¡Hey Hey! Agave / 13 + German Gutiérrez Gamboa

13 + German Gutiérrez Gamboa / Lágrimas de Dolores

/ we want to represent everything that Durango is

German Guttierez joins us, who along with his family, owns and operates Hacienda Lágrimas de Dolores in Durango, Mexico. They bottle their mezcals under the name Lágrimas de Dolores. In addition to producing their own expressions, Lágrimas de Dolores also partner with vinateros in the region to offer a variety of expressions. 

This was our first conversation with a producer from Durango and we learned so much from German. He explained the history of mezcal production in Durango and described specific elements of the process that define the “Durango style”. We discussed the Cenizo agave at length and several other endemic varieties. German described the sport of Charreria, the traditional practice of horsemanship, that is a big part of his family history as well as the history of Durango. 

Tess Rose Lampert, who helped to organize this podcast, also joined us for this in-depth conversation.

1. A capon Masparillo agave (the quiote has been cut to allow the sugars to stay in the pina or heart of the plant)

2. Masparillo agave

3. Tepemete agave

4. Lamparillo agave

5. Loading the horno with Castilla (Angustifolia) agaves

6. Harvesting Castilla agaves in the field

7. The Cenizo agave is endemic to Durango. Its scientific name is Durangensis

8. Cenizo agave

9. Cenizo agave

10. Durango Landscape

11. Don Enrique de la Cruz

12. Distillation on the palenque in Temoaya, Durango

13. Landcape of Temoaya, Durango, Mexico

14. A field of Verde agaves

15., 16.  Hacienda Lágrimas de Dolores

17. Hacienda Lágrimas de Dolores

18., 19. Roasting the agave piñas (Lágrimas Vinata)

20. A fermentation barrel (tina) (Lágrimas Vinata)

22. Alembic copper distillation stills (Lágrimas Vinata)

23. Fabiola Avila master Vinatera for Lágrimas de Dolores. She is head of the Lágrimas Vinata

23. Hacienda Lágrimas de Dolores

24. German Guttierez in an agave field

25. A detail of a saddle. Charreria is the cultural practice of horsemanship similar to a rodeo. The sport has been described as "living history," or as an art form drawn from the demands of working life. Charreria is a big part of German's family history as well as the history of Durango

26. One of the family's horses

+ All images courtesy of German Guttierez