Lagrimas del Valle El Chiqueno Plata Tequila (2022)

El Chiqueño is located South of the Rio Santiago, near Amatitan, and settled in a low ravine (Barrancas). Its climate is very hot, which has allowed for the growth of mangos and ciruela – a local varietal of plum with bright acidity. The Plata showcases bold and assertive notes of cooked agave, fresh citrus oil, and nice minerality.

El Chiqueño
RANCHO LOCATION: Amatitan, Jalisco
ELEVATION: 1,260meters
AVERAGE AGAVE BRIX: 32%
46% ALC. BY VOL.

A Celebration of Terrior

Lagrimas del Valle is a Vintage, “Rancho Unico” (Single Ranch) Tequila — celebrating the unique and distinctive characteristics of the very best single ranches of Agave.

Terroir:

The centuries old concept perpetuated by French winemakers that every piece of ground is unique and that, based upon its soil, flora, fauna, altitude and aspect, it will produce a wine that is unique to all other wines produced on other pieces of ground.

Lagrimas del valle:
Demonstrates that terroir exists in Agave and Tequila. Most relevant points as follows:
• Lagrimas will be presented in Vintages (2022 is the first).
• Each bottling will be harvested from a single field (“Rancho Unico”, Palo Verde was the first)
• The terroir of each Rancho will present a tequila that differs in flavor and aroma from all other vintages. We do this intentionally, to demonstrate the rich complexity of the Blue Weber Agave.

Terrior
Terroir is one of the oldest and most important concepts in all of agriculture – essential for the finest wines, most prized chocolates, single origin coffees, and many other products – and has only recently grown in appreciation in spirits. Terroir refers to the combination of environmental factors that imprint themselves onto the raw materials used – the geographic location, elevation, soil composition, micro climates, the flora and fauna, maintenance of the fields themselves; whether the ranch facing and slope align with the path of the sun, or run perpendicular to it – all of these elements affect the flavor and character of their raw agriculture materials, and this is only amplified in the case of the Blue Agave. Whereas most crops rotate on at least an annual basis – the Agave is a century plant – meaning it only comes to maturity once, and then the plant is completed harvested – this cycle taking a minimum of 6 years. As such, each individual ranch of agaves carries with it significant differences of flavor, and character – unique to their origin. While many brands aim to create a consistent profile year over year, with Lagrimas – we are embracing the uniqueness of each individual ranch – and producing in such a way as to emphasize that distinct character.

Lagrimas is produced in collaboration with the Rosales family, of Tequila Cascahuin, lead by current Master Distiller, Salvador “Chava” Rosales Trejo – the fourth generation of his family, their distilling tradition dating back to 1904 in El Arenal, Jalisco; within the heart of the “Valley” of Tequila.

Lagrimas del Valle translates to “Tears of the Valley” – representing the tears that form both on a tasting glass from high quality Agave spirits, as well as the “tears” or condensed spirits falling into the still, the transformation of Agave into Tequila itself.

Production process:
Lagrimas begins by selecting the very best Single Ranch of Agave available – looking not just for ripeness, but for signs of complexities of flavor. The agaves are then cut leaving 1-1.25” of Penca on the Piña, or “Jima Normal” – and are brought to the “patio” at Cascahuin to be broken down and loaded into their small 12-16 ton steam powered masonry ovens.

Cascahuin utilizes a very unique intermittent cooking method, cooking for 8 hours per day, then stopping cooking until the following day, and repeating over the course of 4 days. This allows for deep layers of flavor to be developed within the agaves allowing the agaves to rest then re-heat daily – converting the starches into sugars.

The cooked agaves are then removed from the ovens, and their “agua miel” (honey waters) extracted. For Lagrimas 70% of the Agaves are crushed utilizing a roller mill – then fermented in stainless steel tanks, and 30% are crushed using a Tahona, and fermented in open air wooden tanks with agave fibers included in the fermentation as well.

The final product is then double-distilled, blended, and bottled at 46% ABV – a proof point that was determined through multiple rigorous tasting panels as the favorite for expression of flavor.

Each rancho is completely unique in flavor and character, and will produce both a Plata, and a Reposado (rested for 3 months in Ex-Bourbon Barrels), and is limited in nature.

This production process and overall profile was developed in collaboration with the Rosales family, as well as educated palates throughout both Mexico and the United States, with the goal of expressing the agave’s character to its fullest.

Each bottling will carry the vintage date of harvest, the name of the single ranch, as well as details pertaining to its elevation, location and distinctive characteristics.

Every bottling will carry a familiar profile, the thumbprint of Lagrimas, however each will also be distinctly unique in both flavor and aroma.