| Farm | Fazenda Santa Clara |
|---|---|
| Process | Anaerobic Natural |
| Variety | Yellow Catuai |
| Elevation | 1100 MASL |
| Region | Oliveira, Campo das Vertentes |
| Country | Brazil |
| Harvest | May-August |
BRAZIL
Let’s together uncover the journey of this coffee and the quiet revolution unfolding at Fazenda Santa Clara. This microlot from the Sancoffee group showcases how a forward-thinking farm in Brazil’s Campo das Vertentes is turning a classic variety—Yellow Catuai—into something unexpectedly bright and layered through meticulous anaerobic natural processing, earning a stellar 88-point cupping score.
Overview and Cup Profile
This microlot hails from Fazenda Santa Clara in the Oliveira area of Campo das Vertentes, Minas Gerais, Brazil. It’s 100% Yellow Catuai variety, grown at 1,100 meters above sea level (MASL), and processed via anaerobic natural method. Cupping Notes: Bergamot, Balanced Sweet and Mildy Tart—showcasing the variety’s clean foundation elevated through precise, controlled fermentation and extended drying.
Fazenda Santa Clara: History and Context
Fazenda Santa Clara stands as a trailblazer in sustainable Brazilian coffee, with organic cultivation beginning in 1999 under producer Paulo Teixeira Giordani—making it one of the early adopters of chemical-free practices in the country. The farm integrates into Sancoffee, a B-corp certified cooperative that unites around 20 member farms in Campo das Vertentes to foster transparency, quality, and community impact. Through shared resources, direct export support, and sustainability initiatives, Sancoffee empowers producers like those at Santa Clara to focus on innovation while upholding ethical, regenerative farming.
The Yellow Catuai Variety and Campo das Vertentes Terroir
Yellow Catuai, a high-yielding dwarf hybrid developed by Brazil’s Instituto Agronômico de Campinas (IAC) from Caturra and Mundo Novo crosses, was released in the 1970s. The yellow-cherry variant delivers clean sweetness, adaptability to dense planting, and consistent quality, thriving in Brazil’s modern systems.
Campo das Vertentes, in south-central Minas Gerais, boasts a rich coffee heritage dating to the mid-19th century, with prominence by the 1880s. Its rolling hills, moderate altitudes, fertile soils, and well-defined dry winters create ideal conditions for slow maturation and even natural drying. The region’s cooler microclimates and growing recognition (including efforts toward protected origin status) support nuanced, fruit-forward specialty expressions that stand apart from Brazil’s larger-scale zones. At 1,100 MASL, Fazenda Santa Clara benefits from this balanced terroir, yielding cherries with concentrated aromatics.
Anaerobic Natural Process: How It’s Made
This method layers whole-cherry fermentation with natural drying for elevated complexity:
Harvesting and Sorting: Ripe cherries are selectively hand-picked during the May-to-August harvest.
Anaerobic Fermentation: Whole cherries ferment in sealed, oxygen-free tanks (typically for days, with pH monitoring) to develop bright, aromatic notes like bergamot without off-flavors.
Drying: Fermented cherries spread on raised beds or patios for extended, even drying in the region’s sunny yet controlled climate, with regular turning to achieve 10-12% moisture.
The result intensifies fresh bergamot while locking in depth and mild tart sweetness from Yellow Catuai.
The Story Behind the Microlot
This microlot captures Brazil’s specialty frontier: a deliberate move into experimental anaerobic techniques that reveal new dimensions in established varieties. Through pioneers like Fazenda Santa Clara and cooperatives like Sancoffee, the region is advancing precise, innovative processing—turning heritage farms into sources of bright, layered coffees that compete at the highest levels.
Why Process This Way?
Anaerobic natural processing amplifies Yellow Catuai’s inherent cleanliness with vivid aromatics (bergamot, spices), tart brightness, and controlled sweetness—offering precision and consistency in an advanced method. For producers in emerging areas like Campo das Vertentes, it creates standout microlots that reward meticulous care and position Brazil as a source of sophisticated, high-scoring specialty expressions.
In short, this Fazenda Santa Clara microlot is a story of quiet innovation and elevated craft—a forward-thinking farm in a rising region producing aromatic, distinctive cups that redefine what Brazilian specialty coffee can be.
Note: Photos of Anaerobic Natural Processed Coffee are representative of the processing methodology and may not be specific to this Yellow Catuai.
Cupping Score 88