Posted on Thursday the 7th February by Bethan

On the 24th of January, over 50 of Britain's leading wine and food writers, including the BBC's Oz Clarke and The Guardian's Tim Atkin, gave up wine for the afternoon in order to learn about the world of tea.

The similarities between tea and wine became apparent almost immediately, as different grape varieties (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc) were compared to different tea varieties. The delicate palates of the wine masters present appreciated the wide range of flavours and aromas offered by tea.

 

After the event Oz Clarke and Edward Eisler stopped to drink Red Seal Puerh Tea

After the event, Edward Eisler and Oz Clarke stopped to drink red seal puerh tea

Eight teas were tasted in total: Jing's 2007 Organic Silver Needle White Tea, Organic Dragon Well Green Tea, Jasmine Pearls, Huo Mountain Yellow Buds, Big Red Robe Supreme Oolong Tea, Organic Bohea Lapsang, Royal Puerh Loose Cooked Tea from the 1990s, 1980s Xiaguan Iron Cake Raw Puerh Tea. The Jasmine Pearls and vintage puerhs were particularly well received at the event, and were appreciated just like a fine vintage wine or whiskey.

Jasmine Pearls

Jasmine Pearls Green Tea (Jasmine Dragon Pearls; Dragon Phoenix Pearls) | Moli Long Zhu

The most perfectly balanced spring green tea, repeatedly hand scented with fresh jasmine flowers (and nothing else!). Fair Trade certified.

Fair Trade Jasmine Green Tea

From £6.00 for 50g


Huo Mountain Yellow Tea

Huo Mountain Yellow Buds Yellow Tea

In Mandarin Chinese, this tea is called Huo Shan Huang Ya.

Graceful, sappy with a distinctive cool finish that leaves the mouth very refreshed.

From £6.00 for 50g


2007 Organic Dragon Well Green Tea

Organic Dragon Well Green Tea | Long Jing

Enticing sweet-edged aromas combining freshly plucked buds with teasing orchard fruit.

Picked between April 5th and 7th in 2008.

Fair Trade certified and organic.

Fair Trade Jasmine Pearls Green Tea Organic Soil Association

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    5 stars rating

From £6.00 for 50g


Organic Bohea Lapsang Black Tea

Organic Bohea Lapsang Black Tea | Wuyi Bohea Hong Cha

Richly and smoulderingly smoky yet with great harmony and wealth of aroma, leaving an impression of almost peaty warmth.

Soil Association Certified Organic Tea

From £4.00 for 50g



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Big Red Robe Oolong Supreme | Wuyi Da Hong Pao Wu Long

Intense, pure, deep and mineral, with great sappy persistence and depth. Gently peachy fruit behind, with a perfumed, honeysuckle finish. Complex and masterful.

From £15.00 for 50g



1998 Menghai Cooked Puerh Mini Tuo

Mini Puerh - 1998 Cooked Puerh Mini Tuo (Menghai Factory) | 1998 Menghai Shu Puerh Xiao Tuo

Approximately 9 mini cakes (tuo) per 50g. Simply unwrap and drop one of these 10 year old single serving sized cakes into a teapot or cup and let it infuse. Convenient, authentic and delicious.

Like any great cooked puerh, the taste is moreish, earthy, rich and deeply textured with a dark red infusion.

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    10 stars rating

From £5.00 for 1998 Menghai Cooked Puerh Mini Tuo 50g