On the forested slopes of the Western Ghats, where monsoon clouds cling to the hills and wildlife moves freely through shaded corridors, Ratnagiri Estate continues a legacy nearly a century in the making. What began as a modest planting in the 1930s has evolved into one of India’s most forward-thinking specialty coffee projects, led today by Ashok and supported by a team whose experience runs as deep as the roots of the estate itself.

This lot, Kere Patte DFW, reflects that blend of heritage and innovation. Before the beans ever meet sunlight, the cherries journey through a carefully orchestrated fermentation, guided by cultivated mossto, shifting from sealed anaerobic tanks to open-air development, and finally resting on raised beds until they reach perfect balance. The result is a cup layered with fruit and chocolate tones, gentle acidity, and a smooth, tea-like finish. It’s a coffee shaped by nature, refined by science, and carried forward by generations of dedication.