Tasting Notes:
Chocolate Malt
Pecan
Brown Sugar
Producer: Rafael Naves de Figuereido
Region: Sul de Minas, Minas Gereis
Processing: Natural
Variety: Catucai
Altitude: 1300m

Description: Sitio Bela Vista is owned and operated by Rafael Naves de Figuereido, a young agronomist from Minas Gerais. He grew up on a traditional farm called “Fazenda do Gordura”, where he learnt about coffee farming from his grandfather and developed his love for cultivating the land. He completed his studies in 2012, worked as an agronomist in Brazil’s main coffee-growing region for almost ten years, before buying Sitio Bela Vista in 2019. His farm is relatively high for Brazil, sitting at 1300 metres, and he leverages the superior growing climate to refine the flavour profile of his coffee. His efforts have been rewarded, as he placed 4th in the 2024 Cup of Excellence competition with a natural Catucaí lot, the same variety you’re sipping on this month. While his coffee does not dip into the intense, fruity aromas of other naturals, I was pleased with the depth, complexity, and sweetness in this cup. A classic everyday sipper, Rafael’s coffee takes Brazil’s classic profile and elevates it.