Brazil
Mantiqueira de Minas
João Henrique Constanti Marques Grillo
Santa Maria do Vintem
Red Catuaí
Natural
July-August
Citrus, Peanuts
1100 meters
Minas Coffee Origin Initiative
60kg with liner
SOLD OUT
João Henrique Constanti Marques Grillo’s history with quality coffee began 8 years ago when he rented Fazenda Santa Maria do Vintém in 2012. Motivated by a childhood dream and a passion for the land incentivized by his friend Maruo Mello, an agronomist specializing in coffee, he went to visit the farm. After the visit, he decided to rent the property and tend to its 70,000 coffee trees. The trees were degraded after being left unmanaged for many years. This was a shame, given they excellent way they had been taken care of by their previous owner, Mr. Roberto Jesus Carvalho Rennó, before he passed away.
Fazenda Santa Maria do Vintem has fertile soil, abundant water, and high elevation. João Henrique saw these conditions as setting the perfect stage for a new beginning for the farm. It was an opportunity to honor everything the land provided. Today, after many years of dedication, effort, and the work of friends and professionals, after some losses and some gains, the farm finds itself in good order. Its quality coffees earn high point scores and have performed notably in local cup contests.
Fazenda Santa Maria do Vintem is located in the city of Santa Rita do Sapucaí on 174 hectares with 34 hectares planted with coffee.
Santa Maria do Vintem is part of the Minas Coffee Origins initiative. Minas Coffee Origins are controlled origins that take specialty coffee to the next level. Controlled Origins are the product of the “terroir” produced in a demarcated area by the soil, climate, and topography characteristics combined with the production traditions of coffee growers.
These factors together generate coffee with inherent characteristics of the territory. To guarantee its authenticity, it must be produced following the official production process and controlled by an officially recognized association committed to help growers and the development of the coffee region.
Located on the northern side of the Serra da Mantiqueira mountain range in the southern part of the state of Minas Gerais, the Mantiqueira de Minas region is a demarcated area of 25 municipalities. It is officially recognized as an Indication of Origin for its tradition and worldwide reputation of producing coffees with unique sensory profiles.
Most producers in the region are smallholders who operate family farms and the region is differentiated by the unique terrain and the terroir it leads to in the cup. Coffees from Mantiqueira de Minas reflect both the place itself and the committed work of its producers. Mantiqueira includes more than 8,200 producers, 82% of whom are smallholders, and 56,000 hectares of mountain land planted with coffee. Most harvesting is still completed manually, and this and other practices keep the regional cultural heritage of coffee farming alive while at the same time pursuing new flavors.
