Story
A first North American export, this washed lot of 100% Typica comes to us from Antonia Fuentes’s 6-hectare farm in the high-elevation Sierra Sur region of Oaxaca, Mexico. Antonia was born in the nearby village of San Andrés Lovene, where Zapotec is still spoken everyday, and where she’s part of the Lovene producer group. A mother of eight, a full-time farmer, and the heart of her household, this is the second straight year she’s sold her entire harvest of approx. 2,500 kg of parchment coffee; of which we bought 690 Kg via our export partner Azahar Coffee.
In the cup we taste stewed mango, marzipan, and custard.
Antonia’s farm, named Rancho La Perla, is situated at around 1,600 MASL where Typica plants thrive, much more than Bourbon, which relies on heavier rainfall. With its origins having been traced back to Yemen, Typica is one of the oldest cultivated coffee lines in the Arabica variety. In Oaxaca, plants receive plenty of sunlight, warm temperatures and cool winds, all helping to develop the cherry’s complex flavours and aromas.
Also in Oaxaca, producers rely more heavily on traditional, ancestral growing methodologies than modern, technologically-advanced agricultural practices. This state is less recognized for specialty coffee production compared to Chiapas (where our current Sierra Azul and forthcoming Triunfo Verde coffees are from). But coffees from Oaxaca feature subtle, distinct reflections of terroir, due in part to the highly personalized, inter-generational methods farmers use in cultivation. Antonia eschews the use of any chemicals, and focuses on naturally sustainable practices to ensure the land gives back to their family for years to come.
Through January and February each year, Antonia and her family carefully select the ripest cherries, harvesting them with precision and intuition. Like many small farmers in Oaxaca, she processes the coffee on-site using her own wet mill. She then ferments the beans for 15-24 hours in parchment, and spreads them out on a mesh blanket on her patio to sun-dry for 8-10 days. Enjoy the delicate taste profile of this spectacular single-farm coffee, crafted with love and passion.
