vale da grama
The Vale da Grama is home to some of Brazil’s best-known specialty coffee farms: Recreio, Rainha, Santa Alina, Cachoeira da Grama, Irarema and Santa Inês, among others. Located within the larger Mogiana coffee region of São Paulo, the rugged topography, cool climate, and volcanic soils of this small region surrounding the town of São Sebastião da Grama provide the perfect conditions for producing wonderful, bright and dense coffees.
Great coffees from the Vale da Grama present bright lime-zest acidity balanced by complex raw cane sweetness that lasts well into the aftertaste.
A confluence of factors has led to the high quality of coffees found in the Vale da Grama. The area surrounding nearby Poços de Caldas is an ancient volcano, resulting in rich volcanic soils. The town’s name gives away another factor: a natural abundance of water. In fact, the “warm springs” of Poços de Caldas are a popular tourist destination. Cooler temperatures and higher altitudes also contribute to bright acidity and dense, sweet coffees. But none of these factors would matter if not for the strong tradition of coffee production carried forth by the growers of Vale da Grama. The 100 or so properties within this microregion are run by families steeped in tradition and dedicated to quality. While the region’s cooler temperatures and higher altitudes favor Yellow Bourbon, which excels in the Vale da Grama, an abundance of other cultivars such as Catuaí, Mundo Novo, Topázio Pacamara, Maragogipe, and many others are grown here.
