Divided Spirits
Tequila, Mezcal, and the Politics of Production
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Average rating4
15
Tequila, Mezcal, and the Politics of Production
Ratings1
Average rating4
"Divided Spirits tells the stories of tequila and mezcal, two of Mexico’s most iconic products. In recent years, as consumers increasingly demand to connect with the people and places that produce their food, the concept of terroir - the taste of place - has become more and more prominent. Tequila and mezcal are both protected by denominations of origin (DOs), legal designations that aim to guarantee a product’s authenticity based on its link to terroir. Advocates argue that the DOs expand market opportunities, protect cultural heritage, and ensure the reputation of Mexico’s national spirits. Yet this book shows how the institutions that are supposed to guard 'the legacy of all Mexicans' often fail those who are most in need of protection: the small producers, agave farmers, and other workers who have been making tequila and mezcal for generations. Divided Spirits suggests that we must move beyond market-based models if we want to safeguard local products and the people who make them. Instead, we need systems of production, consumption, and oversight that are more democratic, more inclusive, and more participatory."--Page 4 of cover.
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Gastropod (awesome podcast) explored Denomination of Origin (DO) for mezcal and tequila in their episode Mescal: Everything but the Worm.
The DO ties things like Champagne and Roquefort cheese to a specific area and enforces specific methods unique to the product. Tequila was the first successful DO outside of Europe in 1974 and secured tequila as a uniquely Mexican product in the face of Spain and South Africa marketing drinks as tequila prior to the designation.
In terms of market growth and the explosion of premium tequila brands the DO has been a huge success. In terms of environmental sustainability, preservation of cultural traditions, fair wages and working conditions for rural workers, the DO hasn't done much at all.
The DO favours practices that align with growth and the industrialization of tequila. It allows for the adulteration of tequila up to 49%, the use of autoclaves and diffusers. What was once made from over a dozen different agave plants, the DO now limits it to blue agave creating an especially susceptible to disease monoculture. These are the mistakes that mescal is trying to avoid.
It's no secret to anyone who knows me that I'm a fan of tequila. Not exactly an easy proposition here in Ontario where it's downright disheartening to see what actually makes it across our borders. This was an immensely readable dissertation and has left me wanting to explore mezcal now too. Unfortunately here in Ontario the availability of mezcal makes tequila seem like an embarrassment of riches.
