Region: Carmo de Minas, Minas Gerais
Elevation: 1300 masl
About: The Junqueira family has cultivated coffee at Serra das Três Barras for eight generations. Leading the way is José Wagner Ribeiro Junqueira, with his wife, Margarida, and his sons Kléber, Ralf, and Herbert. Their farm sits at an elevation of 1,100 to 1,450 metres above sea level, and they focus on producing high-quality micro-lots. Serra das Três Barras stands out from other Brazilian farms due to its unique approach. In Brazil, labour costs are high, making it challenging for large farms to hire enough workers for harvesting. Consequently, many farms rely on machines for the task. However, at Serra das Três Barras, workers are employed to meticulously hand-pick the cherries.
In 2011, Nolan, the founder of Proud Mary, first visited José Wagner. Since then, Proud Mary has formed a lasting partnership with him. José’s coffee transformed Nolan's perception of Brazilian coffee, and in 2012, he purchased the entire Cup of Excellence #4-winning coffee from José and sold it as the house espresso to spread the message of how unique Brazilian coffees can be. Year after year, José’s coffee continues to impress, and this year is no exception.
