Margarissa Chelbesa

Translating as “land between rivers”, the Aquiares Estate and Community is found by the Aquiares and Turrialba rivers, high on the slopes of the active Turrialba volcano. Environmental stewardship and a commitment to innovation have been cornerstones of the estate since Alfonso Robelo took over in the late 1980s, and today his son Diego continues that legacy.

The Aquiares estate continues to push the boundaries of Costa Rican coffee under the leadership of Diego Robelo, through careful experimentation with processing while maintaining the exceptional quality the farm has become known for. The estate spans over 900 hectares, with around 200 hectares protected as native forest, reflecting a long-standing commitment to biodiversity and sustainability.

Circles comes from Fazenda Trapia in the Mantiqueira de Minas region, where Yellow Bourbon is naturally processed at around 1,200 masl. It is a steady, approachable coffee shaped by mountain-grown sweetness and careful farm work.

This coffee was grown in the lush, high-altitude landscapes of Banko Gotiti, in the Gedeb woreda on the southern edge of Yirgacheffe. Cultivated by smallholders who typically tend plots of 1 to 2 hectares at 1950-2100 masl, these farmers maintain traditional ‘coffee gardens’ where landrace varieties are intercropped with false bananas and indigenous shade trees. This district is celebrated for producing some of the best Ethiopian coffees, with high elevations and agroforestry systems contributing to an elegant, expressive cup profile.