After a long rest in stainless steel tanks, Enrique is finally ready to unleash his "grand cru" expression, to our great excitement. Let’s start with the aromatics. From the minute you pop the cork and begin nosing the bottle, sweet smells of incense, roasted agave, and tropical fruit completely inundate the nose. Absent entirely are the aromas of pepper, savory spice, or vegetal notes that usually accompany the fruitier tones. It’s as hedonistic as unadulterated tequila can smell, in my experience; but the spirit is not without spice on the whole. The first sip builds on those enticing aromas, but a huge dollop of baking spices, sweet agave nectar, and candied papaya lights up the palate before they take hold. I can’t reiterate strongly enough the pure and electric nature of the roasted agave flavor. I’m not sure how many people have ever chewed on a piece of cooked blue agave, but having done so numerous times I can safely tell you that never have I tasted this literal of a translation into the spirit itself. The finish is where all of these elements come into focus. The lift of the baking spices builds with the alcohol and turns into sweet citrus. The roasted agave notes breath heavily thereafter and the combination lingers for a full minute before fading gracefully. To be honest, I felt the same way first tasting the 2013 Fuenteseca “El Maguey” as I did my first sip of Richebourg or Haut-Brion: an understanding that the quality wasn’t so much in the intensity of the flavors, but rather in the harmony and the grace of their presentation. It still tastes like blanco tequila, just on another level of sophistication.

But it’s too early to say if “El Maguey” is Jalisco’s Romanée-Contí just yet. It took the growers in Burgundy centuries of trial and error before coming to the conclusions they did. The idea of single-site tequila is still in its infancy and it will take decades of experimentation before we know which locations have the best potential for greatness. What we do know, however, is that the 2013 Fuenteseca is huge step forward for true aficionados of Jalisco’s fine spirit. It’s easily one of the best tequilas I’ve ever tasted and it’s more proof that, unlike whiskey, the spirit's most complex qualities may not necessarily develop with maturation. Moving forward, it may be that the best tequilas will be judged and designated by their origins and the specifics of their individual campos, rather than by brand and how long they were aged. What's most exciting about Enrique's approach is that it puts quality and flavor clearly into focus. The 2013 Fuenteseca Single Huerta Blanco Tequila isn't some brazen attempt to capitalize on the fashion of terroir. It's clear and indisputable proof that agave and grapes have more in common than we think.

-David Driscoll