| Country | |
|---|---|
| Continent | |
| Region | Carmo do Paranaíba, Cerrado, Minas Gerais |
| Community Name | Sao Luiz Estate |
| Processing Method | |
| Arrival Date | January 2021 |
| Cupping Notes Upon Arrival | 85.25 – Cherries, caramel, fig newton, orange |
| Elevation | 1050 – 1160 MASL |
| Varietals | Mundo Novo, Red and Yellow Catuai |
| Fresh Filter | Prior Crops 12+ Months |
This is the Cerrado Mineiro region of Minas Gerais; an area best described as a high-altitude savannah, and best known as the carrot capital of Brazil. In addition to producing nearly half of the country’s carrots, this region also grows onions, garlic, onion, potatoes….and coffee.
Coffee was the most recent to join the party, starting in the 1970’s. Quality has always been high, but the coffee has never made it to export before being bulked, and has traded at commodity. But now, a new generation of farmers has returned to talk about ‘specialty coffee’.
Cerrado Mineiro’s newfound reputation for coffee was in many ways earned by work done at Sao Luiz Estate. São Luiz Estate is in Carmo do Paranaiba, and the first in this region to pioneer the pulp-natural process fully — 20 years ago. This was under the eyes of Fausto do Espirito Santo Velloso, who is in the process of passing farm management on to son Lucio, and daughter Ana. This new generation is moving aggressively into the next stage of specialty. Ana left a career in marketing to come back to the family business, bringing with her an understanding of what the market wanted, whereas Lucio stayed on as the farm’s head of production. They are a perfect pairing of curiosity and capability, and a great example of the future of specialty coffee in Brazil.
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