NOTE:
Finally finding some time to post a few of my articles here. This one is about distilled spirits, rather than wine — but I thought readers here might find it of interest all the same. A slightly shorter version of this article was written for, and published in, the Passover 2023/5783 issue of the DiVine magazine insert, which is published by the Royal Wine Corporation and distributed in the Yom Tov issues of the Hamodia, Jewish Link, New Jersey Jewish News, Yated Ne'eman (Lakewood only,) and the 5 Towns Jewish Times newspapers. I believe it will also be distributed again in the Shavuot Edition of Mishpacha magazine in the United States. Back issues of the magazine, an annual that has ben published since 2015, can be found here. I think I’ve written for every English edition so far.
That said…I’m guessing that I must be one of their more expensive freelancers, or perhaps they are just growing tired of me. I don’t hear from them so often, and when I do it is to write increasingly shorter, less consequential articles — like this one. Regardless, I still thoroughly enjoy writing these sorts of pieces.
The [then] newest entry in the kosher for Passover distilled spirits line-up is the Zarza tequila brand, which is OU certified. Introduced in 2020, the Zarza brand has been growing steadily.
For those not already familiar, tequila, a product of México, is a regional type of mezcal made from a fermented mash of the piñas, or hearts, of the Agave tequilana F.A.C Weber Azul, or more commonly Blue Agave, a cultivated species of the agave, a succulent plant related to the lily. The “blue” is a reference to the ocean blue color of the pincas, the roughly 200 spiky blade-like leaves, that grow out of the plant.
Unlike other mezcals which can be made from various types of the agave plant, tequila can only be made from this specific azul (Spanish for blue) agave, which by regulation must be harvested in designated regions in the Mexican state of Jalisco and limited regions in four other states. In Jalisco, production is centered in a few communities near Guadalajara — the original and most famous of which is the city of Tequila.
Although a hearty plant that thrives in arid areas with mediocre soil and has no need for irrigation, the blue agave fields of Mexico are still all painstakingly planted, tended, and harvested by hand—by farmers known as Jimadores. The work of the Jimador has remained pretty much unchanged for more than 400 years and has traditionally stayed within families—with each generation training the next.
Once the agave achieves the optimum level of ripeness, which usually takes between 8 and 10 years, the plant is harvested. One tequila distiller once memorably explained it to me by comparing it to a banana:
“When green it is not ripe at all, and when yellow it is a little sweeter and pleasing to the eye, but as it ripens further it turns brown, soft and mushy—but is now at its optimum sweetness and great for cooking – and this is very similar to agave.”
To harvest the agave the Jimador uses a hoe-like tool with a sharp, paddle-shaped steel blade known as a Coa to cut off the spiky leaves and reveal the large pineapple-like core, the piña.
These agave hearts, which are pure starch, can weight up to 300 pounds, though in tequila most are harvested at between 80 to 150 pounds. The piñas are taken to the distillery where they transform the starch into fermentable glucose and fructose sugars through hydrolosis. That is, they slowly cook the agave hearts for 50-72 hours, roughly mill them to extract the pulp, then introduce natural or cultivated yeast. The resulting soupy agave mixture, known as musto, is then fermented in wood or, more commonly, stainless steel, a process that can take anywhere from 2-12 days. The resulting alcohol (4-7% abv.) is then traditionally double distilled in either alembic copper pot stills.
Zarza Tequila is distilled by Maestro Tequilero (Master Distiller of Tequila) Agustín Sánchez at the Destiladora del Valle de Tequila Distillery, aka the Casa Maestri distillery, located right in the city of Tequila. Sánchez has been crafting award winning tequilas for over 40 years.
The Casa Maestri distillery utilizes both traditional and modern methods for tequila production, sourcing premium agave from campos de agave, or agave orchards, in the region of Tequila and both the highlands and lowlands of Jalisco, and uses both Hornos (traditional stone or brick masonry covered ovens) and autoclaves (sealed metal containers used to very efficiently cook, sterilize, or cure items with steam).
The quality of the agave and the water used during production, as well as the varying details employed during fermentation and distillation, all impact the final flavor of 100% agave tequila. The primary differences in pure tequila styles, however, have largely to do with aging.
Blanco means white and refers to un-aged white or silver spirit fresh off the stills—or, at least, bottled within two months. Reposado means rested and denotes tequila that has been aged just over two months, but less than 12, in oak barrels, which tends to be a little subtler than Blanco as the aging mellows the spirit a bit, softening the edges, and adding both some color and flavor from the wood. Añejo mean old and refers to tequila that has aged from one to three years (tequila aged longer is simply called Extra Añejo).
Zarza has three enjoyable options.
Zarza Silver: Crisp if mild herbal agave notes with gently sweet slightly underripe melon, subtle citrus, and very lightly fiery, white pepper on the finish. Nice sipped on its own but would also be a fine base for cocktails.
Zarza Reposado: Slightly floral and fruity, smoky, and a touch of menthol round out subtle herbal agave notes, with a gentle, smoked oak and roasted melon finish. A pleasing, gently warming sipper.
Zarza Añejo: Richer and smokier than the Silver and Reposado with more nuanced woody notes, making the fruity elements seem pleasingly baked, with a little toasted coconut overlay; the mildly less subtle herbal agave core still shines through, with a fuller though slightly clipped smoky finish. Another nice, warming sipper.
L’chaim!
About me:
By way of background, I have been drinking, writing, consulting, and speaking professionally about kosher wines and spirits for more than 20 years. For over a dozen years I wrote a weekly column on kosher wines and spirits that appeared in several Jewish publications, and my writing generally has appeared in a wide variety of both Jewish and non-Jewish print and online media. A frequent public speaker, I regularly lead tutored tastings and conduct wine and spirits education and appreciation programs. Those interested in contacting me for articles or events can do so at jlondon75@gmail.com.
In what seems like a lifetime ago, I also wrote an entirely unrelated slice of American history: Victory in Tripoli: How America’s War with the Barbary Pirates Established the U.S. Navy and Shaped a Nation (John Wiley & Sons, 2005).
These days I live in London (UK) and, when not focused on wine and spirits, serve as the CEO of the Anglo-Israel Association which is focused on advancing the UK-Israel relationship, and promoting education about Israel.