Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits Enters Joint Venture for Cantera Negra Tequila

Becomes Exclusive Sales and Marketing Arm for Family-Owned Tequila in the United States

November 30, 2022 – Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits has entered into a joint venture with Two Sons Imports, LLC, owner of Cantera Negra Tequila, effective November 28, 2022. According to terms of the deal, Deutsch Family is acquiring a partial ownership stake in Cantera Negra to become the exclusive global sales and marketing partner.

Cantera Negra (“Black Quarry” in Spanish) is already a rapidly growing tequila in the United States, with distribution in 28 states. More than 40 years ago, Don Alberto Becherano began perfecting a proprietary method for making some of the best-tasting tequilas in the world. Many years later, the Becherano family sold the Cantera Negra trademark to Two Sons Imports. Don Alberto and his son, Dan Becherano, continue to produce the portfolio of products which includes a range of ultra-premium, sipping tequilas that also transform craft cocktails from delicious to truly remarkable. Cantera Negra Café, a novel addition to the portfolio, is one of the only 100% blue agave and coffee blended liqueurs available in the United States.

Cantera Negra is handcrafted in small-batch quantities from 100% fully mature blue agaves. The namesake is derived from the black volcanic rock found in soil of the agave fields of Jalisco, Mexico, where the agave for the Tequila are hand-selected and harvested. Cantera Negra’s aged tequilas are rested in custom coal-fired barrels to produce superior complexity and smoothness. Every aged expression is in barrel longer than the standard to achieve an exceptionally smooth and rich sipping tequila. The last step is blending, and the Becheranos take no shortcuts. Unlike many other tequilas, Cantera Negra does not use additives in its tequilas, but instead relies on a meticulous approach to blending. Only after all this nurturing, care and development – from soil and harvest, to aging and blending – can the tequilas go before the uncompromising Becherano Family Tasting Council.

The Cantera Negra portfolio currently includes:

Silver: Crystal clear and light tasting, with natural hints of citrus and clean, earthy notes on the finish. SRP $49.99
Reposado: Aged 5-11 months. Slightly smokey with notes of butterscotch, oak and pepper create a perfectly smooth tequila while maintaining a clear note of cooked agave. SRP $59.99
Añejo: Aged 18 months. Touches of cinnamon, smoke and vanilla, delicately blended with a small amount of bourbon-cask and cognac-cask aged tequila. SRP $69.99
Extra Añejo: Aged 36 months. Buttery smooth. Chocolate and coffee notes accompany an artful blend of tequila aged in bourbon and cognac casks. SRP $119.99
Café: Rich café flavor that is smooth and silky, with just a touch of smokiness. SRP $34.99

“We are extremely excited to be adding Cantera Negra to our portfolio,” said Peter Deutsch, CEO of Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits. “Our partnership with Two Sons is the culmination of a 4-year search for the right tequila brand and the right partners. Cantera Negra represents a critical addition to our 5-year strategy to help us scale our luxury spirits business by providing consumers with an exceptional quality tequila option to choose instead of more mass-produced offerings.”

Cantera Negra recently entered the United States in select markets and is growing quickly with 20,000 cases shipped in the past 12 months ending September 2022. According to an Impact Databank report, tequila ranks third among all spirits categories in the United States by volume and surpassed American whiskies in dollar terms last year. Impact also reported tequila’s over-$40 sector is projected to account for more than a quarter of the market in 2022 as it continues to grow much faster than the total spirits category.

“When we first acquired the Cantera Negra brand, we knew that we would one day need to partner with a much larger company for the brand to reach its full potential,” remarked Lance Gildner, Chairman of Two Sons Imports, LLC. “We are thrilled with our partnership with Bill and Peter Deutsch. They are among the most professional and transparent partners we’ve met, and Deutsch Family is one of the fastest growing wine and spirits companies in the US.”

ArentFox Schiff, LLP served as outside legal counsel for Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits. Taft Stettinius & Hollister, LLP served as outside legal counsel and RKCA, Inc served as financial advisor to Two Sons Imports.

About Cantera Negra Tequila

Founded more than 40 years ago, Cantera Negra is made in small-batch quantities from hand-selected blue agaves, which are grown to maturity in the valley regions of Jalisco, Mexico. Cantera Negra features four different expressions of tequila and an agave-based coffee liqueur, many of which earned bronze, silver or gold medal recognitions at the 2017 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. www.canteranegra.com

About Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits

Initially called W.J. Deutsch & Sons Ltd., the company was founded in 1981 by Chairman Bill Deutsch to market quality wines produced by prestigious families from major wine regions of the world. In 2009, it announced the expansion of the award-winning company to include a spirits portfolio. Today the company is renowned for its brand-building prowess and its ability to meet the needs of the modern consumer. Bill’s son Peter Deutsch is CEO; thus, two generations of the Deutsch family work side by side in their continuous quest to build strong brands and relationships throughout the wine and spirits industry.

The portfolio includes award-winning wines from Australia: [ yellow tail ]; [ yellow tail ] Pure Bright; California: Bellacosa, Girard Winery, Joseph Carr, Josh Cellars, Josh Cellars Reserve, Layer Cake, The Calling; France: Beau Joie Champagne, Cave de Lugny, Fleurs de Prairie, Hob Nob Vineyards, Sauvion et Fils; Italy: Barone Fini, Villa Pozzi; New Zealand: The Crossings; Portugal: Quinta Do Vale Meao; Argentina: Clos de los Siete; and award-winning spirits: Redemption Whiskey, Bib & Tucker Bourbon, Masterson’s Rye, Luksusowa Vodka and Gray Whale Gin. www.deutschfamily.com

About Two Sons

Two Sons Imports LLC. was founded in 2015 by Chairman Lance Gildner and is known for importing high quality products to the United States. After discovering Cantera Negra Tequila in Mexico, Lance created the company with the dream of bringing the award-winning tequila to the world. In the spring of 2019, he expanded the offering to include Cantera Negra Café and Viva Agave products.