ETHIOPIA | GUJI KERCHA | WINE PROCESS

Guji has rapidly become one of Ethiopia's most celebrated coffee-growing regions, producing coffees renowned for their floral aromatics, vibrant acidity and remarkable sweetness.

This lot comes from Banko Michicha in the Kercha district, where 150 smallholder farmers cultivate traditional Ethiopian heirloom varieties at extraordinary elevations of up to 2,030 metres above sea level. These cool mountain conditions slow cherry development, allowing sugars and flavour compounds to build gradually within the fruit.

By combining this exceptional terroir with modern fermentation techniques borrowed from the wine industry, producers have created a coffee that pushes beyond traditional processing boundaries while remaining unmistakably Ethiopian at its core.

For those who enjoy exploring the diversity of specialty coffee, this is a fascinating example of how innovation and tradition can work together to create something memorable.

This lot undergoes an innovative wine-style fermentation process inspired by techniques commonly used in winemaking.

Only the ripest cherries are selected before being placed into sealed stainless-steel fermentation tanks. Special fermentation valves allow carbon dioxide to escape while preventing oxygen from entering, creating a controlled anaerobic environment.

The cherries remain in these tanks for approximately four to five days, allowing complex flavours to develop while reducing the risk of unwanted fermentation defects. After fermentation, the coffee is dried on raised African beds for 15–18 days before resting and undergoing final milling, grading and hand-sorting in Addis Ababa.

The result is a distinctive coffee with enhanced fruit character, sweetness and complexity.

This coffee comes from approximately 150 smallholder farmers in the Kercha district of Guji. Coffee is cultivated at altitudes between 1,900 and 2,030 metres above sea level, helping farming communities earn premiums through quality-focused specialty production.

By producing carefully processed microlots and achieving Grade 1 classification, growers are able to access higher-value specialty markets while preserving traditional coffee farming practices that have been passed down through generations.