| Country | |
|---|---|
| Continent | |
| Region | Campos Altos, Cerrado Mineiro |
| Community Name | Espigão do Palmital, Gil Cesar de Melo |
| Processing Method | |
| Arrival Date | April 2022 |
| Cupping Notes Upon Arrival | 85.5 – Banana wine, black cherry, dark magnolia honey |
| Elevation | 950 – 1130 MASL |
| Varietals | Catigua, Catucai, Mundo Novo |
| Flavor Profile | Berry, Winey |
| Fresh Filter | Prior Crops 12+ Months |
The story of Gil César de Melo mixes tradition with passion and daring. The story takes place near Campos Altos, the deep interior of Minas Gerais. And it starts with Gil’s grandfather, Miguel Constante, who had a daughter, Elizena Sebastiana de Melo, who married João Rafael de Melo and had a son, Gil César de Melo.
As a boy Gil spent weekends and vacations with his grandfather on the farm; at that time coffee was transported by ox cart. Growing up, Gil took an office job, then another in fertilizer sales.
He married, had children, and looked for an opportunity to get back to coffee. His day came when his cousin, a farmer, invited him to be a partner in a coffee endeavor. Together they planted the first 6 hectares that they grew into 22 hectares. When prices dropped to $ 33 a bag Gil’s cousin gave up; Gil Caesar decided to buy his cousin’s share and run the farm on his own.
Since then, Gil has grown the farm to 138 hectares of coffee plantations in a prime location in Campos Altos. The farm is separated by tree varietal, age and micro-climate. Proceeds are invested back into the farm, into a local school, and into an experimental plot with 17 new varietals solely for research.
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