Wine-Influence Natural Processing vs. Traditional Natural Processing: Can Wine-Influence Methods Create Differentiation?

Unveiling the Mystery of Winey Natural Processing

In recent years, innovative processing methods have emerged one after another. Beyond various honey processing techniques, many improved natural and washed methods have been developed. This time, FrontStreet Coffee will unveil the mystery of winey natural processing. What exactly are the differences between winey natural and traditional natural processing? And how does winey natural differ from oak barrel fermentation processing?

With specialty estates competing against each other—competing for terroir, competing for flavor—the international market has seen various estates showcase their unique characteristics. Even for natural processing, various different methods have been developed. For natural processing, nothing is more important than fruit maturity and drying degree. Nearly ripe coffee cherries with extremely high sugar content, through various drying methods, produce rich and layered flavor variations.

The Three-Stage Drying Process of Winey Natural Processing

The drying process of winey natural processing can generally be divided into three stages. Taking ten kilograms of coffee cherries as an example: first, they are dried to reduce to seven kilograms; then dried to six kilograms; and finally from six kilograms dried to completion. Each stage takes different amounts of time, causing the coffee to form different flavor profiles.

Creating Differentiation with Winey Natural Processing

Generally, in the first stage—the stage from ten kilograms dried to seven kilograms—the longer the time spent, the stronger the natural aroma generated. However, simply extending the drying time does not necessarily bring absolutely wonderful flavors. The moisture content is highest in the first stage, with risks of spoilage, requiring skillful moderate stirring and even drying without direct sunlight.

Usually in the first stage, fermentation already occurs within the coffee cherries, producing a mellow aroma like red wine. If this development continues, naturally high-quality flavors can be obtained. However, the importance of the second stage lies in its ability to adjust flavors. Since the first stage brings an impressive rich fermented aroma, in the second stage of drying, some estates in Ethiopia and Brazil will mix in a small amount of washed beans to balance the strong natural fermentation sensation, retaining only the rich aroma changes like red wine. Based on the proportion added by each estate and slight differences in processing methods, each estate's winey natural processing has its own unique flavor characteristics.

Winey Natural vs. Oak Barrel Fermentation and Traditional Natural Processing

It is neither a fruit processing method that exposes grapes and coffee beans together; nor is it an oak barrel fermentation method that enhances fermentation through honey processing; and certainly not traditional natural processing. Winey natural processing, in the initial bean selection, more carefully selects ripe fruits, with extended exposure time, requiring farmers to constantly check until the raw beans develop a wine-like aroma.

Long fermentation tests judgment skills and control capabilities. Most are paired with African raised beds, with gentle breeze blowing from underneath while simultaneously turning over the ripe fruits on top. Although time-consuming and labor-intensive, requiring high-difficulty skills, it can eliminate uneven drying conditions. Due to the excellent flavor and acidity quality, more and more producing countries and estates are following this trend. Although Central America, in a higher humidity environment compared to Brazil, must extend the drying time of moisture-rich ripe fruits, the slow drying also leads to an increasing number of high-quality winey natural beans.

Clean Flavor with Rich Variations

In the cupping process, the most talked-about aspect of winey natural processing is that it possesses layered changes close to natural processing, without the wine-like sensation of oak barrel fermentation, focusing more on delicate floral and fruit aroma expressions compared to the aforementioned two methods.

Mild, smooth, and easy-to-drink characteristics, delicate floral aromas, richly layered fruit acid tones, and a sweet sensation as light as high-mountain tea—regardless of which estate's winey natural coffee beans, almost all receive this evaluation: a refreshing juice-like sensation. The selected fully ripe fruits are inherently excellent in quality, plus long-term maturation and careful attention—it's no wonder that winey natural processing retains the variations of natural processing while possessing the excellent acidity and cleanliness of washed processing.

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