Wild Harvest Green 2020

野生绿茶

Harvest
May 2020

Origin
Zhenghe, Fujian

Made by Mr. Fan, nickname Hunter. Mr. Fan accidentally discovered the mountain full of wild and abandoned tea trees in 2009 while hunting for wild boars that were wreaking havoc for local farmers.

The leaves were foraged in a vast old growth forest in the mountains of Zhenghe County, from wild cultivar tea plants. The tea plants grew from seeds that were washed downstream from the river that runs in the middle of the forest. These wild tea trees stand at around 10 feet tall and require tall ladders that must be carried into the forests during harvest season. The roots of these wild tea plants extend extremely deep into the ground, absorbing minerals and nutrients from the deep rocky soils. The trees are harvested only once a year, thus all of its energy are concentrated in the tea.

This is one of our favorite green teas to drink, for its impeccable balance of freshness and complexity. For this year’s harvest, the tea is bright and vibrant, extremely refreshing yet full of umami. The energy of the old growth forest and the wild tea trees is immediately apparent through the texture and mouthfeel; the diverse floral and fauna of the forest and mountains is in each cup of this tea. The first three infusions of the tea has notes of spruce tip, fresh bamboo shoots and asparagus. In subsequent infusions, notes of sweet corn and rice broth. It has a lingering chrysanthemum sweetness that is uplifting and soothing.