Gourmet coffee, the new wine?
Interest in the niche market of super-fine gourmet coffee is on the rise with some experts hailing it as “the new wine”
Coffee culture has grown by leaps and bounds in the last two decades, the evidence of which can be seen in the fierce competition between the high street cafes, the increase in independent coffee houses, and the array of kitchen gadgets that have proliferated as coffee fanatics pursue their perfect cup in their own homes as well as their favourite cafés. Gourmet coffee offers discerning drinkers the highest grade coffees from an assured single source, produced by passionate growers with careful attention to detail.
Like wine, gourmet coffees are distinguished by their terrior, a French term that loosely translates to “a sense of place”. This sense of place is embodied in certain characteristics, like aroma and tasting notes, which are the result of the complex interactions of the growing environment and harvesting practices of each individual gourmet coffee producer. Just like wine, coffee is affected by the soil, climate and temperature in which it is grown, these influences are especially noticeable in gourmet coffee as they are always produced from a single source. However, unlike wine there are no vintage or non-vintage years for gourmet coffee; once you find a variety you love, its quality will be consistent from year to year.
Jim Cain, one of the world’s leading coffee experts predicts that future trends in gourmet coffee will bring us coffee menus similar to the wine 
menus we have now. He also predicts that coffee tastings could become as common as wine tastings, with blind gourmet coffee tastings providing discerning drinkers the chance to earn their coffee expert stripes.
If you are eager to start exploring the exciting world of gourmet coffee but are unsure of where to start then a subscription service like the Coffee Explorer Club from the gourmet coffee company Kopi is the perfect solution. Kopi’s service delivers a different single-origin coffee every month that has been carefully selected by their coffee experts. Every gourmet coffee selection comes with a booklet containing information on the coffee’s origin, its tasting notes and helpful brewing tips to ensure the very best cup of Joe. Customers may select beans or ground coffee, roasted to order with Kopi’s ten day freshness guarantee and have their order delivered free to their letterbox within the United Kingdom. For more information on how to subscribe visit: www.kopi.co.uk.
