Overview: Chip Tate, founder of the Balcones whiskey distillery, has transitioned to agave spirits production under Foley Family Wines & Spirits. New releases include Gran Nota tequila and Penumbra mezcal, leveraging Tate’s technical background in fermentation science. This shift marks a significant move for a Sonoma County-based wine company diversifying into Texas-style brown spirits.
The Full Story
The unexpected pitch came from a friend at Foley Family Wines (now Foley Family Wines & Spirits), asking if Tate could do a tequila. While known as the founder of Balcones, Tate was always interested in agave spirits and specifically mezcal. He noted that roasted agave and malt are super similar regarding flavors formed during roasting and malting processes.
Tate’s background includes a philosophy degree from the College of William & Mary and theology at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, VA, alongside a diploma in Brewing & Distilling. After moving to Waco, TX, his passion shifted from beer to whiskey, leading to the founding of Balcones. He eventually left Balcones in 2014, paving the way for other Texas whiskey distilleries like Garrison Brothers and StillAustin. In 2024, Tate received a call to be Master Distiller for Innovation at Foley after they acquired Minden Mill Distilling and launched Charles Goodnight Texas Straight Bourbon.
His first innovations at Foley went beyond grain and barrel types. In late 2025, he released Ampersand, three small-batch “unexpected spirits” including a rye and Calvados blend, a rye and neutral grain spirit blend matured in Cognac casks, and an extra-aged bourbon finished in Tokaji barrels. This year, he released Gambit No. 6, a six-year-old bourbon finished in six different casks. Most surprisingly, his work now includes a hands-on role with two agave spirits, Gran Nota and Penumbra Mezcal.
Production & Profile
Tate applies technical fermentation science to agave spirits, drawing parallels between malted barley roasting and roasted agave processes. For Gran Nota, he is using a whiskey yeast, which is not traditional but utilizes oven roasting versus autoclaves for three days. He also utilizes longer fermentations and more careful cuts. Penumbra Mezcal is a wonderfully balanced espadin mezcal with notes of grapefruit, peppercorn, sweet smoke, and a hint of salinity. Gran Nota tequila offers hints of grilled pineapple and citrus as a Triple Oak reposado. Tate’s technical background sets him up to make a mark with tequila and mezcal alongside his work in the American whiskey world.
Brand & Industry History
Foley Family Wines is a Sonoma County-based, family-owned wine company that sought to diversify into spirits production. Chip Tate established Balcones distillery after realizing his passion had shifted from beer to whiskey during college and early career. Tate received a philosophy degree from the College of William & Mary and later studied theology at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, VA, while earning a diploma in Brewing & Distilling. Balcones released a line of award-winning single malts and ryes, with Baby Blue, a corn whiskey, winning Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. When he left Balcones in 2014, he paved the way for other Texas whiskey distilleries to prosper, including releases from Garrison Brothers, TX Whiskey, and StillAustin.
What This Means
Foley’s vision was essentially to diversify a predominant wine company into spirits production. Sean Schiffer at Foley shared the vision, which involved expanding beyond grain and barrel types. Tate sees opportunity in the whiskey business where good whiskey can be obtained at lower costs compared to previous years. He believes whiskey drinkers and agave drinkers have a lot in common regarding tradition, though that tradition is not always super well defined. The approach involves a blend of tradition and innovation, drawing parallels between his work in whiskey and recent ventures in agave spirits.
Consumer Takeaway
This release offers the drinker access to unique agave spirits like Gran Nota tequila and Penumbra mezcal alongside innovative whiskeys like Gambit No. 6. The production utilizes specific cask finishes such as Cognac, Tokaji, and Triple Oak barrels. Tate applies technical fermentation science including Maillard reactions and Ehrlich pathways to these new products.
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