38 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 21-27, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com Maybe your introduction to tequila was salt-shot-lime on a night that is not to be spoken of again. Maybe you prefer tequila in a margarita, and you don’t even taste the spirit. That’s no matter to Ricky Cabrera. Even if you’re not a “tequila person,” he is—and he’s happy to share his collection of nearly 2,000 bottles. Cabrera’s Bolsa Knolls home, aka Cabrera Ranch, is the headquarters of his farm labor contracting business and his concert promoting business. It’s also home to a multi-room hospitality area designed for enjoying tequila and cigars. The walls are lined with family photos, animal furs and an extensive collection of decorative saddles. In the living room is a saddle once owned by Cabrera’s grandfather, Aniceto Cabrera, who was a general of the pro-Catholic Cristeros in a conflict during the Mexican Revolution. “Not to be Indiana Jones about it, but I think it belongs in a museum,” says Alejandro “Lucky” Cabrera, one of Ricky’s two sons. It’s a playful space. The tequila collection is likewise rooted in fun— finding new and unique bottles “like a game,” Alejandro says—but it’s also quite serious. Alejandro is leading a tasting on a recent Saturday night, and his cousin Gonzalo Cabrera is pouring. There are 15 bottles lined up on the magnificent tile bar. (It is possible to taste 15 because these tequilas are meant to be truly tasted and savored; they are poured at thimble size, not a full shot.) “We offer all this not just because we love the tequila tasting experience, but because we love the culture—and it’s a way to give back to the community,” Alejandro says. The family has donated more than $300,000 worth of tequila tastings at various benefit auctions, Ricky estimates. It began in 2008 when Judge John Phillips suggested auctioning off a tasting to benefit the nonprofit Rancho Cielo Youth Campus. First up is a bottle by Patrón, El Cielo Tequila Silver. “They are not known for making the greatest stuff, but they wanted to make something top-shelf,” Alejandro says, noting an aromatic complexity that can rival gin. (Patrón seems to have succeeded at its goal, earning a “Ricky’s Rating” of 97.) Next up is a triple-distilled Lamborghini Tequila, sweeter, but not overpoweringly so. “It’s sweet without depriving you of your dignity,” Alejandro says. (Some tequilas have added sugar or corn syrup, but Cabrera’s collection includes only 100-percent blue agave.) A bottle of reposado by Siete Leguas—named after the seven leagues Pancho Villa’s horse could reportedly run in a day—is smooth and subtle, with tones of roasted marshmallow thanks to small-batch traditional brick ovens. Alejandro describes the process each maker uses. Although there are some unmoveable rules—tequila must be distilled from blue agave, and it must be made in Mexico—there are a lot of variables that change the spirit’s qualities. There’s when the agave is harvested, affecting sugar content, then how it is cooked. A small-batch brick or clay oven imparts a more caramelized savor, compared to mass production facilities. After distillation, blancos are aged briefly or not at all, making agave flavor more prominent than their reposado counterparts, which spend months in barrels, mellowing the flavor and adding a touch of golden color. Añejo tequilas spend up to three years in oak barrels, and extra-añejos even longer, leading them to resemble scotch. A bottle of 1800 Cristalino gets an added depth thanks to being finished in a port wine cask. This tequila, available only in Mexico because it doesn’t meet the American 40-percent minimum alcohol content definition, is a favorite for both Alejandro and assistant Nena Garcia. “I don’t drink but if I drink it has to be that one,” Garcia says. “I don’t want to wake up with a hangover.” Among Ricky Cabrera’s favorites— with a 100-point “Ricky’s Rating”—is Don Julio’s Ultima Reserva extra-añejo, with just a slight apple-hued sweetness dominated by a peatiness more often associated with scotch. There’s enough variety in Cabrera’s collection that he’s ready to pour something to please everyone, from a citrusy, effervescent reposado Corzo to a reddish extra-añejo Calirosa reminiscent of brandy. “It’s just a passion,” Cabrera says. FIRST COURSE Alejandro Cabrera leads a tasting of 15 tequilas from his father, Ricky Cabrera’s, extensive collection. The bar is adorned with decorative tiles, among other colorful flair. GARDEN PARTY…Julia’s Vegetarian Restaurant has opened a second location—sort of. Julia’s Big Sur is a pop-up located at Loma Vista Gardens, also supporting The Chi House, home of organic teas from foraged herbs and herbal medicines from Woven Herbs and more. The menu is smaller, but includes some Julia’s favorites. Open 11am-6pm Thursday-Sunday. 47540 Highway 1, Big Sur. 656-9533, juliasveg.com. NEW NORMAL…Normal Ice Cream, a trendy soft-serve ice cream truck serving unique flavors made with local ingredients, is making its way to Monterey County. The crew will pop up at Other Brother Beer Co. in Seaside on Friday, Aug. 22 from 6-10pm, Stationæry in Carmel on Saturday, Aug. 23 from noon3pm and Lady & Larder in Carmel Valley on Sunday, Aug. 24 from noon-4pm. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to see what the hype is about. TURKEY DROP…Get a taste of Turkey without getting on a plane by checking out the Turkish Arts & Culture Festival from 11am-7pm on Saturday-Sunday, Aug. 23-24. Sample Turkish delicacies and enjoy live music, dance performances, dance lessons and whirling dervish demonstrations. You can eat, drink, dance and shop like you’re in Istanbul. (See more, p. 30.) Custom House Plaza, Monterey. 224-6501, turkfestca.org. ROSÉ BY THE BAY…Nothing says summer more than sipping Rosé at the beach and you can do just that at Tira Nanza’s Rosé By The Bay event on Saturday, Aug. 23. They’ll be pouring their Malbec Rosé and serving small bites in a lounge area from 2-5pm at Carmel Beach by 13th Street. $40. 2500584, tirananza.com. NIGHT AT NORTHRIDGE…There’s a new night market experience at the Northridge Mall every second and fourth Wednesday of the month, with the next taking place on Aug. 27. You’ll find local vendors selling food, crafts, goods and more from 4-8pm in the parking lot. This is a family-friendly event. 796 Northridge Drive, Salinas. northridgenightmarket.com. WINE CRAWL…Sip, shop, snack and stroll at the Del Monte Center Wine Walk from 5-7pm on Wednesday, Aug. 27. For $25 enjoy local wine and beer samplings, with proceeds benefitting the nonprofit Seneca Family of Agencies. 1410 Del Monte Center, Monterey. delmontecenter.com. By Jacqueline Weixel MORSELS eatanddrink@montereycountynow.com “It’s sweet without depriving you of your dignity.” EAT + DRINK SARA RUBIN Top Shelf Salinas businessman Ricky Cabrera’s personal tequila collection is a portal into flavor, fandom and culture. By Sara Rubin
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