Charbay Tequila Blanco will make its presence known at the Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival.

The Sept. 12 tasting at the Village at Northstar will feature Marko Karakasevic, a 13th generation distiller and an integral part of the creative force behind the Charbay Artisan Winery and Distillery in St. Helena. Karakasevic will share his family’s authentic agave tequila, which he produced at a distillery in Aransas, Jalisco.

Tequila can only be produced in Mexico.

Karakasevic and his father, Miles, are the first American distillers to hand-distill 100 percent Blue Agave Tequila Blanco in Mexico.

Karakasevic says tequila is a complicated spirit, taking seven to 10 years for an agave to mature before they are then harvested, baked, pressed, fermented, distilled, then distilled again.

The tasting, which starts at 5:45pm, will be paired with appetizers created by Chef Jason Gronlund, former executive chef and culinary director for Tabasco Brand Hot Sauces. Tickets cost $65 and include a signed 750ml bottle of Charbay Tequila Blanco.

For more information about the Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival or to purchase tickets, call 888.229.2193 or go to www.tahoefoodandwine.com. The festival runs Sept. 11-13 and includes tastings, seminars, demonstrations and activities at the Village at Northstar in Truckee and locations throughout North Lake Tahoe.