Tea Seasons

Steve,

In my opinion IPOT teas are well worth the price I pay for them.

Teas do have their seasons. For example, again IMO, green teas picked in the early spring are the best ones in general. Bao Zhongs have a spring and a winter picking, each of which presents different qualities, the later being more out front and "bolder." Darjeelings have a first and second flush, again, the later is often more "honeyed" and richer, while the former more delicate and greener in style. Sencha and Gyokuro (Japanese teas) also taste different depending on their season, the earliest being the gentlest. That's of course not the end of it. There is no end to it.

Based on all this, there is no correct season. It depends on your preferences. Teas that have been well stored should be OK most any time, although I would not buy delicate Japanese or Chinese spring teas too far out of season.

Generally, in the USA, spring teas won't be available until a month to six weeks after they are picked. This is not necessarily a bad thing. As vendors try to make room for their new teas, prices will fall somewhat sometimes for their older stock. Beyond that, I don't think you'll see wild price flucuations. It's important to note however that those early spring teas are sometimes truly great and command a very high price. Long Jin and Bi Lo Chun are two examples of Chinese green teas whose first pickings can command an extraordinarily high price.

Wonder if I didn't confuse you more than help you.

Best, Michael

Steve HaydU0ad.2157$j15.102@trnddc0710/9/04

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Not at all--it makes sense on a certain level.. And it helps direct my purchasing to an extent. If I am looking for something sweeter and lighter in a style of tea, I should try something picked earlier first. I'm slowly being convinced that I need to try a green pu-erh, even after my bad SpecialTeas Tuo Cha experience.

Regards, Steve

No chastisement, just discussion. And I agree with you completely about the Longjing as an example of a tea much more sensitive to season than Pu-erh. Not to mention the issue of storage and processing, when it comes to Pu-erh. Good points all. I recently learned about the relationship between seasons and Pu-erh styles, and got a little carried away with myself.

Michael

howlerman41818e9e snipped-for-privacy@mk-nntp-1.news.uk.worldonline.com10/28/04