Lot 2: El Ocote Helina Tress Marini

Our story begins high in the hills of Zentla, Veracruz, where Finca El Ocote sits quietly in the most elevated part of the region. This land has seen generations of coffee growers in our family—starting with my great-grandparents, who came from northern Italy in the late 1800s. Back then, they were part of a wave of settlers invited by the Mexican government to farm the land. They brought with them a love for the earth and a deep knowledge of agriculture, planting coffee, corn, and beans in this rich soil.

Years later, my husband’s father, Don Mario Castelan, and his oldest son Miguel purchased El Ocote to grow the family’s coffee production. The finca became an extension of their home—a place where hard work met deep-rooted passion.

For me, coffee started as something I admired from the outside. But when I met my husband and saw how much heart he poured into every step of the process, I couldn’t help but fall in love with it too. Little by little, I became part of the journey. We started learning about specialty coffee, experimenting with processing methods, and inviting the whole family to get involved. It’s become much more than a crop—it’s our way of life.

We grow our coffee with care—not chemicals. Our soil is nourished with organic compost we make ourselves, and we’re always learning how to take better care of our plants and the land. Everything we do is done with intention, respect, and love for our heritage.
We carefully handpick only the ripest red cherries to ensure peak sweetness and flavor. After harvest, the cherries go through a slow, natural fermentation that helps develop a richer profile. We pulp the coffee without water to preserve its unique characteristics, and then dry it gently on raised beds under the sun until it reaches the perfect humidity. This thoughtful process allows us to highlight the best qualities of our coffee—clean, sweet, and full of character.
Why It Matters
Coffee has always been in our blood. But it wasn’t until we started exploring the world of specialty coffee that we realized just how much our finca had to offer. In every cup from El Ocote, you’ll taste not only the elevation and microclimate of Zentla—but the story of a family, generations in the making, doing what we love most.