Tequila Wars: Jose Cuervo and the Bloody Struggle for the Spirit of Mexico

A revelatory history of the vast tequila empire born from the fires of the Mexican Revolution.

At the dawn of the twentieth century, José Cuervo inherited his family's humble distillery, La Rojeña, in the Tequila Valley. Within a decade, he had transformed it into a complex national enterprise that would become Mexico's leading producer of tequila. Cuervo grew his kingdom of agave by acquiring thousands of acres of estates throughout the valley; he brought electricity and a railroad line to Tequila, so he could reach drinkers across the country.

When the Mexican Revolution erupted, a charge of treason and a death threat against him by Pancho Villa forced Cuervo to flee. His disappearance turned him into an obscure, shadowy historical figure – despite having one of the most famous names in Mexican history.

In Tequila Wars, award-winning author Ted Genoways restores Cuervo to his place as a key player in Mexico's formative period. With extensive original research, including access to the secret archives of the Cuervo and Sauza families, Genoways follows the violent, unpredictable, and hugely profitable world of tequila through the story of its most successful maker.

Discover the fascinating history behind one of the world's most famous drinks empires.

Ted Genoways is a two-time James Beard Award winner and the author of five previous books, including This Blessed Earth. His reporting on the tequila industry has appeared in Bloomberg Businessweek, The Daily Beast, Mother Jones, and received the Association of Food Journalists' Award for Best Writing on Beer, Wine or Spirits. He is a senior editor at the Food & Environment Reporting Network.

© 2026 Ted Genoways (P) 2026 DK Audio