BajaNomad

Temequila

MrBillM - 3-13-2005 at 11:54 AM

The Los Angeles Times, Sunday, 13 March, Business section has an article about an American Farmer/Distiller in Temecula who has started producing Teqila. Because Mexico owns the trademark rights to the name "Tequila" he has named his "Temequila".
However, that's not good enough for the Mexican government, who is determined to drive him out of business. If the Government of Mexico paid the same attention to Counterfeit goods and services produced within their country, this might not seem so ridiculous.

Mexitron - 3-13-2005 at 01:05 PM

I read that article too MrBillM.....wonder how good the stuff is--$58 a bottle is expensive. My other thought was that Mexico probably won't have to worry about competion--with land prices as they are here and the fact that it takes up to seven years to grow an Agave to maturity, I don't think anybody but hobbyists will be interested.

synch - 3-13-2005 at 03:15 PM

7 years is a minimum for Cabo Wabo type Tequila,
some of the better Tequilas use the 10+ year old Agave plants

[Edited on 3-13-2005 by synch]

Expensive

MrBillM - 3-13-2005 at 03:36 PM

You're exactly right on the price. How much competition could this guy give Mexico's product ? Of course, Mexico says it's acting on the "principle". Wow, that's a change for them, the most corrupt government in the area.



Guess it is OK for the French to have the corner on Champagne

BajaVida - 3-15-2005 at 05:40 PM

but not Mexicans to have the corner on Tequila

should be temoquila (from temer (to fear)), meaning I fear tequila:tumble:

Da Frogs ??

MrBillM - 3-15-2005 at 05:52 PM

I don't recall anyone saying that it WAS Ok for the French to have the exclusive rights to the word "Champagne". You'd never hear that from me. This business of granting exclusive naming rights to Companies or Countries sometimes reaches ridiculous heights.

Years ago, there was a Mexican Restaurant that opened in Yucca Valley called "Coronas" . Modelo served them with notice through their U.S. Lawyers that they would take them to court if they didn't change the name. It is now Santanas.

[Edited on 3-16-2005 by MrBillM]

Oso - 3-15-2005 at 09:20 PM

Some 20 yrs ago I was staying with some of my wife's relatives in the day efe on a bidness trip around this time of year. With wishing to repay their kindness in mind, I was strolling along and passed a small liquor store run by Spainiards. In the window was a bottle of "Huisgui Irlandes". It wasn't Powers (da best) or Bushmill's or even Jameson. I can't recall what it was, but it looked authentic and as close to St. paddy's day as it was and meself being a "greenbone" of sorts, I thought it appropriate. That evening, we opened it and my wife's cousin's husband and I saluted each other and downed a shot. To his credit, his expression never changed and I did my very best to smile. But it was difficult, as it was the most god-awful rotgut swill I've ever tasted. It was immediately evident that the bottle may have come from Ireland, but its contents were from some back alley in Tepito. My host politely declined a second with something about Cuaresma or antibiotics or whatever and I was in no mood to have another either. I briefly considered telling him that it was counterfeit and taking it back to demand a refund from the P-nches gachupines ladrones. But, that would have been an admission of my lack of acumen and an embarrassment. I decided to just say nothing and let him chalk it up to not liking Irish whiskey. Last year, on the occasion of a family member's passing, we spoke briefly by phone and he informed me that he still had that bottle after all these years and he was just waiting for me to come back to Mexico City so we could echar otro brindis...:rolleyes:

Tequila Redux

MrBillM - 3-17-2005 at 09:54 PM

It was mentioned by BajaVida that the French have an exclusive right to the Name "Champagne". However, this turns out not to be true. An editorial today in the Riverside, California Press-Enterprise points out that Champagne, among others, can be used as long as the Country/State of origination preceeds the word. There are numerous Califronia Champagnes.
Tequila was given it's Special Status by the
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The newspaper reports tha Darrel Issa is trying to do something in Congress in support of the "Temequla" producer.