In a time when tequila enthusiasts are constantly on the lookout for their next top-shelf obsession, O’RTE Reposado Single Estate Tequila is quickly becoming the toast of the town, both in the Garden State and the Big Apple. This artisanal tequila recently clinched the first place honor for the second time this year in an October tasting competition at the popular Chico’s Mexican Grill & Tequila Bar in Denville, New Jersey, where tequila enthusiasts from Morris County and other parts of the state converge to savor Mexico’s finest spirits.
O’RTE’s victory solidified the tequila’s status at Chico’s, consistently landing in the top ranked position among the scores of premium tequilas available to its patrons. Back in April, amid a stiff competition featuring 102 tequilas, O’RTE’s Reposado emerged as the clear favorite among 92 discerning consumers. Francisco Molina, the owner of Chico’s, lauded the brand, noting how O’RTE Reposado stood “head and shoulders above the rest.” The October tasting reiterated O’RTE Reposado’s position as one of the most widely praised new brands to hit the market since its debut earlier this year.
According to Molina, “Once again O’RTE Reposado was the convincing winner of our latest tequila-tasting competition. We had close to 100 patrons experiencing a vast selection of incredible tequilas from some of the most established and up-and-coming producers, and O’RTE was hands-down the top choice among enthusiasts who joined us from all over Morris County. It’s an impressive accomplishment to achieve first-place once; but twice is remarkable considering the quality and quantity of tequilas tasted.”
Produced in Jalisco, Mexico, the heartland of tequila, O’RTE encapsulates a unique single-estate principle where agaves are meticulously selected and harvested from one new estate each year based on stringent climate, soil and topography standards. This pioneering approach ensures a consistently evolving, additive-free tequila that highlights the agaves’ characteristics and complex flavors inherent to each estate’s unique terroir, unlike the broad-spectrum production of many tequilas that source agaves from a variety of properties.
The brainchild of Julious Grant, a 30-year tequila industry veteran who’s held high-ranking positions with a number of the world’s largest spirits companies, and currently founder of artisanal spirits producer Brand House Group, O’RTE is a homage to his Mexican heritage and an ode to hand-crafted tequilas. The accolades O’RTE Reposado received at Chico’s resonate with his aspiration of offering a super-premium, perfectly balanced, single estate tequila that can stand tall in a market that’s flooded with options.
“Having O’RTE honored not once but twice as the top choice at an establishment known widely for its extensive assortment of artisanal tequilas is a big deal for us,” says Grant. “As O’RTE makes its mark, consumers nationwide are eager to discover the same allure that won over enthusiasts at Chico’s, with quick expansion in restaurants, bars and nightlife venues all across the country.”
New Yorkers, known for their refined palates and perpetual quest for unique spirits, may find O’RTE’s array of tequilas a delightful addition to the city’s bustling spirits scene. With the brand making waves and becoming widely available across New York City and the broader Tri-State Area, tequila enthusiasts don’t have to cross the Hudson River to savor this award-winning spirit.
The 2021 vintage of O’RTE Reposado, which captured the back-to-back honors at Chico’s, impresses with its aromatic dance of floral honey, pepper, mint and vanilla, further enriched by oak influences, vanilla and butterscotch notes – a tantalizing promise of what’s to come with the much-anticipated O’RTE Añejo. O’RTE Blanco dazzles the senses with its bright and aromatic character, gently unfolding soft, peppery accents that gracefully transition into a sweet, fruity roundness in the finish.
As the narrative of O’RTE Reposado unfolds from the accolades in New Jersey, it’s clear that this artisanal tequila is on a trajectory that’s as bold and promising as its flavor profile. New Yorkers now have a new tequila to toast to, a winner that’s proven its worth twice over and is now ready to captivate the discerning palates of the Empire State.
For those ready to embark on a new tequila adventure, a short trip to a local spirits retailer might just unveil your next favorite pour.
O’RTE is presently available in a number of New York wine and spirits retailers, restaurants and bars. O’RTE can also be purchased at ORTETequila.com, Drizly, Instacart and Wine.com.
The news and editorial staffs of the New York Daily News had no role in this post’s preparation.
