To succeed as a woman particularly 30 years ago, when I started you have to be extremely dedicated to the craft and fight to prove yourself every day, says Ana Mara Romero.

In the heart of Mexicos tequila-producing regions, Romero is now one of the most respected authorities on the spirit. Her dedication to tequila goes beyond creating a pleasurable drinking experience above all, she aims to preserve and highlight Mexicos rich heritage while pushing the boundaries of what tequila can be in the modern world.

Interestingly, Romeros path to becoming the maestra tequilera she is today began with her being a sommelier. I wanted to bring the world of wine appreciation to Mexico, Romero explains. The intricate process of winemaking, with its focus on terroir and the complexities of aromas and flavors, captivated her early on. However, it wasnt long before she realized that her true calling lay not in a far-flung vineyard but in the agave fields of her native Mexico.

The history of agave spirits is deeply ingrained in Mexican culture and dates back to pre-Hispanic civilizations, so it appears that Indigenous people were the first to distill the sugars of the plant to create the now-infamous Mexican drink pulque. Throughout time, different regions of Mexico developed specific traditions for distilling agave spirits, with tequila today being the most popular, but others, such as (what we know as) mezcal , bacanora and raicilla, also have rich histories.

Romeros shift in focus from wine to tequila, she tells me, was more than just a career pivot; it was a return to her roots. It offered her the chance to combine her love for terroir-driven spirits with a deeper exploration of her heritage. This passion led her to immerse herself in the world of tequila production, conducting extensive research at distilleries across the country to understand the influence of different production methods.

Every step of the process is vital to developing the final character of the spirit, she explains, adding: The agave typically matures for five to seven years before its harvested, during which time it is shaped by all the environmental conditions around it. This long maturation process, which far exceeds the one-year growth cycle of grapes in winemaking, results in tequilas that are profoundly influenced by the region in which theyre produced.