Organic Mate Verde Chimarrão

This Brazilian mate is distinguished by its balance and freshness, featuring remarkably gentle vegetal notes. Its characteristic aroma and the particular leaf cut make it an excellent choice for traditional preparation in a calabash.

Mate is an infusion originating from South America, also referred to as "Chimarrão" or "Jesuit's tea". The name derives from the Quechua word "mathi", which originally designated the hollowed and dried gourd that forms the calabash from which it is traditionally consumed. This beverage is produced from the leaves of a plant known as yerba mate, belonging to the holly family. Native to South America, this tree is grown in four countries: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Its growth requires a subtropical climate, moisture and abundant sunlight. Following harvest, the leaves are heated to stop oxidation, then cut and stored for several months to allow aromatic concentration to develop. Subsequently, they are graded and combined to achieve the desired leaf cut (with or without stems, large or small leaves, et cetera).

Historically, mate held a central role in the diet of Guaraní peoples due to its beneficial properties. Naturally energising and beneficial thanks to caffeine and minerals in its leaves, mate represents the ideal recovery drink following physical activity.

Cultivated organically, this mate carries certification from Ecocert, a recognised independent certification authority.

Are you an enthusiast or connoisseur? The 200g format is recommended, since mate is consumed quickly: a traditional tasting throughout the day can easily involve several spoonfuls.

The legend surrounding mate

Numerous legends are associated with mate. Among the most famous is a Guaraní account. According to this tradition, the god Tupú, moved by the devotion with which a young girl cared for her ailing father, presented her with a plant possessing magical powers: Yerba Mate. The leaves of this tree are believed to possess two virtues: the ability to heal people and the power to dispel loneliness from hearts. Moreover, to honour her goodness, the god elevated the young girl to divine status, and she became Caa-Yarí, the guardian goddess of mate.

Like tea, this precious Amerindian plant is regarded as a heavenly gift. The father's healing through the hands of she who would become the goddess Caa-Yarí symbolically represents the beneficial properties of Yerba Mate.

This young woman's kindness equally embodies the human solidarity that exists at the very heart of the mate ritual, a communal drink meant to be enjoyed together.