A new tequila offering captures centuries of agave-based spirit history and the terroir-driven magic typically associated with wine. Penta Tequila is a uniquely crafted small batch tequila inspired by blending the art of winemaking with the history of traditional tequila making methods.
Today, the brand announces U.S. market availability for its elegant range: Penta Tequila Diamante Reposado Cristalino ($100 SRP), Penta Tequila Reposado ($125 SRP) and Penta Tequila Añejo ($150 SRP) currently available in California, Louisiana, Tennessee and Texas, with plans to launch in New York spring 2020.
Named for the Greek word for “five,” Penta Tequila is produced from 100% blue agave sourced from Mexico’s five legally protected designation of origin states for tequila production: Jalisco, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas. In 2015, Steve Reynolds, winemaker at Reynolds Family Winery in Napa, C.A. and Executive Producer of Agave: Spirit of a Nation, joined forces with four equally tequila-obsessed friends in Napa’s wine business with the goal of creating ultra-premium tequilas using winemaking techniques, not typically used in the tequila making process. What started as a celebratory toast to kick off each wine dinner by Reynolds, grew into the passion to produce Penta Tequila to honor Mexico and its people.
The Penta Tequila founders discovered the brand’s signature formula with consult from Casa Aceves and Master Distiller, Ana Maria Romero, who helped identify the best agave nurtured without the dulling impact of pesticides or foreign fertilizers. After considering the flavors associated with the different parts of the agave plant, the production team starts by carefully removing most of the green herbal elements from the piña and only keep the premium agave core to capitalize on its natural, non-herbaceous characteristics. The rich piña is mechanically crushed and shredded (instead of pressed), cooked slower than the standard in tequila production, and mixed with pure highland well water for a smoother spirit. New fermentation techniques were developed settling on a combination of champagne and tequila yeasts in closed-top fermentation to add texture and more layers of flavor. Penta Tequila is both double and triple distilled in stainless steel with copper cooling columns and then aged in American, Hungarian and (mostly) French casks, some of which are custom-built with an emphasis on mixing new barrels with those aged up to 30 years. Additionally, Penta Tequila uses aeration stabilization and cuts the additives in nearly all aspects of production,
“Fermentation was always an area of focus for the Penta Tequila partners when producing wine,” says Reynolds, whose partners include Shawn Guttersen, founder of Freedom Estate Wine; Ron Davidowski, founder of Vangone Vineyards, a Napa vineyard growing Bordeaux varietal grapes and previous owner of Meritage Wine Market; Mark Davidowski, owner of Vangone Estate and founder of Meritage Wine Market; and Sean Thomas, founder of Thomas Knoll Winery, a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon producer. “This led to utilizing champagne yeasts mixed with tequila yeasts, resulting in a more complex flavor profile and texture in the finished spirit. A sipping tequila, Penta is blended for purity and balance and pays homage to the history of agave spirits.”
Penta Tequila Diamante Reposado Cristalino
(ABV: 40%, SRP: $100)
Penta Tequila Diamante Reposado Cristalino is aged for 7 months in oak barrels and filtered with charcoal to remove the barrel-aged color, producing a tequila that boasts the personality of a reposado with a unique brightness and character. The nose presents fragrant hibiscus and vanilla with fresh agave and subtle jicama. The palate is rich and creamy with a smooth vanilla essence and a long, persistent finish with fresh and cooked agave, coconut and vanilla.
Penta Tequila Reposado
(ABV: 40%, SRP: $125)
Penta Tequila Reposado is aged for 9 months in a combination of barrels to develop a richer sipping style and to extract the characteristics and flavors of the agave, rounding it out through the barrel aging process. Presenting a soft, golden amber color and floral and bright citrus layered over vanilla, caramel and roasted brown sugar on the nose. On the palate, the tequila is mellow and velvety with a smooth texture with a long and rich finish.
Penta Tequila Añejo
(ABV: 40%, SRP: $150)
Aged for an average of 14 months in a combination of new and seasoned Hungarian, French and American oak barrels, Penta Tequila Añejo morphs into a darker and balanced spirit that epitomizes harmony and refinement. The deep golden-brown amber tequila offers vanilla, molasses, roasted brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg on the nose. The palate is rich, creamy and extra smooth with a long finish that coats the mouth.
