Origins › Brazil › Matas de Minas
Matas de Minas
Minas Gerais
- Altitude
- 600 – 1,100 m
- Body
- full to very full
- Acidity
- balanced, delicate
What it is
Steep, humid, forested country in eastern Minas — the Zona da Mata — between 600 and 1,100 m, among the last fragments of Atlantic rainforest.
What it's known for
A late arrival. Written off for decades as bulk-producing country, it now places regularly in Cup of Excellence. Full body, pronounced sweetness, citrus and caramel.
The character of the place
The hills are too steep for machines, so nearly everything is picked by hand on farms small enough to walk across. The turnaround came from the growers themselves: regional cupping competitions in the 2000s proved the quality was there, and the reputation followed.
Cup attributes
| Acidity | balanced, delicate |
| Aroma | intense, floral and citrus |
| Body | full to very full |
| Flavour | pronounced sweetness, citrus, caramel, chocolate |
| Finish | pleasant and prolonged |
| Varieties | Catuaí (80%), Mundo Novo |