Visit to MiFinquita — with Jean Paul Langenstein
The Setting
Our second visit during this origin trip brought us to MiFinquita, located in the highlands of Los Pozos at approximately 1,650 meters above sea level. Reaching the farm already gives an indication of the environment in which these coffees grow. The final stretch requires navigating roughly five kilometres of rocky mountain road, gradually leaving behind more developed areas and entering increasingly dense vegetation.
By the time one arrives, the farm feels immersed within lush forest surroundings, where altitude and biodiversity become defining elements of the terroir. Isolation in places like this becomes a key part of the story.
Cupping tables prepared at Mi Finquita during our visit to evaluate the 2025/2026 harvest lots.
Diversity of Varieties and Lots
During the visit we cupped four tables of coffees, representing several varieties cultivated on the farm.
Among the standouts were selections of:
- Catuai
- Maragogype
- Geisha
Rather than focusing on large uniform production, the farm works with many smaller and distinct lots, allowing different plots and processing approaches to express their individual character.
This approach allows each harvest to reveal multiple interpretations of the same landscape, offering buyers a diversity of profiles shaped by altitude and microclimate.
Processing and Experimentation
One of the defining aspects of the farm’s approach is its willingness to explore new processing techniques.
Many of the lots are fermented using Balloon vessels, a controlled anaerobic fermentation system that allows the producer to regulate oxygen exposure during fermentation.
These vessels allow precise observation of fermentation behaviour and can deepen aromatic complexity while preserving clarity in the cup when executed carefully.
Balloon fermentation vessels used for controlled anaerobic processing at Mi Finquita.
Following fermentation, the coffees are dried slowly on raised African beds, allowing for careful airflow and even drying.
The duration of the drying period is determined by Ratibor, who closely monitors the process to ensure stability and consistency as the coffees move toward their final moisture levels.
This slower drying approach allows the coffees to stabilise gradually while preserving the clarity and structure developed during fermentation. In many ways, time itself becomes an essential ingredient in the process — from fermentation to the final drying of the coffee.
Beyond Quality — The Coffee Biocycle
What stands out most during the visit, however, is the philosophy behind the work.
From the use of natural compost to the farm’s increasing reliance on solar energy, Ratibor and Tessie are focusing on more than excellence in the cup. Their approach reflects an understanding of the biocycle that sustains great coffee. Soil health, plant nutrition, energy use, surrounding high altitude forests and careful processing all interact to create the final expression in the cup. Quality in coffee, in this sense, begins long before the coffee reaches the drying beds or the cupping table.
Moments at origin with the Mi Finquita team following our visit.
Field Note
Driving the final rocky kilometres to the farm makes something clear: many of the most distinctive coffees are grown in places where the landscape itself still sets the rules.