25 years in the making, Felicente is two old friends:
a master winemaker and a veteran of the French barrel trade, coming together to pursue greatness.
Using formidable winemaking and distilling skill, and only organic, 100% highland agave, a refined new expression of Tequila waits in the wings.
"What is safe is what
we know.
We want to experiment
and improve."
- Philippe Melka & Vincent Garry
"What is safe is what we know. We want to experiment and improve."
- Philippe Melka & Vincent Garry
Organic
The stakes are high. The payoff is worth it. Blue Weber Agaves take seven to fourteen years to mature. There’s a lot riding on each one. So fungicides, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers are rampant. That’s why a tiny percentage of tequilas are made organically. We want to change that, for the health of farmworkers, consumers, and the ecosystem. Organic tastes better too! When organic agave juice is carefully fermented by an expert winemaker and double pot-distilled, the difference in the glass is stark.
Highland
The finest Blue Weber Agave in the world is grown in Los Altos: the highlands of Jalisco. Iron-rich red clays and less rainfall mean the plants root deeper—and grow larger and sweeter—than those of the valley floor. Spirit from highland terroirs is more fruity and floral than the peppery, herbal product from the valleys. A winemaker fascinated by aromas can’t ask for better raw materials.
Tahona
Felicente uses only the tahona, a stone wheel, to crush and juice the agave piña. It’s a gentler process than using the industry-standard roller mill. 100% tahona milling is less efficient but produces a softer, rounder, more elegant spirit that puts the voice of the agave front and center.
Tequileros
Felicente is a partnership between renowned consulting winemaker Philippe Melka and his old friend Vincent Garry, a veteran of the elite French barrel industry. “I was drawn to Jalisco for the same reasons I came to Napa in the 90s,” Philippe says. “It’s booming, less bound by convention.” In other words, it’s the perfect place to bring white-winemaking expertise—and novel élevage methods—to the world of Tequila.
Felicente means happiness, and it’s also a portmanteau of “Feli”ppe and Vin“cent,” compatriots with a shared outlook on life and work.
The rooster emblem is a nod to le coq gaulois, a national symbol of France.
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