| div cl | | | | cycle. |
| In 1974 Mexicoâs government established | | | | In the 1990s there was too much agave, thanks to |
| the Appellation of Origin Tequila (DOT) to establish | | | | over-planting by fast-growing commercial tequila |
| guidelines for agave production. The agave | | | | distillers engaged in vertical integration. Traditional |
| growerâs cycle from planting through | | | | growers began receiving unsustainably low prices for |
| harvest takes about a decade. This is one reason | | | | agave, so they switched to other crops. At the |
| tequila is so expensive latelyâ forecasting | | | | same time that many traditional, organic agave |
| demand with ten years lead time is difficult. | | | | growers abandoned the tequila ship, the popularity of |
| According to regulations of the Norma Official | | | | Mexicoâs national drink began to increase |
| Mexicana (NOM), Tequila can only be produced from | | | | globally. Since 2002, premium tequila sales have |
| agave grown in the volcanic soils in and around the | | | | increased an average 28% annually. This has led to |
| Jalisco region, much like Champagne can only be | | | | frequent shortages of agave. Many tequila distilleries |
| produced in that region of France. But unlike grapes | | | | closed due to a lack of agave in the last down cycle. |
| from Champagne, agave production has seen wide | | | | There are over 200 varieties of agave but only the |
| variations in up and down cycles. Such swings are not | | | | Agave Tequilana Weber blue variety is permitted by |
| uncommon in the growth stage of a product life | | | | the NOM. |