Cachaça Rainha do Vale

The quality of the cachaça begins in the sugar plantation. The production process of the cachaça Rainha do Vale starts with the careful selection of the cane species, in order to provide a good and healthy sugar juice. Our sugar plantation is formed by cane species appropriate to our ground, climate, and height. The cane species were selected under the orientation of the Universidade Federal de Viçosa (Federal university of Viçosa), with the objective of providing high-quality raw material. We choose cane species resistant to the most common diseases. Then we do not need to use agrochemical in our cane plantation.

The cane must be harvested at the right point of growth, so we choose three different species of cane: the first is cut in May, the second is cut in July, and the third is cut in September. During all the harvest time, that lasts from May to November in our region, we have cane in its best point of growth. The harvesting is made without burning. The fresh cane is ground just after being cut. This perfect synchrony results in a product of high quality. All the cane used is produced on our farm.

The fermentation is one of the most important moments for the art of making a good cachaça. It is in the fermentation that occurs the transformation of the sugar in alcohol, in a natural biological process, for we do not put any kind of additive. We just make use of sugar juice and corn meal (the corn is planted on the farm, without the use of agrochemical or chemical products for the conservation). The environment where the fermentation happens is clean, ventilated and tranquil.

The distillation of the cachaça Rainha do Vale, as all the other stages, is made with accuracy and quality. During all the slow and meticulous process of distillation, the temperature is maintained constant. The warmth is provided by the boiler. Made in copper alembic, cooled by cold water come directly from the mine, the cachaça Rainha do Vale condenses, descending slowly and becoming an unique cachaça. During the distillation, the head and the tale are separate and eliminated. Then, the heart, which is the good part to be aged and drunk, is collected.

Afterwards, the heart is stored, in order to be aged, in jequitibá barrels, where it remains for approximately 18 months, what provides softness and gentleness to the cachaça Rainha do Vale. The jequitibá is the most neutral wood, in terms of transmission of aroma, flavour and colour for the cachaça. For this reason, the cachaça Rainha do Vale has the light goldish colour, its unique flavour and aroma, alcohol content of 46%.