constantly striving to produce the finest tequilas they can. We love you all!

1. Embajador Tequila

The agave fields, distillery and bottling facility for Embajador Tequila are all located Atotonilco in Los Altos de Jalisco,… Read More >

2. Suerte Tequila

Suerte Tequila purchased their own distillery to hand-make their distinctive tequilas using many old-world processes, such as… Read More >

3. DesMaDre Tequila

DesMaDre Tequila crafts their spirits from 100-percent mature blue weber agave grown in the highlands of Jalisco. Relatively… Read More >

4. Tequila Gran Dovejo

Tequila Gran Dovejo shares a distillery in Jalisco, but their master distiller,Leopoldo Solis Tinoco, often takes over the… Read More >

5. Siete Leguas

Widely available yet little known in the United States, Siete Leguas works from their own distillery where they craft… Read More >

6. T1 Tequila Uno

Master distiller Germán Gonzalez, the man behind T1 Tequila Uno, uses only mature blue agave from the Jalisco highlands to… Read More >

7. Tequila Tapatío

Tequila Tapatío, a well-respected brand in Mexico, is distilled at one of the country’s most famous distilleries, La Alteña…. Read More >

8. Tequila G4

Tequila G4 is currently being produced by third and fourth generation distillers in El Pandillo distillery in Jalisco. The… Read More >

9. Tequila Don Modesto

While the twice-distilled tequilas from Tequila Don Modesto share a distillery with several other brands, the owner is… Read More >

10. Tequila Alquimia

While Tequila Alquimia shares a distillery with several other brands, the owner personally tends to his own agave field,… Read More >

11. Dulce Vida Tequila

Made from hand-selected agave grown in the highlands of Jalisco, Dulce Vida Tequila produces the world’s only USDA-certified… Read More >

12. Pasote Tequila

New to the market and already making its mark, Pasote Tequila – under the direction of master distiller Felipe Camarena –… Read More >

13. Tequila Fortaleza

Tequila Fortaleza hand-crafts their tequilas at their own dedicated distillery using very traditional methods. The agave is… Read More >

14. Casa Noble Tequila

Casa Noble is the result of seven generations of tequila makers. Today, the tequila is triple-distilled in small batches from… Read More >

15. Siembra Spirits

Siembra Spirits produces two brands of craft tequila, Siembra Azul from the highlands of Jalisco and Siembra Valles from the… Read More >

16. Tears of Llorona

Master distiller Germán Gonzalez crafted Tears of Llorona to be an extra extra Añejo sipping tequila made… Read More >

17. Tequila Ocho

Pick up a bottle of Tequila Ocho, and you’ll notice both the year it was produced and the precise field where the agave was… Read More >

18. Tequila ArteNOM

Tequila ArteNOM pays tribute to various distilleries and small-batch craft tequilas by hand-selecting limited-release tequilas… Read More >

19. Don Fulano

Family-owned Don Fulano has been producing tequilas in Mexico’s Jalisco Highlands for five generations. Everything is… Read More >

20. IXÁ Organic Tequila

Greenbar Distillery crafts their IXÁ Organic Tequila using traditional methods, like slow clay oven-steaming the mature… Read More >

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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!

The Top 20 Craft Tequilas You’ve Overlooked

January 3, 2019August 4, 2016 by Lisa Pietsch

In early August of 2016, I received an email from USA Today asking me to weigh in on their craft spirits-themed Readers’ Choice contests, and in our case (at press time), the soon-to-be-launched craft tequilas list.

I’ll be honest, I dread these lists. What’s worse is, I dread being asked to participate in compiling them.

Let me tell you why.

It’s A List

In the Digital Age, everyone wants things in bite sized form and they want it now. It is also proven that numbered lists draw attention. And, there are so many of them out there on the Interwebs–

Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover…

The 10 Best Ways to Cheat On Your Mate…

Six Ways Your Cat Plots to Kill You…

A Word About Your Sins

Ever wonder why those numbered titles are so enticing?

It’s because they are aimed at the 7 Deadly Sins.

A steadfast rule of copywriters is to compose content that elicits an emotional response from readers to take action.

To drive your particular sin even further to cause you to read the content, the word YOU is hammered into every title.

[Editor’s note: See what I did with my title? You choose which sin fits best for YOU.]

Craft Is A Buzzword

As we thoroughly examined in our reports, Craft Tequila: WTF Does That Mean? Parts 1 and 2, the term craft has been kidnapped by marketers writing fancy copy to confuse the consumer.

Only 10?

While the instructions in the email required at least 20 selections from me, the contest will butcher the selections down to only 10–

Selected by those who are unaware of what a craft tequila really is, and…

Curated by someone whose job it is to find ways to engage USA Today’s readers.

It’s A Contest

When our COO, Lisa Pietsch, examined the contest website and the myriad of other pre-existing lists, she found that this is a clever way for USA Today to increase reader engagement.

Reader engagement translates to readers’ time spent on USA Today’s mammoth website, which in turn translates to money they charge advertisers.

The term we use is “sticky” as in spider’s web sticky.

Which leads me to–

Paid Advertisers

Having been paid to ghost write Editor’s Choice lists in the past, I am fully aware that many times, spirits sponsors of major magazines and websites tend to sneak onto them.

This, despite my vehement objections to the editors that such a move invalidates the list altogether.

So, before any of the Usual Suspects wind up on USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards Craft Tequilas list, here are my selections. Bear in mind, I was limited to only twenty brands.

The Top 20 Craft Tequilas You’ve Overlooked

In no particular order…

The Fallout

Whether any of my selections make the cut, remains to be seen.

Depending on who the other “tequila experts” were that contributed to the final list to be voted on, the results, if nothing else, should be interesting.

One thing is for certain–

Not everyone will be happy.

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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!

Women In The Tequila Industry: Ana Maria Romero Mena by M.A. “Mike” Morales

January 3, 2019August 21, 2013 by Lisa Pietsch

In the 2010 industry classic special report entitled Tequila Appreciation for USA Today, it listed five tequila trends to watch. Here, we’re focusing on one of them…

The role of women in the tequila industry.

The report predicted that more women, in particular Latina/Hispanic women with family ties to agave growers and tequila producers, would join the ranks of tequila brand owners and also become influential in other areas of this traditionally male dominated industry.

Current numbers suggest that 70 percent of new businesses are started by women and that 20 percent of new home sales are driven by single women. It’s no secret that Hispanics and Latinos are also the largest US minority, either.

Up to 85 percent of the buying market is women. This translates to $5-$7 trillion dollars every year! It’s no wonder that the Spirits Industry, and particularly the tequila segment, is finally taking notice.

We asked a short list of five questions to prominent women leading the charge for change in the Tequila Industry and beyond. As you’ll read, it hasn’t been all margaritas and roses for these tequila boss ladies.

We begin our series of Women In The Tequila Industry with Maestra Tequilera, Ana Maria Romero Mena. You can read a brief summary of her accomplishments in our earlier article on Tequila Boss Ladies.

[Editor’s note: For the convenience of our interviewee and our Spanish speaking audience, this article is in both English and Spanish.]

***

Maestra Tequilera, Ana Maria Romero Mena.

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?)

ARM: [My experiences have been] dynamic, enriching, and in constant evolution despite the tequila industry having a long history and a bright future. There’s lots to do in the arena of research and innovation.

(Dinámicas, enriquecedoras y en constante evolución, a pesar de ser una industria con un largo pasado y un gran futuro; hay mucho que hacer en el campo de la investigación y de la innovación.)

The dynamic experience [has been] because it’s an industry in expansion in that the study of new forms of interpreting tequila by the [olfactory] senses are different due to culture, age and sex [of the individual]; enriching because there’s so much to learn from those men who are behind every bottle, from the [brand] owner to the jimador, have been generous in imparting their experiences [to me]; and in constant evolution because the markets have globalized and they permit the generation of new strategies for the positioning of Tequila. Finally, I’d like to say that [the industry] is male dominated but not male chauvinistic.

Romero Mena and actor, Patrick Dempsey of Grey's Anatomy. — Romero Mena and actor, Patrick Dempsey of Grey’s Anatomy.

(La experiencia dinámica es porque es una industria en expansión en la que el estudio de nuevas formas de interpretar al tequila desde los sentidos son diferentes debido a la cultura, la edad y el sexo; enriquecedoras porque hay mucho que aprehender de esos hombres que están detrás de cada botella, desde el dueño hasta el jimador, han sido generosos en compartir sus experiencias y en constante evolución porque los mercados se globalizan y nos permiten generar nuevas estrategias para el posicionamiento del Tequila, para finalizar me gustaría decir que es masculina pero no machista.)

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

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

ARM: By studying the behavior of the industry in all its arenas, detecting areas of opportunity, completing the research of that opportunity and presenting it for the betterment of the industry as in the case [of the investigation] of the aromas of tequila, where its source was placed in accordance with its behavior in the development of the sensorial profiles of tequila and then delivered to the mind of the consumer by means of the cata (tasting).

(Estudiando el comportamiento de la industria en todas sus aéreas, detectando aéreas de oportunidad, realizando la investigación de esa oportunidad y presentándola para el mejoramiento de la industria, como lo fue la investigación de los aromas del tequila, su procedencia para ubicarlos de acuerdo a su comportamiento en el desarrollo de perfiles sensoriales del tequila y llevarlos a la mente de los consumidores por medio de la cata.)

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?)

ARM: It is a full future that allows us to not only grow personally and professionally, but to also leave a legacy for the new generations of women in which innovation will be the key [word].

(Es un futuro pleno, que nos permitirá no solo desarrollarnos personalmente y profesionalmente, si no dejar un legado para las nuevas generaciones de mujeres en las que la innovación será la palabra clave.)

TA: What things would you like to see changed?

(¿Qué cosas gustaría cambiado? )

ARM: To give women more opportunities in positions of higher responsibility and decision making [since] we still share only a minimal portion of those positions.

(Darles mayores oportunidades en puestos de gran responsabilidad y toma de decisiones a las mujeres, todavía compartimos en un porcentaje mínimo en esos puestos.)

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?)

ARM: It’s a fascinating industry [and] one must get to know it in all its facets, visit and study the different distilleries, the Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT) and the National Chamber of the Tequila Industry (CNIT); get to know its regulations (normas), certify yourself in the desired area of opportunity, e.g.: Maestra Tequilera, Maestra Destiladora; to be at the forefront [vanguard] of the advances and news that generates its dynamism and above all, to be passionate about your work. Knowledge is the key that opens all the doors to opportunities.

(Es una industria fascinante, hay que conocerla en todas sus variables, visitar y estudiar las diferentes destilerías, el Consejo Regulador del Tequila y La Cámara Nacional de la Industria Tequilera, conocer su normatividad, certificarse en el área de oportunidad deseada, por ejemplo Maestra Tequilera, Maestra Destiladora, estar a la vanguardia de los avances y noticias que genera su dinamismo y sobre todo apasionarse por su trabajo. Ya que el conocimiento es la llave que abre todas las oportunidades.)

Follow Ana Maria Romero Mena on Facebook and Twitter @Amrcreativa.

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Let’s Review…

The Top 20 Reasons Why USA Today’s Top 10 Craft Tequila List

Sucks

[Caution: Rants Ahead]

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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!

Please share this with your friends:

~~~~~~~~~~

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!

Please share this with your friends:

“This is your tequila bucket list.”

~~~~~~~~~~

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!

Please share this with your friends:

It’s A List

A Word About Your Sins

Craft Is A Buzzword

Only 10?

It’s A Contest

Paid Advertisers

The Top 20 Craft Tequilas You’ve Overlooked

The Fallout

~~~~~~~~~~

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!

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~~~~~~~~~~

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!

Please share this with your friends: