Gabriel De Carvalho, Brazil

Fazenda Cachoeira da Grama has been in the Carvalho Dias family since 1890 and today is managed by Gabriel de Carvalho Dias, whose background in agronomy brings a strong focus on plant health, soil science, and consistent cup quality.  Set in the highlands of Vale da Grama, the combination of altitude, volcanic soils, and steep terrain helps slow cherry maturation and build sweetness and structure in the cup. The slopes are steep enough that much of the work is done by hand, keeping selection and handling precise from harvest onwards.

The farm acts as a processing centre and a hub for research and development, with ongoing work around variety selection, harvest practices, and post-harvest processing and drying methods — all geared toward continuous improvement and becoming a benchmark for Brazilian specialty coffee.

Sustainability is central to the farm’s management. A programme of planting native species supports biodiversity and ecological balance. The farm also invests in its community with on-site facilities for employees and their families, including a school, club, and football pitch, alongside housing and infrastructure.

This lot is hand-picked, with cloth laid beneath the trees to prevent cherries from contacting the soil. After harvesting, the cherries are pulped (skin removed), then dried with the mucilage still on the parchment on raised beds and covered patios until they reach around 20% moisture. The coffee is then finished in mechanical dryers down to ~11% moisture, before resting in a controlled, odour-free warehouse with regulated humidity to protect sweetness and clarity.

Pulped natural tends to sit neatly between washed and natural: cleaner than a full natural, but with extra sweetness and body. It's essentially the Brazilian-equivalent of a honey processed coffee like our Aponte Honey - only the level of fruit (mucilage) sugars left on the cherry isn't indicated.