The Highland Culture's Impact on Siembra Azul's Quality
Rogelio Luna-Zamora is Mexico's most preeminent tequila academic and professor at the University of Guadalajara. Rogelio has researched the social, economic, cultural and historical impact of tequila for more than twenty years. Rogelio was essential to the success of Siembra Azul's unique and innovated concept. READ MORE
As a consultant to this impressive project, Siembra Azul Tequila, I strongly believe that the founders of this project pursued excellence commissioning renowned experts in the tequilera industry. Siembra Azul's achievement has been a combination of both its production and tequila connoisseurs that formed a winning team producing high end quality tequila. It was a wonderful experience for me to be part of this venture, a project that I will continue to support.
I would like to take this opportunity and expand on some of Siembra Azul's winning characteristics that differentiates the Alteña (the Highlands) culture from the culture of the Valley of Amatitan and Tequila (the Lowlands), and that is the business drive and strength of the Alteños.
Small businesses have a strong character of developing commerce and combining social interaction with intellectual exchange. They join to develop diverse corporations and have a strong migratory pattern in Los Altos (the Highlands) compared to the Valley of Amatitan, Tequila (the Lowlands). According to studies conducted by several sociologists, investigators, anthropologists and economists, the cultural differences have a great impact on the success of businesses.
Another strong characteristic of the Alteños is Tradition. Alteños highest regard in business is the value of the products they produce. Businesses here are always seeking to create and change. Since they do not rely on marketing, they are forced to rely on production quality ensuring that every product made has a seal of excellence.
A perfect example of tradition of the Alteños, is the Vivanco Family. This family was an integral part of the Siembra Azul's success. A five generation of tradition in the production of the agave business, they are the foremost experts in the management of raw material in agriculture. The Vivanco's have also been part of several commerce activities.
The infrastructure of businesses from Amatitan, Tequila, tends to produce in large quantities compared to those from the Alteñas. The cutting edge technology of corporations in Amatitan is far greater granting them the opportunity to produce in larger masses. In the Alteñas region, business resources are limited; however, the production is far greater in quality.
As part of the Siembra Azul team, this tequila has reached the highest quality of production and has earned the achievement of one of Mexico's best produced Tequila's. I have personally observed the process from its inception and congratulate the team for its professionalism and long dedication to produce this excellent product. The process of this high spirit has excelled in line of premium tequila's and I am proud to have been part of the process. HIDE
The "Golden Triangle" gives birth to Siembra Azul
Ana Guadalupe Valenzuela Zapata
Ana Guadalupe Valenzuela Zapata is the foremost agronomist of Mexico's tequila industry and author of several books on agave. Ana's expertise, wisdom and accomplishments in her field lead the Siembra Azul Team from the importance of the region selected to the exquisite flavor of the agave. READ MORE
Siembra Azul's taste is attributed to the "Golden Triangle" Region. This region consists of three municipalities: Atontonilco, Arandas and Jesus Maria.
Siembra Azul's taste has captured that delicate and exquisite flavor combining the fragrances, environmental and human factors known in the wines and distilled beverages in France as the "terroir."
Siembra Azul began a new cycle of fine and distinguished tequila's stemming from carefully selected hand-picked agave plants that have reached its optimum maturity. Its taste manages to extract the spirit of the agave; a character that is so delicate that you can taste while drinking.
Farmers in Los Altos Region (the Highlands), are experienced in handling their terrain, its soil and maintaining its fertility. They closely supervise the cultivations of high coverage to avoid erosion that steer clear of compacting soils. This means that they are producing more by unit of surface, a particular characteristic of the Highlands. These farmers know how to cultivate under high densities and maintain the soils where this permanent cultivation takes root. Without this crop rotation or resting of the land, it would be damaging to the soil.
The knowledge and expertise of these farmers and their lands maintains equilibrium of the characteristics of fertility in the soil, crop rotation and the cattle breeding that contributes organic elements and natural fertilizers needed for cultivation.
The quality of taste in a beverage is in the distillation process. In Siembra Azul, we sought after a balance of fragrances and flavors. This combination is the main ingredient found in the 'blanco,' white, tequila and in its process of 'añejamiento,' the aging of a spirit, for more than a year, and in the 'reposado,' a bolder flavored spirit, aged up to three months. The production time and its resting period create a synergy that combined will generate a coherent combination of fragrances and flavors that are both pleasant and harmonious. Knowledge of virgin barrels which are used to store the tequila is a key factor. The wood used and time frame in which it is aged will result in a product with full body characteristics and superior flavor in the finished tequila.
This region of the Highlands lies between two thousand and two thousand one hundred meters above sea level, therefore has the best temperature conditions for the production of agave. Cool nights allow the agave to take in more carbon dioxide in the photosynthesis, thereby it stores more carbohydrates.
The deep brownish fertile soil in this region can store humidity and endure long periods of drought for up to six months.
The Los Altos' (the Highlands) farmers treat these soils in a unique way. The soils have crop rotation; therefore they rest the land and apply organic fertilizers which allow the soil to retain its fertility.
The environmental conditions in this region affect the taste of an agave. The combination of how soils are treated and the altitude of the region are the effect of an agave's reduction of sugar resulting in its complex fragrances, delicate and fine flavor of tequila.
The climatic surroundings here are moderate, semi-dry and often hot; therefore agaves do not undergo drastic changes in temperatures. However, with the height of this plateau, this mountain range, it does run the risk of frosts. To avoid frosts, farmers make furrows in the ground to protect the plants. That is why this region is referred to as the "Golden Triangle" a high region with excellent cultivations, high in sugars, and less exposure to harsh weather.
In the case of Siembra Azul, the agaves reached their maturity and were carefully chosen. These agaves complied with the characteristics of the jima (a crop) by eliminating the undesirable top sections of the plant, known as the "cogollos." This process allows the plants to produce its natural desirable sugars. This procedure was also taken into the distilleries where Siembra Azul was cooked eliminating any shoots of the stem to ensure that the natural stewed and exquisite flavor of the agave.
Siembra Azul Tequila is a product that already has the finest characteristics that exist in an agave stew. Its sweet, fruity flavor blended with its diverse fragrances creates a harmonic and stable combination that will not mask the natural flavor of the agave. In "Reposado" the taste is also attributed to the natural flavors, tannins and fragrances of the virgin oak barrels where it is aged.
Tequila has been harvested in Los Altos (the Highlands) region since the 19th century. The herbaceous flavors of an agave you savor in tequila are unique to the region where it was cultivated. The investigative work put into the Siembra Azul project follows the tradition of tequila making of Jalisco. HIDE