Who is Massimo Bottura?
Massimo Bottura, an Italian chef renowned for his three-Michelin-star restaurant Osteria Francescana, has found a unique way to narrate his culinary philosophy through mezcal. His dedication to respecting time, territory, and memory in his cooking has led him to create “The Pastorale Series,” a mezcal project developed in collaboration with David Giles, co-founder and curator of Santo de Piedra, a mezcalery located in San Luis del Río, Oaxaca.
The Philosophy of Santo de Piedra
Since its inception in 2018, Santo de Piedra has maintained a clear philosophy: produce little with purpose and let nature dictate the rhythm. Giles, trained in museography, views mezcal as a curatorial experience rather than a product. He explains, “We don’t manufacture; we accompany. Each agave has its own time.”
The Incorporation of Blackthorn Wood
Bottura brought blackthorn wood, used in his balsamic vinegar barrels in Modena, to Oaxaca. This wood was integrated into two stages of the mezcal production process: smoking the agave Marmorata (tepeztate) and Convallis (wild boar) pinas, as well as steam-trail distillation.
- Aromas: Smoke, bergamot, leather, and a subtle acidity reminiscent of balsamic vinegar.
- A fusion of Oaxacan intuition and Italian discipline, where fire, wood, and time become a single language.
A Soulful Edition
Only 2,506 bottles were produced, six of which are hand-blown in Murano crystal, inspired by the morning mist in Modena. These pieces will be auctioned in various cities, including Mexico City, London, and Dubai, with funds going to Food for Soul, a foundation Bottura and Lara Gilmore created to combat food waste. In Mérida, Yucatán, they operate Refettorio Mérida, a community dining hall for vulnerable individuals.
The Pastorale Series: A Tribute to Nature
“The Pastorale Series” pays homage to Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony, celebrating harmony with nature. This spirit guides the project: listen, transform, and return more to the earth than what is taken.
Mexico as the New Hub of Luxury
“The Pastorale Series” does not aim to glorify rarity but coherence. It’s a work that reinterprets luxury from the root: origin, ethics, and connection to the earth.
- Santo de Piedra has brought Mexican mezcal to tables in London, New York, Tokyo, and São Paulo, establishing Mexico as an essential voice in the global conversation about distillates.
- Bottura succinctly states, “Luxury is not excess; it’s intention.” In this intention, the agave becomes a symbol.
- The future of luxury—like mezcal—is slowly distilling and uniquely taking shape in Mexican land.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who is Massimo Bottura? An Italian chef with three Michelin stars, renowned for his restaurant Osteria Francescana.
- What is “The Pastorale Series”? A mezcal project created by Bottura and David Giles, co-founder of Santo de Piedra in Oaxaca, emphasizing slow production and deep connection to nature.
- Why is blackthorn wood significant? Bottura brought this wood from his balsamic vinegar barrels in Modena to Oaxaca, integrating it into the mezcal production process.
- What is the philosophy of Santo de Piedra? To produce little with purpose and let nature dictate the rhythm, emphasizing connection to the earth.
- What is Food for Soul? A foundation created by Bottura and Lara Gilmore to combat food waste, with Refettorio Mérida as one of its initiatives.
