San Bartolome

This coffee was produced by Julio Palli Mamani and Lupe Medina at their five-hectare farm, San Bartolomé, located in the remote region of Copacabana in Bolivia’s Caranavi province. Named after Julio’s father, the farm carries a legacy that began when his family moved to the area in 1978, long before the region had electricity or reliable infrastructure.Julio and Lupe have worked the land together for over 25 years. In the early days, like many local producers, they relied on traditional farming methods and unstable local markets, resulting in low yields and limited income.

Everything changed in 2016 when they joined the Sol de la Mañana program, an initiative focused on improving farming practices, infrastructure, and sustainability.Through structured training in areas such as pruning, fertilisation, and selective harvesting, the couple transformed their farm. Today, their plantation is well-organised, supported by a thriving nursery, and produces over 30 bags per hectare—an extraordinary increase from less than six prior to the program.More importantly, the program reshaped Julio’s relationship with coffee, turning it from a simple livelihood into a true passion. Now fully dedicated to coffee production, the family continues to grow together, supported by strong community ties and a shared vision for the future.

This coffee was carefully hand-picked by Julio and his team of seasonal workers, before being delivered with Lupe to Agricafe’s Buena Vista washing station—often by taxi, a common practice in the Caranavi region. Known for its precision and strict quality standards, Buena Vista only accepts perfectly ripe cherries, with each delivery inspected to ensure exceptional quality and full traceability back to the producer.At the mill, Agricafe applies an innovative, wine-inspired approach to processing, constantly experimenting to elevate flavour clarity and diversity. For this lot, cherries were sorted by density using water in a system called “La Maravilla,” then depulped with a water-efficient Penagos machine.

Both systems are designed to minimise water use while recirculating and treating it sustainably.The coffee underwent a 42-hour sealed fermentation in stainless steel tanks, limiting oxygen exposure to preserve complex, fruit-forward aromatics. After fermentation, the coffee was washed and slowly dried over 120 hours in a mechanical drum dryer, ensuring even moisture removal.Finally, the coffee was transported to La Paz for resting and dry milling at La Luna, where it was hulled, machine-sorted, and hand-selected under UV and natural light, resulting in a clean, expressive cup that reflects both precision processing and origin character.