Cerrado Mineiro, Brazil

The Cerrado Mineiro, a high savanna plateau in Minas Gerais, became Brazil's first coffee region to earn a Denomination of Origin, recognised in 2013, formalising a clearly defined terroir of about 55 municipalities. Its flat-to-rolling topography between roughly 800 and 1,300 metres and pronounced wet/dry seasons make it ideal for mechanised harvesting and uniform natural and pulped-natural processing. The coffees — mostly Mundo Novo, Catuaí, and Yellow Bourbon — are classically Brazilian: heavy body, low acidity, and milk-chocolate, peanut, and caramel sweetness that form the backbone of countless espresso blends worldwide. The Cerrado shows how scale, climate, and organisation made Brazil the world's largest producer.

At a glance

• Altitude: 800–1300 masl
• Typical varieties: Mundo Novo, Catuai, Yellow Bourbon, Acaiá
• Common processes: Natural, Pulped Natural
• Harvest: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Climate

Savanna climate with distinct wet and dry seasons enabling reliable natural drying.

Soil & terroir

Deep, acidic cerrado soils, often requiring correction.