Mantiqueira de minas

The Mantiqueira de Minas is a growing region located in southern Minas Gerais. The region comprises 25 municipalities and spans over 70,000 hectares, with around 9,200 coffee growers producing 1.5 million bags annually. It is defined geographically by the Mantiqueira Mountains, which rise from the banks of the Paraíba do Sul River and head northeast for over 300 km before merging with the Espinhaço Mountains. Part of the Mata Atlântica ecosystem, the region is known for its abundant water and is the source of drinking water for many cities in southeastern Brazil. In fact, many well-known spring waters are sourced throughout the region. The abundance of water and higher altitudes provide a propitious growing environment for the production of quality coffees, and the region was the first in Brazil to focus solely on high-quality coffees at a time before the country had established itself as a source of gourmet coffee.

Great coffees from Mantiqueira de Minas are bright, sweet, and clean, with crisp citric acidity followed by a long, sweet aftertaste.

The region is currently classified as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), and is in the process of obtaining their Denomination of Origin. Coffees that obtain the Seal of Indication of Origin Mantiqueira de Minas must meet the following requirements:

· The producing estate must be within the Mantiqueira de Minas demarcated area;

· The producer must be a member of one of the following entities: COCARIVE, COOPERRITA, COOPERVASS, Sindicatos dos Produtores Rurais de Carmo de Minas e de Santa Rita do Sapucaí;

· The coffee lot must be properly prepared and deposited in the warehouses of either COCARIVE, COOPERRITA, or COOPERVASS

· The coffee must have a minimum quality and sensory analysis score of 83 (eighty-three) points or above in the SCA methodology, scored by at least 2 (two) cupping judges affiliated with the cooperatives that comprise APROCAM.