Mixing It Up with Inspiro’s Fabulous Female Mixologists: Dominique Gonzales

This month we are highlighting Dominique Gonzales, a California mixologist who also founded Root Elixirs and is a managing partner at Nomada Hospitality acting as the beverage director.

Continue reading to learn about Dominique Gonzales’ mixologist journey and her Inspiro Tequila inspired cocktails!

Spotlight on Dominique Gonzales

Dominique Gonzales lives and crafts cocktails along the coast of central California.

Gonzales first got started as a female mixologist at 21 after working in the restaurant industry as a hostess. “It was the creativity and competitions that got me involved with bartending and inspired me to pursue this path,” said Gonzales.

Mixing cocktails turned out to be a creative outlet for Gonzales, so she started entering cocktail competitions at 23. Her experiences at these competitions further inspired her to pursue a deeper understanding of the craft, as well as dive into the creative process.

Her time spent behind the bar and learning the craft paid off. Gonzales most recently won awards at the Tales of the Cocktails in New Orleans and a Negroni competition in Santa Barbara, California.

Gonzales’ mixology is most influenced by her travels. 

“I feel the most inspired and alive by traveling. I love experiencing food and culture and sharing life with others. Traveling opens your palette to many different flavors, and I like to bring that to life,” said Gonzales.

Gonzales’ inspiration from her travels are in the flavors of Root Elixirs, specialty mixers she created to help others craft their own cocktails. “The idea for Root Elixirs came from my love for craft cocktails, and I wanted others to be able to experience craft cocktails at home,” shared Gonzales.  

Root Elixirs are sparkling mixers featuring five flavors: pineapple passionfruit, ginger beer, grapefruit jalapeno, strawberry lavender, and cucumber elderflower. Gonzales creates the mixers from local botanicals and fresh citrus so that every sip feels like the cocktail is freshly mixed. She wanted a simple mixer that allows any home mixologist to craft their favorite cocktail by simply adding ice and their spirit of choice.

Gonzales said, “Each mixer I’ve created has been inspired by visiting or living in different locales. For example, the Root Elixirs Cucumber Elderflower mixer was made to bring to life my bartending experience in Northern California. The White Linen is a stamp in time from when I used to bartend at Shady Lady Saloon. The Root Elixirs Pineapple Passionfruit was inspired by my time spent in New Orleans… I’m inspired to bring a nostalgic moment to life where you can only hope to briefly be transported back in time.”

Inspiro Tequila inspired Gonzales to create 2 cocktails.

The first cocktail is a Ranch Water cocktail. Gonzales wanted a cocktail that highlights Inspiro Tequila’s light and balanced flavors while keeping it refreshing.

The “Norman Ranch Water” is currently served by mixologists at the Norman at Skyview Los Alamos. To make the cocktail, you will need:

• 2 oz Inspiro Tequila
• Topo Chico Ranch Water
• A slice of lime 

Served at the Granada Hotel & Bistro, “The Dawn” – created with help from the bar manager, Chuck Wheaton – is a spin on a modern classic, the Tequila Sunrise. To mix up this cocktail, you will need:

• 1.5 oz Inspiro Tequila
• .5 oz yellow Chartreuse
• 5 oz Root Elixirs Pineapple Passionfruit
• Grenadine

If you want to learn more about Dominique Gonzales or need more cocktail inspiration, check her out at @dom.m.g as well as at @root_elixirs and @nomadahotelgroup.

If you loved reading about Dominique Gonzales, check out Mixing It Up With Charlotte Spassoff to read about another amazing female mixologist!

If you have a favorite female mixologist you think we should know about, e-mail us at info@inspirotequila.com. We are always looking for new women to highlight!