The place
Rubio lies in the Táchira Andes close to the Colombian border, with coffee between roughly 800 and 1,600 metres. Coffee cultivation in Táchira began in 1794, when Gervasio Rubio planted it on his estate, later known as Hacienda Rubio; the town carries his name.
By the 1870s Táchira had become Venezuela's leading coffee region. German trading houses based in Maracaibo opened branches in Rubio and San Cristóbal, financing farmers and shipping their coffee down to the lake.
Monteclaro
Monteclaro (also written Monte Claro) was developed by Venezuela's National Institute for Agricultural Research (INIA) in Táchira after decades of breeding, and registered in 2013. It tolerates coffee leaf rust and has done well in cupping competitions; it is now being planted widely across the Andes.
In the cup
Táchira coffees are often compared with neighbouring Colombian coffees: rich acidity, medium body and occasional fruitiness.
Varieties grown in Rubio
Container lots are field blends of several cultivars. In Rubio the main ones are: Monteclaro, Typica, Bourbon, Caturra, Castillo, Colombia 27. See our guide to Venezuelan coffee varieties.
Buying Rubio coffee
Lots from Rubio are available on request and shipped FOB Puerto Cabello or CIF to your port, with a quality certificate per lot and EUDR geolocation data for EU shipments. Farm names and plot coordinates are disclosed upon contract signing. Read our EUDR guide for importers or request an offer.
