Terlato Wines, a leading U.S. marketer of luxury wines and spirits, announced today an exclusive, long-term agreement to take over the marketing rights to Riazul 100 percent Blue Agave Tequilas. Terlato will import and market Riazul Anejo, Reposado and Plata Tequilas, as the newest additions to its Artisan Spirits portfolio.
"When we tasted Riazul Tequilas, we understood that all blue agave tequilas are not created equal," said Terlato Wines CEO William A. Terlato. "The Anejo in particular was the most distinctive and exceptional in quality and character, with its deep caramel, vanilla notes. It's a sipping tequila that can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the finest aged spirits on the market. Riazul founder Inaki Orozco shares our commitment to excellence at every level, from the sourcing and farming of the agave plants from his family's estate in Jalisco to the carefully controlled fermentation, distillation and aging of the tequila – and it shows in the final product."
Entrepreneur Inaki Orozco started Riazul in the late 1990s, planting 200 agave shoots with his own hands on land that his great grandmother preserved after the Spanish occupation of Mexico in the early 1800s. When it was clear the plants were going to thrive at the unusually high elevation, Orozco started planting new shoots each year, while securing professional relationships for the efficient procurement and care of the plants. Simultaneously, he pursued a successful banking and finance career in Mexico and then the U.S., where he studied the tequila trend in America and American consumers' palates. He knew he could produce something that would stand out from the pack. His first harvest in 2006 yielded his first batch of Anejo, aged for two years and fermented in French Limousine Oak Cognac barrels indigenously ingrained with vanilla tannins, lending a rich, round taste and texture unequaled in the tequila category.
Riazul Reposado is aged for nine months in French and American oak barrels, and the Plata is bottled right after distillation, following the purest tequila production methods. All Riazul tequilas are produced from 100 percent estate-grown blue agave from the highlands of Jalisco, and reflect the terroir of the area, just as terroir is reflected in fine wine.
"I am excited to grow the Riazul brand in the U.S. with Terlato," said Inaki Orozco, Riazul founder and CEO. "When I first met the Terlatos, I felt like they were an extension of my own family. Like me, they thrive on bringing people together to share the finest wines and spirits. And their track record of success in luxury marketing is second-to-none."
Terlato will introduce Riazul in select U.S. markets in early 2014. Suggested retail prices will be approximately $65 for Riazul Anejo, $55 for Riazul Reposado and $45 for Riazul Plata. Riazul Anejo received 96 points from Wine Enthusiast, and Riazul Reposado and Riazul Plata both have earned 90+ scores as well.
Terlato Wines' Artisan Spirits portfolio includes a selection of hand-crafted premium spirits from around the world. The portfolio will have a dedicated sales and marketing team that will work alongside Terlato's Premier and Estate wine marketing and sales team. The portfolio includes Don Pancho Origenes Rum, Langley's No. 8 Distilled London Gin, Riazul Tequila, Tigre Blanc Vodka, Marnier XO Cognac and soon to be announced - a collection of single-malt, single-cask Scotches. Terlato Wines has a global portfolio of more than 70 brands from more than a dozen countries.
