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Da Hong Pao, Rou Gui, Mei Zhan, Shui Xian, all very complicated and difficult to remember names. They are some of the names of oolong tea from an area in China called Wuyi Mountains, located on the border between the provinces of Fujian and Jiangxi.
What is special about the teas that come from this area? Let's start by saying that they are oolong teas, semi-oxidized teas, with a very high percentage of leaf oxidation, exceeding 60-70%. The leaves are indeed very dark. Their uniqueness lies in the taste they achieve in the cup. A unique hint of orchids and daffodils that blends with yellow fruit at the bottom. The Wuyi Mountains were already, during the Tang dynasty (618-907 AD), an area of harvests destined for the imperial court, emphasizing that these teas had been appreciated for a long time. Today, the Wuyi Mountains are also famous for their biodiversity and the beauty of the landscapes.
It is their unique terroir that makes them so special, along with the leaf processing, which involves a very long process lasting almost 48 hours, during which the tea master must be constantly present, carefully monitoring each phase.
The tea plants grow among the numerous peaks of Wuyi Shan (there are 36 different ones!), in these rugged places, leaf picking can only be done manually, and the baskets filled with leaves must be carried down to the valley on shoulders, where a truck awaits to take them to the areas where they will be processed. A laborious task both in terms of the number of people needed and the time required to carry it out. Rock teas or rock oolongs from the Wuyi Mountains may seem expensive to those who do not know their qualities (Terza Luna sells them at an average of €17 per 100g), but in reality, it is a price more than justified by the work and great wisdom behind the ancient craft that these tea masters carry out, allowing us to enjoy cups of teas that only 200 years ago were exclusive to the Chinese imperial court.
The Da Hong Pao is certainly one of the most well-known rock oolongs. The bushes from which it was harvested until a few years ago are now protected by the government and revered by the people. Today's Da Hong Pao oolongs come from plants originally taken from the same cliffs but then brought to more accessible places to allow a wider audience to try its infusions. The Shui Xian takes its name from a very beautiful flower, the narcissus. This rock oolong, also from the same area, has become famous for its floral notes that persistently evoke orchids. In the background, mineral notes can be perceived, common to all Wuyi mountain oolongs, which the roots of these teas bring back to the leaves, to be extracted by us in the cup. Rou Gui in Chinese means cinnamon, and it is incredible how a tea, not flavored, can evoke the sweet notes of cinnamon and honey, solely due to its cultivar and the processing it receives. Mei Zhan is another cultivar from the Wuyi Mountains and completes the range of Wuyi oolongs online at Terza Luna. Certainly the least known of this subcategory of teas, but certainly not less good. On the contrary, in some respects, Mei Zhan is surprising. It has a lower leaf oxidation compared to its cousins, and the floral and spicy notes are significantly different and more persistent. With a more pronounced umami touch than the other Wuyi oolongs.
These are teas that should be infused at high temperatures, around 90°C. You can choose to make them in two ways:
It's difficult to say how to extract the best in infusion. Tea preparation is not an exact science. There are too many factors at play to have a consistent process. Especially at the beginning. And if you are new to discovering these teas, there is nothing better than experimenting!
