Denominations of Origin, essentially rule books for traditional products, are designed to protect heritage—heritage producers of heritage things in heritage places.
In the case of agave and sotol spirits, corralling “heritage” has been a fraught process. Who gets to define it? Who gets to determine where it happens? Who benefits? Who loses? Who is ignored entirely? Tequila laid the blueprint for the DOs of other distillates, with complicated results, and now Mezcal, as well as relative newcomers like Bacanora, Sotol, and Raicilla, are having to hammer out the law among competing interests.
Listen to a distinguished panel of veterans in the thick of these matters as they discuss the history and future prospects of DOs. What have we learned, and how should we compose the rules to permit a more inclusive and nuanced agave and sotol panorama?
Included in Agave Fiesta ticket price.