Costa Rica Wangshan Estate Natural Process Gesha Coffee BeansCoffee Bean Intro:

Wangshan Estate

In 2005, Régulo Gerardo Ureña Chacón and his wife Isabel Rojas purchased the eight-hectare Café Rivense, later renamed Wangshan Estate, and began dedicating themselves to the cultivation and production of coffee.

Wangshan Estate is located between the second-highest peak, Cerro Muerte, and the highest peak, Cerro Chirripó, in Costa Rica’s Brunca region in the south. Situated at an altitude of 1550–1600 meters, the estate’s unique terroir creates a microclimate ideal for coffee cultivation. Every time Régulo and his wife tended to the coffee trees, the breathtaking view of the distant Chirripó mountain range delighted them—inspiring the name “Wangshan,” meaning “Mountain-Gazing.”

Wangshan Estate operates as a small family-run coffee farm, committed to producing high-quality specialty coffee beans since its inception. In addition to the farm, they own their own wet mill, enabling them to independently produce micro-lots and dry-process coffee using either natural or honey methods. Initially, the Ureña Rojas family planted only Caturra and Catuaí varieties. As their expertise grew, they introduced new varieties such as Gesha. In 2015, Wangshan Estate earned 5th place in the 35th COE (Cup of Excellence) competition with a honey-processed Catuaí, drawing attention for its distinctive honey-processing technique.

To this day, Wangshan Estate preserves a section of pristine forest that serves as habitat for diverse wildlife, helping protect the estate’s natural water resources and maintaining the overall coffee-growing environment. The owners uphold strong environmental principles—applying sustainable practices at every stage of coffee tree cultivation and green bean processing to minimize the carbon footprint. They apply organic fertilizers in doses tailored to soil composition, ensuring the coffee trees receive adequate nutrition while avoiding excessive chemical exposure—resulting in cleaner water on the estate. Additionally, the Ureña Rojas family plants various fruit trees to provide partial shade for the coffee trees, which also serve as food for local wildlife. The estate’s overall ecosystem is exceptionally well-suited for coffee tree growth.

Natural Process

Wangshan Estate sets strict harvesting standards, handpicking only fully ripe red cherries—the stage at which coffee cherries contain the highest sugar content.

After harvest, defective beans are removed, and the coffee cherries are spread on drying beds to undergo sun-drying. Because midday temperatures are high, workers regularly turn the cherries by hand to prevent negative over-fermentation. To avoid sudden rainfall at night, protective covers are used. Drying continues until the coffee cherries reach a moisture content of 11–12%. The beans are then rigorously sorted, standardized, packaged, and exported—ensuring buyers can trace detailed batch information.