FARMentation is a sincere and simple self-proclaimed “fruit-based project” focused on showcasing the beauty of grapes and other local fruit. Founder and winemaker Yuchen Luo studied and worked in various wine production areas in France, Germany, and Chile before returning to China, allowing his global observations and deep understanding of agriculture to inform his fruit fermentation, including winemaking. He had returned to China to help start Ao Yun winery in his native Yunnan, followed by a stint running Jade Valley, before being confronted by the situation which launched his project: at the start of the pandemic in 2020, a classmate’s mother couldn’t sell her prized yet highly fragile peaches, so Yuchen tried making a sparkling cider out of them and the concept for FARMentation was born. Yuchen is devoted to empowering farmers in the countryside and showcasing their fruit through: cultivation of underutilized farmland, especially forgotten rural regions and high-altitude vineyards in Shangri-La; revitalization of heritage production areas, vineyards, and varietals; and exploratory fermentation of surplus of Chinese regional produce, naturally and in its place of origin. He has unlimited enthusiasm for the land and nature, especially his native land of Yunnan – he believes that "fermenting without boundaries” is one of the ways for humans to communicate with the universe, and perhaps his destiny as a native of the mountains.