Hundred House Coffee - Colombia - Cristina Villota, El Rincon - Washed

Nariño is a region well known for quality coffee. Located in the south of Colombia, coffee has been produced in this region since the 19th century and is home to over 35,000 farming families who farm less than 1 ha on average. 90% of farms are situated between 1500 and 2300 meters above sea level and the coffee grown here is some of the highest cultivated in the country. Coffee grows at such high altitudes due to the relatively stable climate; the average temperature is 19 degrees and ranges between 25.9 and 16 degrees, with rainfall of 1866mm and 1666 sunlight hours per year. Between 1998 and 2009, 18,000 of the 32,500 hectares of coffee in the region was renewed under the Federation’s Competitiveness programme. The main varietals grown are Colombia, Castillo and Caturra and due to the growing conditions, Nariño is known for producing quality coffee with clean, crisp and high acidity.

This small lot from Cristina Villota represents two separate picking passes. Cristina runs 3ha of her land and also manages another 5ha of her brother’s farm. Strict picking practices, steady and gradual drying, the microclimate, well-maintained trees and multipurpose shade trees are all contributing factors to the quality of Cristina’s coffee.