Brazil
Montanhas do Espirito Santo
José Fernando Fortunato
Sítio Bateia
Red Catucai
Pulped Natural
July–November
Dark Chocolate, Yellow Raisin, Floral, Citrus
940 meters
N/A
60 kg w/ GrainPro
SOLD OUT
Sítio Bateia can be found in the municipality of Castelo in the mountains of Capixabas in the south of Espírito Santo state. The farm is a partnership between three producers—José Fernando Fortunato, Ederval Sartori, and Edson Pires Sartori—who work together to cultivate the coffee here. After harvest, the coffee is divided between the three for post-harvest processing and sold by the producers as individuals.
Coffee producer José Fernando Fortunato grew up in the Bateia community since he was seven years old. His career in coffee began with him working on a farm for many years learning the standards of coffee production, but it wasn’t until he began working with brothers Ederval and Edson Sartori on Sítio Bateia that he learned about specialty coffee production.
José Fernando and the Sartori brothers have been developing their production processes for many years now at the farm. They adhere to selective harvest of only ripe cherries, and José Fernando dries his coffees on suspended beds in a greenhouse for a total of 15–20 days. Together they all share a vision of quality and sustainability in their production, seeking continuous improvement in their harvest and post-harvest processes.
This lot of Red Catucai underwent Pulped Natural processing. Catucai was developed as a cross between Icatu and Catuai. The first selection was made in 1988 by researchers at the then Brazilian Coffee Institute (IBC) in a population of the Red Icatu cultivar. After generations of breeding and selection in both Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo, the program gave rise to cultivars with red fruits and yellow fruits, then named Catucai.
The Montanhas do Espírito Santo region is dominated by small-scale coffee-growers and is characterized by the presence of farmers who are actively engaged in the entire chain of the production process. Growers in Espírito Santo work with family members and build off of traditional knowledge to innovate and improve their quality of life and coffee.
Located in the southern area of the Espírito Santo state, where mild temperatures (73ºF) and steep highlands (between 700 and 1,000 meters) favor growing Arabica coffees, this region produces a superb quality coffee with a round body, nice acidity, and fine sweetness. While the most common process for the region is Natural, Pulped Naturals are increasing in popularity due to a program of quality launched in the 1980’s that included improvements in equipment necessary for this newer style of processing.
The state of Espírito Santo has its capital in the city of Vitoria, and the coastal location of Espírito Santo to the south of Bahia, east of Minas Gerais, and North of Rio de Janeiro makes it a popular destination for its beaches. Inland, Espirito Santo is home to natural parks and preserves that protect the rich diversity of flora and fauna. Many communities in the mountains of Espírito Santo were settled at the beginning of the twentieth century by European immigrants from Italy and the Pomeranian region along the Baltic Sea coast, straddling the border between what are now Germany and Poland.
