Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/724773
8 8 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t Riley seems like a hard-charging type, and that's appropriate, because he is, quite literally. When he's not honcho-ing Azuñia, he drives race cars in the desert, including the Baja 1000. It was on one of those trips, in fact, that he met Sergio Zuñiga, one of the largest agave growers in all of Jalisco. Riley soon partnered with him to produce the ultra-premium Azuñia. Zuñiga has devoted 5,000 acres to the brand, and Riley and his associates keep close watch. They do things the old-fashioned way, and they want to make sure that things remain the same as they ever were. We're back in the van the next day, riding through agave fields on the way to lunch at Sandoval, an old hacienda in the process of being restored. When we arrive, Zuñiga is already on his horse, about to lead groups on short tours of the property. When Zuñiga's father, Enrique, died last year, Zuñiga was committed to keeping his father's love of the land and its people alive. "He didn't buy cars or anything like that," Riley says. "He bought more land, more horses, more cattle." Of course, being associated with a large landowner gives Riley the ability to scale his business, should the need arise. Last year, Azuñia Tequila experienced tremendous growth across the United States, garnering several large national account partners. Riley says, "I could not be any more grateful for our partnerships with companies like Landry's, Roy's, Tilted Kilt and many more. Through these partnerships and with very willing distribution part- ners, we have doubled our numbers." The distillery is capable of producing 70,000 cases a year as it sits today. The skies are overcast as the horses make their way slowly through the fields. Clouds shroud the top of Tequila Mountain, the ancient volcano looming in the distance. Although Riley is mostly a Southern California beach type, he's got horseman's blood in his DNA. His grandfather trained horses for the Kentucky Derby. "This job takes a lot of grit, and it's not for everybody," Riley says of building Azuñia. "It takes a lot of grit to build a brand. What gave me hope, or what made me so convincing to our investors and people around us, is that we had some very, very loyal customers. When industry leaders fall in love with your product, even if you're only selling a case a month, you realize that you've got something." "They see what we will become," Baca adds. You can't fake that, either. Azuñia CEO Jim Riley walks through agave fields in Amatitán with Fernando Rivera, a partner at the Miravalle Estate.