A certified mezcal label tells you how it was made, from which agave and where. Mexico's NOM-070-SCFI-2016 requires, among other things, the category, the class, the words "100% agave", the agave species, the denomination of origin, the state of production and a lot number. In the U.S., the bottle must also meet federal labeling rules.
What Mexico's standard requires
| Item | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Brand | Who stands behind it |
| Category | Mezcal, mezcal artesanal or mezcal ancestral: how it was produced |
| Class | Blanco/joven, madurado en vidrio, reposado, añejo, abocado con or destilado con |
| Aging time | Required for madurado en vidrio and añejo |
| "100% maguey" or "100% agave" | No sugars from other sources |
| Agave | Scientific or traditional name of the species |
| "Denominación de Origen Protegida" | Covered by the Mezcal denomination of origin |
| State of production | Where it was made |
| Producer, bottler or distributor + lot | Who's accountable and how to trace the bottle |
On U.S. shelves
Imported mezcal also carries U.S. label elements such as the class and type ("Mezcal"), alcohol content, net contents, the importer's name and address, country of origin and the government health warning. Many bottles keep the Mexican label details too, so you can read category, class and agave.
Red flags
- It says "agave spirit" or "destilado de agave" instead of "mezcal": it isn't certified as mezcal.
- No category or class.
- No lot number or producer details.
- Only marketing words like "premium", "artisanal" or "traditional" with no official category.
What the label doesn't say
A label rarely tells you how many years the agave grew, how long fermentation lasted or who the master distiller is. Brands that want to be transparent share that on their site or back label.
How it applies to ZUNTE
ZUNTE's product pages show what a label can't: agave, years of growth, origin (San Luis del Río, Oaxaca), category and proof for each expression. Its maestro mezcalero is Juventino Cruz. On the label, ZUNTE and ZUNTE Gold carry the Mezcal Artesanal category, certified by COMERCAM (Consejo Mexicano Regulador de la Calidad del Mezcal, A.C.).
FAQ
What should a mezcal label say?
In Mexico: brand, category, class, "100% agave", agave species, "Denominación de Origen Protegida", state, producer and lot. In the U.S., also importer, alcohol content, country of origin and the health warning.
How do I know if a mezcal is artisanal?
The official category "mezcal artesanal" should appear on the label. "Artisanal" as a marketing word isn't the same.
What does "agave spirit" mean on a label?
That it's an agave-based spirit not certified as mezcal.
