Sítio da Torre

  • Country
    Brazil
  • State
    Minas Gerais
  • Region
    Mantiqueira de Minas
  • Town
    Carmo de Minas
  • Altitude
    1,100 – 1,300m above sea level
  • Variety
    Yellow Bourbon
  • Processing
    Pulped Natural
  • Owner
    Alvaro Antônio Pereira Coli
  • Awards
    Cup of Excellence 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015

Well structured and balanced, with silky mouthfeel, refined orange acidity, and notes of berries, honey, raisins and dark chocolate.

Sítio da Torre (meaning ‘Site of the Tower’) is a family-owned and managed farm in the municipality of Carmo de Minas, in the Mantiqueira de Minas region of Sul de Minas. This region is one of the best-awarded regions in Brazil, and recently received the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) due to its tradition and worldwide reputation for producing exceptional coffee.

Sítio da Torre sits at an altitude of 1,100–1,300 metres above sea level. The farm benefits from mild year-round temperatures, well-defined seasons, well-distributed rainfall, and rich fertile soil—a combination of geographical and climatic conditions that create an ideal environment for growing specialty coffee.

Sítio da Torre extends over 65 hectares, 35 hectares of which are dedicated to coffee production. The farm cultivates several different coffee varietals, including Bourbon, Acaia, Catuaí, and Catucaí. This particular lot is 100% Yellow Bourbon, which is harvested and processed separately from the other lots to maintain its distinct characteristics. Only 1200kg of this special micro-lot were produced.

The Pereira family has specialised in coffee for four generations. Today their farm is run by Álvaro Antônio Pereira Coli who works the land that his great-grandfather planted with coffee in the 1860s. Alvaro took over the estate in 1995. Historically, the farm produced more conventional coffees, however Alvaro has spent the last two decades investing in improvements on the farm to allow them to focus on producing the highest quality coffee possible, in a manner that is economically viable, socially responsible, and environmentally friendly. As a result he has doubled his estate’s income and dramatically improved his farm’s potential to produce exceptional quality.

PROCESSING AT SÍTIO DA TORRE

In order to guarantee quality, Pereira Coli employs a number of skilled workers to carry out most of the production process by hand. Cherries are carefully hand-picked when they are perfectly ripe, pulped, and dried in thin layers in the sun on raised beds (at least 20 times per day) until they reach 11.5% humidity. Workers turn the coffees regularly to ensure the coffee dries evenly, and each lot is numbered and kept separate until it is cupped and its quality assessed.

The combination of the fantastic natural conditions of this region, combined with Pereira Coli’s meticulous crop management, and careful post-harvest processing and selection results in excellent quality, award-winning coffees year after year. Their coffee has been recognised many times in the Cup of Excellence awards, and we were certainly impressed with this coffee’s profile when we tasted it in Brazil. It stood out as one of our favourite coffees on the table, and we are very excited to share it with you!