RIO BRILHANTE

Fazenda Rio Brilhante – Brazil

Origin: Brazil – Minas Gerais (Coromandel, Cerrado Mineiro)

Producer: Fazenda Rio Brilhante

Cultivars: Bourbon, Catuaí, Catucaí, Topázio, Arara

Altitude: 900 – 1,150 m

Process: Natural

Drying: Patios & mechanical dryers

Harvest: May → September

Origin and Production

Fazenda Rio Brilhante is located in the Pântano micro-region, in the heart of Cerrado Mineiro, one of Brazil's main coffee-growing areas. This region benefits from distinct seasons, regular rainfall, and an ideal climate for coffee production. Furthermore, the presence of a well-defined dry season is ideal for natural coffee production, which accounts for 80% of the farm's volume.

The farm was founded in the 1980s by Inácio Urban, from a family of migrants who left Brazil's southernmost state, Rio Grande do Sul, in search of new opportunities. When he arrived in Cerrado Mineiro, the land was of little value, and he saw a huge opportunity to develop coffee cultivation there.

He initially bought 20 hectares to learn about coffee farming. The farm gradually expanded, with land additions over the last 40 years, to now encompass more than 1,600 hectares cultivated with coffee.
It is now managed by the second generation, Inácio's children Erika and Fernando, ensuring both continuity and innovation.

The estate is now structured into 45 distinct plots, each with its own microclimate and characteristics. A significant portion of the farm is preserved as a natural area, promoting biodiversity and respecting local environmental requirements.

Production is large-scale but controlled, with approximately 130,000 bags produced annually, while maintaining a high level of traceability and quality.
Fazenda Rio Brilhante has won numerous awards in recent years, both in coffee quality competitions and from juries recognizing farms for their commitment to Ethics, Traceability, and Environmental Responsibility.

Process

This coffee is produced using the Natural process.

Harvesting is mostly mechanized, using machines called Colheitadeira that are finely calibrated to select only cherries at optimal ripeness, ensuring good consistency and homogeneity of the lots.

After harvest, the cherries are sorted by density to separate the higher quality lots.

These are processed by natural or pulped natural methods (i.e., partially depulped) with particular attention during fermentation and drying.

Drying is carried out on patios and supplemented by mechanical dryers, allowing for precise control and great regularity.