Chinese tea is categorized into four types based on the picking seasons: spring tea, summer tea, autumn tea, and winter tea. Each season’s climate characteristics and growth environment significantly affect the tea's quality, flavor, and nutritional components. Below is an introduction to the teas of each season:
1. Spring Tea
- Picking Time: Mid-March to May
- Characteristics:
Best Quality: Following winter dormancy, tea trees accumulate rich nutrients, making spring tea of the highest quality.
Fresh Taste: Offers rich aroma, tender flavor, and a pronounced sweetness.
Nutritional Abundance: High in theanine, amino acids, and vitamins.
- Tea Types: Popular varieties include green tea, white tea, and some oolong teas (like Tieguanyin, Wuyishan), yellow tea, and spring raw Pu-erh.
- Representatives: West Lake Longjing, Biluochun, Anji White Tea, Qingxiang Tieguanyin (spring tea), Bai Mudan.
2. Summer Tea
- Picking Time: June to August
- Characteristics:
Rapid Growth: High temperatures accelerate the growth of tea trees, resulting in larger leaves.
Milder Aroma: Compared to spring tea, summer tea has a lighter fragrance but a stronger, slightly bitter flavor.
- Tea Types: Prized for making black tea and some robust-flavored green teas, as well as ripe Pu-erh. Summer tea is also used to create jasmine tea bases.
- Representatives: Keemun Black Tea, Jinjunmei, Baihao Yinzhen (summer tea), ripe Pu-erh.
3. Autumn Tea
- Picking Time: September to October
- Characteristics:
Elevated Aroma: Autumn tea tends to have a pronounced fragrance, though it might be slightly inferior in taste compared to spring tea.
Mellow Flavor: Offers refreshing qualities with a rich aftertaste that lingers.
- Tea Types: Commonly includes oolong and black teas, particularly semi-fermented varieties, such as Tieguanyin and Wuyishan tea.
- Representatives: Tieguanyin (autumn tea), Dahongpao, Fenghuang Dancong.
4. Winter Tea
- Picking Time: November to the following January
- Characteristics:
Low Yield: Cold temperatures slow down tea tree growth, resulting in a lower yield of tea leaves.
Gentle Flavor: Winter tea offers a subtle aroma and smooth taste, with a slight sweetness and high freshness.
- Tea Types: Primarily found in southern oolong tea regions, especially known for Taiwan’s winter oolong.
- Representatives: Taiwan High Mountain Oolong, Dongding Oolong.
Differences in Green Tea: First Spring, Before Qingming, Before Guyu
Green tea is primarily enjoyed in the spring, and it can be further categorized into First Spring Tea, Before Qingming Tea, and Before Guyu Tea based on the picking times.
1. First Spring Tea
- Concept: Refers to the year's first batch of tea, also known as "Early Spring Tea." Picking typically occurs from late March to early April.
- Characteristics:
High Freshness: Tea trees accumulate nutrients during winter, resulting in tender and fresh leaves.
Strong Aroma: Exhibits a rich, enduring fragrance and refreshing taste.
Nutritious: High in theanine, amino acids, and other essential nutrients.
Price: Due to low production and high quality, typically comes at a higher price.
2. Before Qingming Tea
- Concept: Specifically picked before the Qingming Festival (April 4th or 5th). Often part of the First Spring Tea.
- Characteristics:
Top Quality: The cooler temperatures result in slower growth, producing delicate, plump buds that yield fresh flavor.
Fresh Fragrance: Offers a refreshing aroma with a smooth and sweet taste.
Scarcity: Limited production and labor-intensive harvesting result in higher prices.
Collectible Value: Considered a superior green tea with potential collectible qualities.
3. Before Guyu Tea
- Concept: Tea collected before the Guyu Festival (April 19th or 20th), after Qingming.
- Characteristics:
Balanced Flavor: Compared to Before Qingming Tea, this tea is more mature, with a rich taste even though its aroma might be less intense.
Higher Yield: With a longer growth period, production is higher, leading to more affordable prices.
Daily Drink: The quality remains high, suitable for those seeking both quality and value.
Seasonal Variations in Different Types of Tea
Each type of tea — black, green, oolong, Pu-erh, and white — has unique characteristics across seasons.
Different Seasonal Black Tea
- Picking Seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Seasonal Variations:
Spring Black Tea: Highest quality with a rich, fresh flavor and floral or fruity notes.
Summer Black Tea: Stronger taste but milder aroma, used for bold-flavored types like Jinjunmei.
Autumn Black Tea: Higher fragrance and smoother flavor profile, slightly sweeter.
Different Seasonal Oolong Tea
- Picking Seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Seasonal Variations:
Spring Oolong: Premium quality with rich aroma and strong flavor.
Summer Oolong: Less common, used for robust-flavored oolongs.
Autumn Oolong: High aroma and rich flavor, known for varieties like Tieguanyin.
Different Seasonal Pu-erh Tea
- Picking Seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn (both raw and ripe).
- Seasonal Variations:
Spring Raw Pu-erh: Tender leaves with fresh aroma and blossomy flavors.
Summer Raw Pu-erh: Heavier taste with less aroma, often used for daily consumption.
Autumn Raw Pu-erh: Sweet and smooth, good for aging.
Ripe Pu-erh: Quality tends to be better in spring and autumn, with a smooth, mature flavor.
Different Seasonal Green Tea
- Picking Seasons: Spring, Summer
- Seasonal Variations:
Spring Green Tea: Tender buds with rich flavor; prized with high prices.
Summer Green Tea: Heavier and slightly bitter with robust leaves, often more affordable.
Different Seasonal White Tea
- Picking Seasons: Spring, Autumn
- Seasonal Variations:
Spring White Tea: Best quality with tender leaves and rich aroma.
Autumn White Tea: Mellow and fragrant, with good aging potential.
Conclusion and Recommendations
| Tea Type | Main Picking Seasons | Seasonal Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Black Tea | Spring, Summer, Autumn | Spring tea is rich in aroma, fresh and sweet; summer tea is strong in flavor, slightly weak in aroma; autumn tea is high in aroma, mellow and rounded. |
| Oolong Tea | Spring, Summer, Autumn | Spring tea is of high quality and rich in aroma; summer tea is strong in flavor; autumn tea is high in aroma and mellow in flavor. |
| Pu-erh Tea | Spring, Summer, Autumn | Spring tea is fresh and refreshing, with obvious floral and fruity aroma; summer tea is slightly lighter in aroma and stronger in flavor; autumn tea is sweet and mellow, and ripe tea is stable in taste. |
| Green Tea | Spring, Summer | Spring tea buds and leaves are tender, with strong aroma and fresh taste; summer tea leaves are thick and strong, with heavy flavor and bitterness. |
| White Tea | Spring, Autumn | Spring tea buds and leaves are tender, the aroma is quiet and the taste is sweet, with the freshness of spring; autumn tea has a deeper aroma and a mellow taste, with the mature flavor of autumn. |
Selection Recommendations:
- For Fresh and Aromatic Flavor: Choose spring teas across all types, such as black, green, oolong, and raw Pu-erh.
- For Stronger Taste: Opt for summer black and oolong and white teas.
- For Rich and Mellow Flavor: Autumn teas, especially oolong and raw Pu-erh, are ideal.
- For Warming Experience: Ripe Pu-erh works great in autumn and winter seasons.
Explore the unique tastes of each season and find your perfect cup of tea!
