Wednesday, May 7, 2008
New Product Wednesday, at Dallas-area stores: Azul blue agave wine margarita
Azul is a margarita in a bottle, ready to pour, no mixing, no ice in a blender, just glug glug glug.
But Azul is different from regular margaritas in that it's made with wine. Wine made from agave -- the same plant used to make tequila. But the alcohol is lower: Regular tequila is around 40% alcohol; this Agave wine is 7.5% (for the blue) and 11% (for the green "Especiale").
Let's do "taste" first and then get into the "reporting".
Taste
A panel of Pegasus staffers tried it. Panels always make a tasting seem more "legit", don't they? Everyone liked them (and not just because they were free). "Sweet with a kick, like a high-dollar Slurpee," said one taster. "Pretty impressive," said another.
The majority (everyone but me) preferred the blue. "You do really get a hit of the tequila with the green one, but the blue one is smoother and sweeter," said one taster. "The blue one is better -- it actually tastes like a regular margarita," said a second. "And it's stronger than I expected of a premixed mixed drink," before opining that pre-mixed drinks are usually "weak and too sugary".
Factoids
The packaging and convenience are big pluses. The bottles are plastic, not glass, which means you can put them in the freezer, then take them out and squeeze the semi-solid liquid into a glass for an instant frozen margarita.
The fact that these are wine and not alcohol also increases their availability: You can buy them in supermarkets, convenience stores -- anyplace that beer and wine are sold -- and that includes being able to buy them on a Sunday.
Last but not least, Azul comes from a company based in Carrollton -- one with multiple Web site presences. There's the site for the product itself, plus the site for its winery entity, and finally, the site for the company, Specialty Blends, which makes a whole range of "alcohol-flavored wines" (including one that's "flavored" like vodka, which is fascinating since vodka has virtually no flavor at all).
According to the "Info" page, Specialty Blends was founded in 1998 by David Tindol to make a neutral-tasting wine for drive-through daiquiri stands, and has six products popular at stadiums and sports venues. Tindol partnered with Charles Moore, founder of Lemon Chill, who brought his knowledge of citrus-y fruity flavors.
The lower-alcohol, slightly-sweeter, more-people-pleasing blue Azul is $9.99. The higher-alcohol Especiale is $18.
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twisteddog, says:
Drunks.
Anonymous
1 year, 7 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Donna Chen, says:
How come I can't drink at work? Hehe.
Verified
1 year, 7 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Teresa Gubbins, says:
well donna, of course we can't drink at work, either. i guess it says something about the dedication of Pegasus employees who are willing to go the extra mile and participate in an event like this, outside of the office
Staff
1 year, 7 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Worzel_Gummidge, says:
Alco experts? Why didn't you choose a group that weren't on the producer's payroll. This product tastes like sweetened battery acid. The company should be out of business in a year.
Anonymous
1 year, 7 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Billusa99, says:
Worzel's just upset because Picasso's won't deliver to his house.
One of our fav places in Santa Fe -- http://www.losmayasrestaurante.com/ -- makes their margs from Azule wine because they only have a beer & wine license. They rock. Will have to give these a try for our next hoe-down.
Anonymous
1 year, 7 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Erin Rice, says:
Battery acid gets you soooo hammered.
Verified
1 year, 7 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
snoop35, says:
Way to support the small businesses out there trying to make a living and support their families! If you simply do not like the drink then say so and explain what you do not like. To say they should be out of business in a year is just plain RUDE and shows a lack of anything intelligent to say. I happen to love the drink and have several family and friends that love it as well. I am glad to see it finally getting the recognition that it deserves! I found it at central market and have been pleased to see it showing up in my local grocery as well. BEST OF LUCK TO YOU AZUL!
Anonymous
1 year, 7 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Joel Woiton, says:
I saw this at Central Market positioned at the checkout line for impulse purchase. It didn't look natural so I passed on it. Based on your reviews, I may try it when I need a good summer thirst quencher with a kick.
Verified
1 year, 6 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Teresa Gubbins, says:
joel, i had the same gut reaction. i was definitely more attracted to the green-ish one because its color seemed more "natural" than the blue one. it's not that i have issues with blue - i like blue slurpees and blue-tinted bubblegum ice cream - but those are outright fake. blue booze seemed so wrong
Staff
1 year, 6 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Erin Rice, says:
After the taste test I came to acquire my own bottle of the blue Azul, and was surprised at the fact that I <i>could</i> taste the alcohol.
Normally I prefer my mixed drinks to not taste like alcohol, and definitely not like tequila (bad drinking incident several years ago; never been the same since), but I was impressed that you get a near-authentic frozen margarita taste with a premixed drink.
Just tossing it in the freezer and having quick access to some frozen booze is a big selling point for me, as well.
Verified
1 year, 6 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal