Napa Valley Winemaker Unveils Tequila That Quietly Fetched $10,000 at Auction
(Photo: El Negocio Tequila)
Memento Mori Wines founder Adam Craun is expanding his horizon beyond the vine with an already-coveted agave spirits venture.
Earlier this year, Craun teamed up with co-founder Nicholas Cruz and Master Distiller Salvador Rosales Trejo to lay down the groundwork for El Negocio Tequila. In June, the trio sold their first bottle at auction for $10,000, proceeds of which were donated to an animal rescue sanctuary in Napa Valley.
Now, the brand’s Blanco is hitting liquor store shelves at $90 a bottle.
Produced at NOM 1123 — home to beloved imprints like Tequila Cascahuin, Montagave and Siembra Valles — El Negocio is distilled from mineral-rich lowland agave extracted using a mix of tahona stone wheel and roller mill techniques. The end product was recently confirmed additive-free by Tequila Matchmaker, a feat that only around 30% of brands can claim.
(Photo: El Negocio Tequila)
“El Negocio represents the apex of our three most defining passions – pure, authentic, additive-free tequila, benchmark wine, and sleek, modern design,” said co-founder Nicholas Lutz in a press release. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to launch this label starting with our Blanco, and there is still so much more to come.”
The brand has distilled just 700 cases of its flagship expression. Down the road, El Negocio plans to expand its catalog with a Blanco Rosa, Reposado, Joven, Añejo and Extra Añejo – the last of which is estimated to hit the market around 2027.
If you’re interested in learning more about the brand, find the El Negocio website here.
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