Agave
In dressy Margaritas and diverse tasting flights, tequila is being taken more seriously. By Thomas Henry Strenk
L
ike a barrel-matured añejo, the tequila market in the U.S. is coming of age. A confl uence of factors is driving this maturation: greater availability of high-quality blue agave
product, more knowledgeable consumers, inventive and upscale takes on the now-ubiquitous Margarita, an emphasis upon eminently sippable tequilas and a new category that’s attracting whiskey and brandy drinkers. “Tequila is certainly trendy,” says Lowell Petrie, senior vice
president and chief marketing offi cer for Cypress, Calif.-based Real Mex Restaurants, which operates nearly 200 casual-dining restaurants. “Tequila is going through the same growth spurt that vodka did.” Real Mex operates a number of Mexican concepts, including El Torito, El Torito Grill, Chevys Fresh Mex and Acapulco. “I’ve
22 | APRIL 2011 www.cheersonline.com
PAT MAZZERA
