What Defines the Coffee Trees at Finca Santa Teresa?
Finca Santa Teresa is a 100-hectare high-altitude estate on the Panama-Costa Rica border, managed by Juan Pablo Berard and his daughter Maria Luisia. Twenty-five hectares are kept as virgin forest for wildlife, and the coffee trees include Caturra, Catuai, and Geisha grown in volcanic black soil.
Because the site draws on both Pacific and Atlantic weather, the estate produces a range of micro-lot coffees rather than a single profile. Its washed Catuai has repeatedly placed in Panama's Cup of Excellence competition, and in 2012 a lot was selected by the World Brewers Cup champion. The estate also runs its own processing plant from cherry to bagged shipment.
Located in the border region between Panama and Costa Rica, Finca Santa Teresa is a hundred-hectare high-altitude coffee estate. The estate owner Juan Pablo Berard and his daughter Maria Luisia manage this land together, and have deliberately preserved twenty-five hectares of virgin forest as a habitat for wildlife. The estate cultivates varieties such as Caturra, Catuai, and Geisha, and thanks to the volcanic black soil and the dual climatic influences of the Pacific and Atlantic, it produces diverse micro-lot specialty coffees. The estate has achieved repeated success in Panama's annual Cup of Excellence (CoE) competition, and was even selected in 2012 by the World Brewers Cup champion. This article will guide you through the estate's geography, cultivation philosophy, the flavor profile of its washed Catuai, and its award records over the years, offering an in-depth look at the charm of this quintessential washed Panama coffee. Front Street Coffee also recommends paying attention to this estate's lots.
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Geographic Location of Panama FST Finca Santa Teresa / Finca Santa Teresa
Finca Santa Teresa (FST) is located in the Santa Clara district on the border between Panama and Costa Rica, and is jointly managed by estate owner Juan Pablo Berard and his daughter Maria Luisia. The entire estate covers 100 hectares, of which 25 hectares are designated as virgin forest for wildlife to inhabit and reproduce. The coffee varieties cultivated on the estate include Caturra, Catuai, and Geisha. This estate has won numerous awards and is also actively involved in local education: by joining the non-profit organization the NGO, Casa Esperanza, it obtained the resources of two teachers; Juan Pablo funded the construction of school buildings and provided books and meals, dedicating himself to advancing local education. Although the estate's planting scale is not particularly large, it has its own processing plant and can independently complete all steps from cherry harvest to bagging and shipping—small but complete in every detail. Most employees are local residents from the border region and are well cared for by the estate owner.
Coffee Cultivation at Finca Santa Teresa
Finca Santa Teresa (FST) is situated at a high altitude, with fertile black volcanic soil and the nourishment of both Pacific and Atlantic climates. Together, these conditions create the excellent quality of its coffee. The estate is distributed among beautiful valleys and ridges, forming diverse microclimates that give each micro-lot specialty green bean a distinctly different character.
In cultivation and green bean processing, Santa Teresa consistently adheres to environmentally friendly practices, and all waste generated during production is recycled and converted into fertilizer or fuel. In addition, the estate provides all employees with free meals, medical care, housing, transportation, utilities, and educational support. There is also a school on the farm specifically providing education for employees' children, so that farming families do not need to be distracted by household matters and can devote themselves fully to caring for the coffee trees.
Flavor Description of Finca Santa Teresa Washed Caturra/Catuai Coffee
This micro-lot Finca Santa Teresa washed Caturra/Catuai coffee has a distinctive flavor and has won countless awards in past Panama Cup of Excellence (CoE) competitions. Its flavor characteristics are: strawberry floral notes, creamy roasted nuts accompanied by sugarcane sweetness, milk chocolate, and a pleasing balance of acidity and sweetness.
Flavor notes:
The dry aroma presents caramel and citrus notes.
On the palate, the fresh notes of citrus fruits such as lime, orange, and orange peel are immediately perceptible, with a lingering finish of roasted nuts and creamy cocoa; the overall mouthfeel is smooth, making it a quintessential washed Panama coffee.
Award records of Finca Santa Teresa:
2013 Best of Panama –
Third place (Geisha Natural);
Fourth place (Geisha Honey);
Sixth place (Geisha Lavado)
2012 – Used by the World Brewers Cup champion (FST Geisha)
2012 Best of Panama – Fourth place (Geisha)
2011 Best of Panama – Third place
2007 Best of Panama – Sixth place
2005 Best of Panama – Fourth place
Product name: Panama Finca Santa Teresa Washed Caturra/Catuai
(Panama Finca Santa Teresa Caturra/Catuai Washed)
Region: Santa Clara production area, La Amistad
Variety: Caturra/Catuai, washed process
Producer: Finca Santa Teresa
Altitude: 1400–1500 meters
Grade: Strictly Hard Bean (SHB)
Size: 100 hectares
Processing: Washed
Harvest: N/A
Flavor characteristics: strawberry floral notes, creamy roasted nuts with sugarcane sweetness, milk chocolate, and a pleasing acidity-sweetness balance.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
