Farm info

Bruno Henrique de Oliveira operates Fazenda Alto Sereno with his father, João Quinca, in Caparaó, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The property has been in the Quinca family for around a century, with several generations contributing to the family’s legacy as coffee producers. Bruno Henrique is the latest generation to carry on the tradition, returning home to work with his father after working as a lawyer in his first career.

Operations at Fazenda Alto Sereno revolve around sustainability and quality. Half of the property’s 90 hectares are reserved for native vegetation, featuring beautiful trails and landscapes and helping preserve the local ecosystem. Work toward quality is a constant effort, renewing plots around the farm and investing in varieties known for their quality. As a result, coffees from the farm have performed well in several renowned competitions in the region.

This lot of Catimor coffee underwent Natural processing. Catimor was originally developed by the University Federal de Viçosa in Brazil by crossing Timor Hybrid 832/1 and Caturra variety plants. Further selections of the variety were completed in Central America, eventually resulting in further hybrids common in the region, such as Costa Rica 95, Lempira, and Catisic varieties.

Region

Caparaó

The Caparaó region of Brazil, located on the border between the states of Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo, received a Denomination of Origin from the INPI in 2021. This certification recognizes the region as an area where coffee producers cultivate coffees with distinct characteristics thanks to the region’s combination of natural features and the skill of local coffee producers.

Caparaó is characterized by a mountainous relief and high slopes, balanced soil, and a climate favorable for coffee cultivation including 1,200–1,600mm of annual rainfall and average temperatures of 19–22°C.

Coffee producers in the region balance new technologies with institutional know-how passed through generations. Modern local standards include intentional selection of coffee varieties, separation of plots across farmlands, harvest and post-harvest procedures carried out per lot, and concrete terrace drying.