Don Mateo de la Sierra
The Vieyra family has been making mezcal since 1840. Although they’ve been making mezcal for six generations, the brand is named for the family’s third maestro mezcalero, Emilio’s great great grandfather Mateo Rangel. The Vieyra family chose Don Mateo because he fought and died for social causes. In remembrance of him, the Vieyra family continues to fight for these causes and change the industry the only way they can, through their actions.
The Vieyra Vinata is nestled on the side of a hill in the steep highlands above Morelia in the Rio Balsas region surrounded by temperate evergreen forest.
The Vieyra family is famous for making some of the best artesenal mezcal in Michoacan, if not Mexico. Their commitment to quality extends to farming. They employ sustainable field practices, leaving the land as untouched as possible. Trees from their property are never cut or moved and the agaves are planted to prevent erosion.
What to know about Michoacan mezcal:
The terroir of Michoacan is characterized by its rivers; the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt with its many active, dormant and extinct volcanoes; and the variety of forests–from conifer to tropical.
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