Mate is gradually beginning to gain recognition.
Once consumed exclusively in the central region of South America, the opening to the global market and new consumer expectations has completely changed the production processes of mate for some farmers.
But then, why have the production methods been modified?
How can these new cultivation and production methods change the flavor of mate?
Summary
Traditional production of mate
Modern mate harvesting in monoculture
Previously, mate was grown completely wild to be consumed directly by the Guarani. The yerba mate tree was so widespread that there was not enough demand for a cultivation of the tree to be useful.
It was only after the arrival of the Jesuits in the Guarani territory, and the discovery of this plant, that a form of agriculture emerged for the first time. This plant then became democratized beyond the borders to become today an emblem of South American culture .
Over the years, the mate industry has significantly refocused on central South America, mainly affecting Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, Uruguay and southern Brazil .
The growing demand for mate has led to rather intensive agriculture driven by cultivation methods optimized for productivity.
Fertilizers and insecticides have also enabled increasingly strong production to meet demand at an ever more competitive price.
New production methods
The agroforestry cultivation method
Mate is increasingly gaining interest for its very particular flavor and its many virtues . We are seeing a significant increase in consumers around the world and this trend is likely to continue and even increase in the years to come.
This new demand has led to many changes in the cultivation of mate . Today, some growers focus their production on 100% international export, but to do so, they have had to adapt to consumption criteria, particularly European ones.
The metamorphosis of cultures first took place through organic farming .
Furthermore, to stand out, these farmers refocused on the plant and sought to improve the quality of the leaves at the expense of productivity.
But then, what improves the quality of mate? Does it influence the taste of the final infusion?
The influences of the quality of mate
The search for the quality influences of mate
Mate, like any plant, draws its resources mainly from the soil . In addition to the quality of the soil, the quality of plant growth depends on many factors, which themselves are more or less specific to the species.
Factors that influence the development of a plant include, for example, orientation, altitude, light, humidity, branch pruning technique, etc.
These factors, when identified, allow the plant to be grown optimally by maximizing its qualities .
Mate is no exception to these rules. When the main quality factors of mate were identified , real expertise was born and Grand Cru mates were born.
What are the quality factors of mate? What methods are used to obtain a Grand Cru mate?
The Terroir
The influence of the terroir on mate
Terroir is something we talk about a lot for wine or coffee, but whatever the plant, the terroir will greatly influence the growth and flavor of the fruits or leaves.
As we have seen previously, a plant is subject to many factors that influence its development. In particular the terroir, which brings together several sub-factors such as: topology, climate, soil, drainage and even geology.
Some cultures analyze the quality of the soils beforehand in order to take advantage of the best plots to obtain the best final quality of mate leaves.
We will obtain different complexities of flavors depending on the terroir, with notably floral , vegetal and even fruity notes.
We have carefully selected the plot which produces our fabulous grand cru mates each year.
Sowing
Careful selection of seedlings
Yerba mate has developed, over the years, different characteristics depending on its region. The final flavor of the mate is greatly influenced by the type of seed used for its cultivation.
The different seedlings result in visible distinctions in stems, leaf sizes, leaf color, and even the wax of the mate leaves.
The more the mate leaves develop a waxy, very shiny appearance, the more bitter the flavor of the infusion will be . This is what is called “native” yerba.
Brazilian seedlings, for example, have very intense green leaves with a slightly “waxy” appearance.
This is the type of yerba mate that our partner producers cultivate.
The different methods of cultivation
Yerba mate harvest in agroforestry
Mate can be grown in different ways. The cultivation method will also influence the final flavor of the infusion .
The first type of cultivation is traditional monoculture production. This is the type of cultivation with the highest productivity and with the fastest financial return.
Overproductivity is due to overexposure to the sun. Indeed, these crops are most often located in clearings, unlike the agroforestry model.
The second type of mate cultivation is agroforestry production.
This method of cultivation is based on natural cultivation , without fertilizers and above all at the heart of biodiversity . This agricultural model is not very productive due to the very significant shade and a much lower number of plants than in monoculture.
Mate leaves are harvested when ripe , approximately every 24 months, compared to 4 to 6 months for monoculture. As the leaves develop more slowly, the concentration of natural sugar and aroma is higher, giving them an incomparable taste quality.
The average yield of a monoculture, compared to an agroforestry model, is approximately 10 times higher , partly explaining the price differences between a mate grown in a “traditional” way or in agroforestry.
Drying
Drying the leaves will drastically influence the flavor of the mate . In fact, there are 2 types of drying that we will detail here.
- Slow drying with smoke
Barbacua type smoke drying
This is the most common type of drying. This drying consists of placing the mate leaves on a mat above an oven. The hot smoke will then pass between the leaves and dry them slowly (about 4 hours). The smoke is therefore much more noticeable in terms of taste.
Several studies suggest that this drying process is not ideal for health. In fact, during this process, PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), a proven carcinogen, will be absorbed by the mate leaves.
We do not recommend the consumption of smoke-dried mates.
- Quick drying with smoke
This type of drying is quite widespread in Brazil. The mate leaves will pass through rotating tubes, heated to 130°C over a dry wood fire . After only 30 minutes, the mate leaves are ready for consumption.
This type of drying has the advantage of being very quick , so the smoke will have little impact on the final flavor of the mate, provided that the wood used is very dry.
- Slow drying without smoke
Drying mate without smoke
This is the type of drying we use for all our mates. It is a smoke-free drying , without health risks. It is an indirect drying : The hot air is conducted into metal tubes, which will themselves dry the leaves by conduction at a constant temperature of 110°C for 3 hours.
The infusion will then have no smoky flavor like you might find in smoke-dried yerbas.
It is a very expensive drying method , which is why it is still not very widespread in South America.
All the mates of our brand that we offer are all dried without smoke.
As we have just seen, the flavor of mate is influenced by a large number of factors , making the plant as complex as a coffee, a wine or even a specialty tea.
The large price disparities per kilo that can be found on the mate market, as with coffee in particular, are influenced by the quality of work and know-how behind each infusion.
We have decided to offer for the moment two different qualities of mate with a range of organic Grands Crus mates which express all the aromatic and taste potential of mate, still very (too) little known today by amateurs, as well as a range of classic organic mates .
