Tea's slow start means better quality(2)

At the counters of Wuyutai, there are not just teas from Suzhou and Hangzhou, but also from Hainan, Yunnan and Sichuan. In fact, the concept Mingqian tea has been changing, as more Chinese tea-producing regions realized its market potential.

"Traditionally Mingqian tea refers to teas only in Zhejiang and Jiangsu, but now the concept is becoming wider to include green teas from other parts of the country," says Wu Xiduan, secretary-general with China Tea Marketing Association.

Some other famous green teas are Anhui Huangshan's maofeng, Yellow Mountain hairy mountain peak; bamboo leaf green tea from E'mei Mountain of Sichuan; Duyun maojian, furry tip from Guizhou's Duyun; and Yunnan's pu'er, which is made from sun-dried Yunnan green tea.

Zhang Lanlan says customers of Wuyutai are offered Mingqian tea at a reservation basis.

"Some drink themselves, some buy to give it as a gift," she says. "More and more Chinese people are looking for good teas, as people get a higher income, and because of its health benefits."

But Jiang Hong, a Beijing based tea drinker, says Mingqian teas are too expensive.

"It is not necessary to spend so much money on it, because the price is too high for that kind of taste," he says. "With five or six thousand yuan I can buy a rather good dahongpao (bright red gown), a north Fujian oolong."

Green teas are considered best to consume in the year of production. The quality will deteriorate fast if not consumed within a year. They do not have an aging potential, like pu'er or heavily baked oolong.

Nonetheless, Jiang likes the idea of trying the freshest produce of the season, for "a feel of spring".

"The tenderer the tea is, the more refreshing and gratifying it can be," he says. "Teas with a large percentage of buds have a specially uplifting aroma."

While Wuyutai just got its first batch of Xihu Longjing, Beijing's famous Lao She Teahouse got the first batch of this year's Mingqian longjing Xinchang of Hangzhou on March 10. The variety, called Dafo (big Buddha) Longjing, is a different varietal from Xihu Longjing traditionally picked early because of its microenvironment. It costs 2,800 yuan ($445) per 500 grams. Yu Jing, manager with Lao She, says the teahouse has already asked for restocking several times.

Gong Xiangtao just received the first batch of 5 kg of longjing from her tea farmer friend at Meijiawu of Hangzhou, and shared it with her closest friends in Beijing. The tea is priced at 6,000 yuan ($953) per 500 grams in her teahouse. She is set for an annual tour to Hangzhou and Suzhou's tea producing regions right after April 4.

"I heard teas are becoming very expensive this year. But my teahouse needs it," she says. She said she would get more teas at a lower price level.