Costa Rica Monte Alto Venecia Nº 348

Tarrazú is a top tier coffee growing region in Costa Rica's interior mountains, south of San José, known for producing around 40% of the nation’s coffee. In 2013, Gerardo and Jennifer Arias, a father and daughter duo, decided to start a family project which would later become a business called Cafe Directo, dedicated to the production, processing, and marketing of the finest Costa Rican Tarrazú coffees. Their main vision is to contribute to the development of their society through fair and ethical trade.

Cafe Directo operates two farms, Finca Casa de Piedra and, the one that produced this lot, Finca Monte Alto. Monte Alto, which literally translates to “high mountain”, unsurprisingly has the higher altitude of the two farms, with elevations up to 2,000 masl, lending itself well to the production of highly complex arabica. Paired with volcanic soil and a cool climate, this allows for a wide range of varieties to flourish, including Catuai, Pacamara, and Gesha. Its founders have over three decades of experience in the production and processing of both large traditional lots and specialty microlots. Their work covers a wide range of processing styles, from traditional methods to innovative fermentations, including natural, yellow, red, and black honey, anaerobic, semi-washed, and fully washed processes.

This lot is one of the innovative fermentation variants. Cherry harvesting is paramount, Brix readings are taken to measure the sugar content of the cherries, ensuring that only the ripest fruit is harvested at the perfect time. Prior to fermentation, the cherries are pre-dried on patios for 48 hours before being placed in plastic tanks without valves. During this process, temperature is carefully controlled, while close attention is paid to the Brix content, as well as the aroma and appearance of the pulp itself. The final step is drying, which takes place on raised beds for an average of 30 days.