Guatemala Los Volcanes Rosario de Fatima

Notes of Nectarine, Brown Sugar, Golden Raisins & Cocoa, with a Round Body.

Finca Rosario de Fátima is a beautiful farm produced by the son of Jens Sterkel, Joerg Sterkel. This farm, located in the cloudy moist region of Cobán, has been in the Strekel family since the 18th Century. Coffee cultivation in Cobán by was started by German immigrant families, like the Sterkels’. Before world war II German immigrants owned about 80% of the farmland in Cobán. However, during WWII with pressure from allying countries, the Guatemalan Government deported hundreds of Germans in the area opening up farmland for the indigenous locals of Cobán. Fátima is located in a valley surrounded by mountains that trap the Atlantic ocean winds to create a moist cool climate. Characterized by its rainy and rainier season, with the ‘Chipi Chipi’ ​ or light mist coating the land of this cloudy region, the moist soils are ideal for coffee cultivation. However, the amount of rainfall and cloud coverage can also cause problems if farms do not work with the unique micro climate. For this reason, Fátima has very few shade trees to allow for the maximum amount of sunlight to reach the plants. The moist climate also facilitates the spread of diseases among coffee plantations. For this reason, Fátima spaces their coffee plants farther apart than traditional coffee farms to give optimal exposure to sunlight, room for water drainage, and to help prevent the spread of diseases. The farm managers, Don Carlos, has been working with Fátima for over 50 years. He has planted and cultivated majority of the 30-60 years old Caturra, Bourbon and Catuí varietals. Fátima manages and renovates the farm by lot. They observe the farming qualities of the productive lots (varietals, spacing, soil management, shading) and apply these techniques to the less productive lots. This farming method along with the feedback from the LVC lab allow Fátima to produce specialty, traceable coffee year after year.