Fazenda Alta Vista Yellow Bourbon PN

Robson Vilela Martins purchased Alta Vista in 2001 after retiring from a 25‑year career in dentistry, fulfilling his ambition to own a farm and grow coffee. The estate cultivates two primary varieties, Yellow Bourbon (which composes this lot) and Yellow Catuaí, both valued for their clarity and sweetness. In 2007, his first harvest placed in Brazil's Cup of Excellence competition, a remarkable achievement which he has repeated multiple times in the years following.

Martins prioritizes his staff’s well-being while paying close attention to coffee’s quality. The result is a smooth, chocolatey coffee with delicate fruit acidity and lots of body.

Cultivated at an altitude of 1,000 to 1,300 meters above sea level, Alta Vista’s 90 hectares benefit from fertile soils and cool temperatures. These factors promote the slow maturation of cherries, resulting in a more complex cup. 

Coffee at Alta Vista is intercropped with banana trees, which shield them from sun exposure and strong winds. In addition, Martins has also planted approximately 4,200 native trees to establish the foundation for a permanent preservation area. 

Most Brazilian coffee is grown on huge farms, built and equipped for mechanical harvesting and processing, maximizing productivity. The relatively flat landscape across many of Brazil’s coffee regions combined with high minimum wages has led most farms to opt for this type of mechanical harvesting over selective hand-picking.
In the past, this mechanization meant that strip-picking was the norm; however, today’s mechanical harvesters are increasingly sensitive, meaning that farms can harvest only fully ripe cherries at each pass, which is good news for specialty-oriented producers.  

In many cases and on less level sections of farms, a mixed form of ‘manual mechanized’ harvesting may be used, where ripe coffee is picked using a derricadeira, a sort of mechanized rake that uses vibration to harvest ripe cherry. A tarp is spanned between coffee trees to capture the cherry as it falls. 

With the aid of these newer, more selective technologies, there’s a growing number of farms that are increasingly concerned with, and able to deliver, cup quality.  

After harvest, cherries are carefully selected to ensure optimal quality before being pulped. Parchment and remaining mucilage are typically laid to dry in thin layers on patios or raised beds. Throughout this process, parchment is carefully monitored and turned frequently to ensure even drying. 

Bourbon is a specialty coffee darling known for its excellent cup quality and good performance at high altitudes. The variety is susceptible to the major diseases, which can make it difficult to grow. Bourbon traces its heritage back to Yemen. French missionaries introduced Bourbon from Yemen to Bourbon Island (now known as La Reunion) in the early 1700s. Bourbon takes its name from the island where it prospered. Bourbon has had a huge effect on modern coffee varieties as one of the major ascensions for many varieties grown across the world. Today, Bourbon is available in both yellow and red varieties. 

Sucafina has partnered with COCARIVE since 2015. 

COCARIVE gives support to its members in all parts of the production chain. Their team of agronomists and technical experts assists with cultivation techniques, machinery, storage and finally commercialization of the beans.

Once parchment is dry, cooperative members send their coffee to the COCARIVE warehouses. The cooperative takes care of grading, commercialization and export. They have their own quality lab and storage and milling facilities in Carmo de Minas.

At the dry mill, where they prepare the coffee for export, COCARIVE has its own laboratory for quality control. Their team of trained cuppers and Q graders makes the first selection based on cup quality. They will verify which lots are suitable and of high enough cup quality for specialty microlots. Their quality control team checks the quality of every lot at a variety of times throughout the dry milling process analyzing both physical green and cup characteristics.

All COCARIVE member farms have the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) certificate. On top of that, they are all certified by the Brazilian Specialty Coffee Association (BSCA). This certificate is a guarantee from BSCA that every aspect of labor at the farm is legal. It also guarantees the implementation of environmentally friendly practices on the farm during all steps of the coffee production process.