LA MAESTRA MEZCALERA

DOÑA VICTORIA

MEET DOÑA VICTORIA

Name: Victoria Mendez Gomez
Experience: 18 years
Language: Zapoteca
Village: San Dionisio Ocotepec
Process: Artisanal and Ancestral
Specialties: Espadín, Jabalí, Cirial, Madrecuishe, Tobalá, Ensamble Espadín-Cirial

Doña Victoria is a leader in her community, always looking to better the people living in it. She’s been providing jobs for years in her palenque and nursery. The people helping her clean agave and they produce mezcal following her practices and traditions.

Victoria has taught her children and neighbors sustainable methods to grow agave and to use natural fertilizers that are byproducts of the process. She believes mother earth is generous and we need to respect her giving back as much as we can to prosper for years to come. Producing mezcal is a family tradition. Producing it with culture and passion is what makes her happy.

A woman standing outdoors next to a large pile of agave piñas in front of a building with red brick accents.
Four people standing indoors against a brick wall, with varying expressions and casual clothing, some wearing hats.
Woman with large straw hat and floral skirt standing outdoors next to a large wooden log against a rustic building.

SAN DIONISIO OCOTEPEC, OAXACA

The town of San Dionisio Ocotepec is located in the Municipality of San Dionisio Ocotepec (in the State of Oaxaca). There are 5,960 inhabitants. Of all the towns in the municipality, it occupies the number #1 in terms of number of inhabitants.

A marching band parade with musicians in red jackets playing brass instruments on a street, with onlookers and a float in the background.
Colorful large letters spelling out 'SAYULITA' with murals depicting beaches, nature, and local scenery in each letter, set outdoors against a partly cloudy sky.

The San Dionisio Ocotepec Zapotec language is spoken by about 5,000 people in and around the town. The Zapotec is one of many different Zapotec languages spoken in the Valley of Oaxaca. It is similar to the Zapotec spoken in San Pablo Güilá, but the two languages also have notable differences.

A person wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat, blue jacket, and jeans is planting seeds or seedlings in a garden bed with soil, using hand tools.
A bottle of Prolijo mezcal with a black label and purple accents, placed on a pink surface with a pink background. To the right of the bottle is a potted monstera plant in a concrete pot, and in front are two small round wooden cups.

PROLIJO MEZCAL, 100% MAGUEY SPADÍN

Agave: Mature espadín and family grown (8-10 years)
Oven Size: 10 tons
Cook Time: 4-5 days
Rest Between Oven and Mill: 1 day
Wood: Leña
Mill Type: chopped by hand with a hatchet, then fed into a Tahona
Fermentation vessel: Open air ayacahuite tinas
Water Source: Spring
Fermentation Time: 5-7 days
Still Type: 3 Copper Alambiques (400 liters/each)
Distillations: Twice
ALC/VOL: 43 ABV

San Dionisio Ocotepec is at 5,500 feet above sea level.

A cultivated garden with rows of green plants, possibly onions or garlic, growing in fertile soil, with trees and mountains in the background.

AVERAGE TEMPERATURE IN SAN DIONISIO OCOTEPEC

The warm season lasts for 1.9 months, from March 21 to May 18, with an average daily high temperature above 80°F. The warmest month of the year in San Dionisio Ocotepec is May, with an average maximum temperature of 27 °C and a minimum of 14 °C. The cool season lasts for 7.3 months, from June 22 to January 30, with an average daily high temperature below 75°F. The coldest month of the year in San Dionisio Ocotepec is January, with an average minimum temperature of 7 °C and a maximum of 24 °C.

Close-up of blue-grey agave plant leaves with sharp points in a garden, with soil and additional plants in the background.
Close-up of an agave plant emerging from dark, moist soil, with a blurred background of greenery and trees.

Sip mezcal, enjoy the agaves and the time it took for them to mature.
”Dixbeu”