Terroirs and Tea
a sampling of four different tea terroirs in China in different regions of the country.
You might have heard of the term terroir in relationship to wines or other foods. But let’s talk terroir and tea.
To Extend a Metaphor…
At risk of getting too deep in metaphorical speak, I’m going to extend the analogy I offered in understanding oxidation and tea categories in relation to continents on the globe.
Oxidation level is what distinguishes the main tea types from each other much like ocean boundaries distinguish the main continents from each other. Within continents, there are numbers of countries (well on most continents anyways) that are distinguished by physical borders, language, and cultural differences.
In the tea metaphor, it is terroir and cultivar that distinguishes countries (different types of the same category of tea like longjing green tea vs. sencha green tea or biluochun green tea) within the same continent (category of tea like green vs. white tea)
Let’s talk more about terroir.
What is a terroir?
Terroir is a French word (from the root terre meaning “land”) used to describe a specific growing area including the land, climate, altitude, and the combination of factors that comprise the land. Or as Wikipedia defines it: “a set of special characteristics that the geography, geology, and climate of a certain place express in agricultural products".
As you know, China is a pretty big country. The climate and geology of arid Bejing in northeast China is nothing like that of humid tropical Yunnan in southwest China 1700 miles (2575 km) away.
As a result, a tea plant grown in Guangdong province (like Phoenix Honey Orchid Oolong) is interacting with a different set of factors that will influence this plant than a plant grown more north in Fujian province (like say an oolong tea from Wuyi Mountain).
famous red soil in the Anxi, Fujian tea growing terroir for one of China’s most famous oolong teas: Iron Goddess of Mercy.
One of Iron Goddess of Mercy Oolong’s most distinctive terroir elements is the red soil in Anxi, Fujian where the plants are grown (see photo above). The mineral deposits from this unique red soil contribute to the distinctive flavor of Iron Goddess of Mercy’s tea leaves.
For purists and people who really appreciate fine tea, terroir is a really important factor for enjoying the authentic flavor of a certain tea.
Why terroir matters
Tranquil Tuesdays prides itself in honoring this principle when showcasing teas: we seek to highlight teas from historical points of origin. This was our guideline when we were sourcing and selling teas before. We believe staying true to each tea’s historical terroir is a key part in telling the story of China’s amazing tea diversity and rich history.