
Finca Monteblanco - the family farm of Rodrigo Sánchez Valencia
Finca Monteblanco, perched high along the winding mountain roads of Vereda La Tocora in the San Adolfo municipality, just above Pitalito, is a family-owned farm overseen by Rodrigo Sánchez Valencia, following a coffee cultivation tradition that began with his grandfather. Spanning 18 hectares, Monteblanco sits atop a hill, featuring the wet mill and drying facilities at its summit, with coffee slopes cascading below.
In 2002, Rodrigo engaged in a local initiative aimed at teaching the children of coffee producers about cupping. Prior to this, he and his family had never considered coffee in terms of its cup profile. By learning to distinguish different profiles, he, along with his father and grandfather, was able to connect their farming techniques to the resulting attributes of the coffee.
Around this time, Rodrigo also began exploring cupping competitions that assess the finest lots from regional farms. He observed that certain farms would win one year but never again, prompting him to investigate how to consistently produce quality coffee. This inquiry led him to examine the trees planted on Monteblanco, where he found various varieties that his grandfather had cultivated in the 1980s. Among these was Purple Caturra, a Caturra variety with cherries that ripen to a rich purple hue.
All cherries harvested are measured in degrees Brix. Based on sugar content indicated, the team at Aromas del Sur, the umbrella group of Monteblanco, Progreso, and La Loma farms, then designates which processing method is appropriate.
Rodrigo takes pride in the achievement of consistent quality, thanks to the collective efforts of his wife Claudia Samboni, farm manager Don Gerardo, and the dedicated team working in the fields and at the mill. Finca Monteblanco produces microlots each harvest that serve as competition coffees globally, while also consistently delivering delicious containers that grace café menus and retail shelves year-round. By implementing a strong ethic of rigorous monitoring, planning, and management at every production and processing stage, all coffees from Monteblanco reveal their full potential.
The harvesting and processing methods at Monteblanco have evolved to adapt to a changing climate, resulting in harvest times spread over ten months instead of a concentrated peak. Coffees from Monteblanco are milled and prepared for export at the cutting-edge Aromas del Sur drymill in Pitalito.