Chaparrastique, Chinameca, El Salvador

About

Finca La Alpina is located above the Chaparastique volcano, in the department of San Miguel, in the municipality of Chinameca. On this 148-hectare farm, 142 hectares of which are given over to coffee, Cyrille Beraud grows different varieties in the shade of mango, banana, laurel,
pepeto and tambor trees: Pacamara, Bourbon, Catuai, Costa Rica 95, Anacafé 14 and Catimor. This “ancestral red bourbon” was planted over 50 years ago in the highest altitudes of the farm, where Cyrille Beraud also grows cocoa.

El Salvador 

Region Chaparrastique 

The Chaparrastique terroir lies to the east of El Salvador, in the department of San Miguel. Chaparrastique is the name of the region’s emblematic volcano. It is also known as the San Miguel volcano.

Tecapa-Chinameca is a montaneous region, also known for its lagons and thermal waters. The Tecapa volcano that goes up to 1,593 masl is the third largest producing area in the country. It is a very dry land, with warm weather, where some of the farms still preserve ancestral bourbons.  

Cyrille Beraud 

Cyrille has one hand in El Salvador and one in France. The one in France is refining his chocolate making technique with the idea of soon making his own bars and the one in El Salvador is on his farm. His team, led by agronomist Ely Baños, oversees production and water conservation and management, as well as the implementation of good agricultural practices. Another key member, Armando Guevara (pictured below left), is responsible for post-harvest practices, and this year he has established himself as an expert in fermentation and is also in charge of sorting the dry beans and packaging them, among so many jobs on the farm. ​