Mezcalifornia
April 14, 2019
Darrell and I were invited to the region's first agave harvest and piña roast for the production of California's first Agave Spirit. Produced exactly like Tequila or Mezcal, the final product cannot use those names as they are recognized as Mexican designation of origin products.
This event is the result of the brain child of Craig Reynolds of California Agave Ventures. Craig began growing agaves in Mexico just outside the legal boundary for the production of Tequila back in 2006, which resulted in the first batch their named "Dos Volcanos" Agave Spirit in 2014. Darrell included the Dos Volcanos Blanco Agave Spirit in the Corti Brothers 2016 Spring newsletter. I don't have to write much in this Blog, as Darrell, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Editor Esther Mobley, and Mike Dunne have all written about Craig and his ventures. Here are links to Esther and Mike's articles. Darrell's Newsletter text appears at the end of the blog.
Here are two short videos I shot and edited of the Mezcalifornia event.
Here is the text by Craig Reynolds Explaining Mezcalifornia
What is Mezcalifornia?
Mezcalifornia is a vision that California can produce its own unique version of mezcal made entirely from California grown agaves. We have already proved the concept in 2015 with a single batch made from blue weber agaves grown in Riverside County, pit roasted in a traditional Oaxacan-style stone pit in Yolo County, and processed and distilled with modern technology at St. George Spirits in Alameda. We are now successfully growing agaves in different locations and look forward to more artisan distillers and entrepreneurial growers getting involved in this exciting experiment.
From Corti Brothers 2016 Spring Newsletter
DOS VOLCANES: Agave Spirit from Colima, Mexico
This agave spirit was born as “a lark.” Craig Reynolds, the creator of DOS VOLCANES, is a longtime California legislature person with a penchant for Mexico and for doing volunteer work. He works with Project Amigo, a thirty year old non-profit based in Colima, a small Mexican state on the country’s west coast, just south of the state of Jalisco, where Tequila is produced. In 2006, he planted an agave field to the Blue Agave which by law produces the distillate called Tequila in Jalisco. This plantation was harvested in August, 2014, and distilled in a small distillery just outside of Guadalajara, using its two brick steam“hornos” and traditional stills to bake, ferment and distill the agave. Since this product is from Colima, not Jalisco, it has the name of “agave spirit” not tequila. Craig, who says he is an “accidental businessman,” has produced a charming spirit. The Blanco, or unaged version, to my mind, is almost perfect. Very soft in flavor, with a characteristic lightly green, fruity scent, it has all the flavor of agave, without noticeable heat. In this sense it really is a “vino de mezcal” that could be drunk very nicely with food. Presented in a classy rectangular bottle that befits its intrinsic quality, this is sipping spirit, not for margaritas!
DOS VOLCANES BLANCO Agave Spirit 82 proof 500ml
