Topazio — Brazil / Natural Process

Rio Brilhante Topazio (Brazil)

Relation
Fazenda Rio Brilhante is a multi-generational coffee estate found in the micro-region of Pântano, in the state of Minas Gerais. The farm’s founder, Inácio Urban, initially planted only 0,2 square kilometres of coffee trees, so as to “learn what it is like to grow coffee”, on land that at the time many considered undesirable for coffee production. Inácio disagreed, and that same land has now hosts 16 square kilometres of coffee tree, divided into 45 sections based on both micro-climate and terroir. It is safe to say that Inácio has been proven right. The management of the farm now includes Inácio’s children, Erika and Fernando, as well as his son-in-law Noé.

Project
Rio Brilhante works in partnership with our exporting partner, Los Volcanes Coffee, in ensuring that the drying and sorting of their coffee is of the utmost quality. Los Volcanes has adapted their models developed in Guatemala for the unique terroir of Brazil. At Rio Brilhante, this means separating each lots by section and day they were picked (known as ‘day lots’), for processing and sorting into blends with other lots based on their cup profile.

Coffee
This microlot is a selection of the Topazio variety that grows on the estate, which is itself a cross of Mundo Novo and Yellow Catuai. The cherries are sorted by density before being piled in a 1,5-2m tall mound and left to ferment for 24 hours to build the complexity of flavour, before being dried as a natural process. The result is one of the most complex coffees we have ever had from Brazil, with every sip showing a different side of its personality. Delicate jasmine and violet florals accompany notes of cherry and a viscous nutty texture.