Chinese Gourmet Tea
What Is Authentic?
Why some Chinese gourmet tea is much better than others.
To many Western tea drinkers, the idea of
authenticity is foreign. Quality is quality. Does it really matter where it is
produced?
Yes, it does. After all, tea is the by-product of the soil, water, air and
light that sustain and nourish it.
Authentic Chinese teas come from famous tea villages that have been renowned
for hundreds of years. In the old days, they cater for the emperors' cup.
Put another way, it is these tea villages that
makes the tea famous, not the other way around.
The most authentic Longjing tea doesn't just come from West Lake. It comes
from the Lion Peak Mountain from the four villages of Weng, Long, Man and Yang.
HQ’s Longjing tea is from the Weng village. It is the top 1% of its kind in
China.
The top grade (Jipin) is picked over a period of 2 days each year. It retails
for US$110/50 grams in Chinese high street. It is even higher quality than
Harrod's, the world’s most luxurious department store.
Another Longjing tea produced elsewhere could easily cost 20x less.
Tieguanyin tea doesn't
come from any parts of Anxi county. You have to look at Inner Anxi in the
villages of Xiping, Gande and Xianghe.
Even in these villages, wholesales
prices vary according to the part of mountain. It takes a true insider to figure
that one out...
What is so special these famous tea villages?
Pristine natural environment. Human know-how.
Located at a high altitude, the short daylight, moderate weather, moist
conditions and fertile soil combine to grow tea that is rich in catechins
(antioxidant) and theanine contents.
The tea industry is so successful that it dominates the entire region. There is
little road traffic or man-made pollution.
Tea plants are naturally hardy. Insects aren't interested in them. In the high
mountains, the excellent growing conditions mean farmers use little or no
pesticides.
Expert growers and makers
Authentic Chinese gourmet teas are handpicked and handroasted the traditional
way.
Machines are used only for lower quality tea produced elsewhere.
Most tea gardens are small, family run businesses. They command pricing
power. They are not poor peasants, but moderately wealthy growers.
They understand drinkers pay a premium for quality. They are careful not to
kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.
The highest grade green tea gardens harvest their crops once a year for 4 to
6 weeks in spring.
My oolong tea "secret friend" tea garden only harvests twice yearly.
In contrast, it is common practice for other tea gardens (both Chinese and
overseas) to harvest 4 times yearly.
More is not better. Authentic tea growers never confuse quality and
quantity.
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