Costa Rica RFA West Valley La Candelaria Estate

Notes - Lemon, Pineapple, Passionfruit, Chocolate, Candy Sweet

Grower -  La Candelaria Estate

Altitude - 1200-1400 masl

Variety - Catuai, Caturra, Villa Sarchi

Soil - Volcanic loam

Region - Candelaria, Palmares, Alajuela

Process - Fully washed 

Harvest - December-January

Certification - Rain Forest Alliance

The Estate
La Candelaria estate is large for Costa Rican standards. The estate is located in the vicinity of Palmares, in the Alajuela province. Alajuela is part of Costa Rica’s well-known West Valley, one of the country’s most historic coffee regions.

Environmental Stewardship
La Candelaria is 150 hectares of blended coffee production and natural forest preserve. Hans Aeberhard, the owner and manager since 1980, runs both a native wildlife protection program and a reforestation program on the estate, in addition to maintaining Rain Forest Alliance certification. In the greater community La Candelaria seeks to make an impact as well, by providing economic aid to the nearby rural school, which is used for nutrition and learning supplies.  

Processing Detail
When it comes to coffee, Hans processes and mills on property where he can oversee a variety of techniques. (This is Costa Rica, after all, where it is not uncommon to see even small family plots exercising extreme levels of mastery over various degrees of honey and natural profiles made at home.) This washed lot is a standard depulped, fermented, washed, and screen-dried blend of cultivars from across La Candelaria.