Raising the Bar: Tequila 101 at El Vitral

Downtown's newest gourmet Mexican restaurant schools S.D. on tequila

Tequila is no longer the Robert Downey Jr. of the spirit world, where copious consumption and baggy eyed benders are assumed. Sure, collegiate brain-injurers and middle-aged tourists still slam back the cheap stuff with their sights on some Jimmy Buffet karaoke. But the stateside success of Patron in the 1990s kicked off a massive upscaling of Mexico’s contribution to the top shelf. (Patron, as most aficionados will tell you, is better as a marketing strategy than as a sipping tequila).

The best spot in Downtown San Diego to get a guided tour through the fruits of the agave plant’s labor? El Vitral. Every first and third Thursday of the month, beverage director Juan Calderon leads “Tequila 101” on the Mexico City-style restaurant’s stunning patio. Perched next to the eerily perfect lawn outside Petco Park—with views of the nosebleed seats, to boot—the al fresco experience here is near tops in the city.

Calderon knows his stuff. As a certified sommelier, the San Diego native served as a studious wine lackey at Michael Mina and French Laundry. He then interned for master tequila distiller Arturo Lomeli (owner of Clase Azul and La Pinta tequilas). At El Vitral, he has over 200 premium and boutique tequilas to parade before his guests.

Calderon bases each “Tequila 101” on a different brand. During our visit, it was Cabo Wabo. Sammy Hagar, who lives in Los Cabos, started the boutique brand in the late '90s, with investments from his Van Halen bandmates. His pals wanted to wash their hands of the project a few years later, so Hagar bought them out for under $100,000 a piece. Four years ago, Hagar sold 80 percent of the company ago to Gruppo Campari for $80 million. Eddie Van Halen needed a stiff drink upon hearing that news.

Calderon led us through tasting Cabo’s blanco, reposado and anejo. Wabo guitar picks and stickers littered the communal tables. A box of t-shirts lay to the side. Such tchotchkes don’t necessarily scream “refined libation!,” but they do present Wabo as it is—a rock ‘n’ roll, lifestyle-marketing juggernaut, and a surprisingly good tequila. El Vitral doesn’t make the fatal flaw of forcing every tequila into tux and tails.

Calderon is lively, loud, informed—a pleasure to learn from, even if the “turn to page five in your syllabus” approach is a touch scholastic. He’s not, thankfully, an attention tyrant, redressing attendees whose attention has strayed to the wonderful shrimp ceviche with roasted tomatillo, onion, poblano peppers, orange and lime juice. No backs of hands were thwapped with yardsticks.

“Tequila 101”  will wind its way through the tequila alphabet. March 18 will feature Cava de Oro, with Cazadores on April 1. A three-course menu changes depending on the flavor profile of the brand. As for the food? El Vitral is helmed by Pablo Becker, nephew of famed gourmet Mexican chef Richard Sandoval. This is refined Mexican food—in a different stratosphere than S.D.’s usual combo plate of rolled tacos and bland beans. The price reflects that sophistication, which has many locals balking. “A Mexican entrée for over $20?!” they scream.

Yes, Mexican food comes gourmet, too. Just like French food. And El Vitral’s quality backs it up, whether San Diego’s ready for it or not.

Tequila 101 at El Vitral. Every first and third Thursday of the month, 6PM. $30. 815 J St., 619.236.9420, elvitralrestaurant.com.