Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Aiya
Tea Description:
Matcha Infused Genmaicha is a traditional Japanese Sencha blended with toasted brown rice and premium Matcha green tea. The refreshing flavor of Sencha combined with the nutty flavor of toasted brown rice, plus the resilient color and mild sweetness of Matcha make this tea distinctly delightful.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Revew:
Having previously tried Aiya’s Organic Matcha Infused Genmaicha, I was happy to have this opportunity to try this: their conventionally grown Matcha Infused Genmaicha Green Tea, not only to compare my tasting notes from the two teas, but also to experience more of Aiya’s exceptionally high quality tea!
The dry leaf smells a lot more vegetative than I expected … I noticed very little of a toasted rice scent and more of a leafy/grassy green scent with notes of warm, nutty toasted rice in the background. Once brewed, however, the toasted rice notes really came forward! My kitchen was filled with the deliciously roasty-toasty scent of genmaicha, and my mouth began to water as I anticipated my first sip.
Similar to the Organic Matcha Infused Genmaicha from Aiya, I noticed that the brewed tea did not have a cloudy appearance, nor was there Matcha sediment at the bottom of the cup or the teapot. I also noticed when I measured the Genmaicha into my teapot, that there wasn’t a lot of loose powder to the dry leaf. Usually, with Genmaicha blends that have been enhanced with Matcha, there is a powdering of green dust as well as a cloudy cup of tea. This is one area where this tea from Aiya is remarkably different from other Genmaicha teas of this sort.
The flavor is so lovely! No wonder this tea won second place in the North American Tea Championship. This is deliciously sweet, nutty, and warm! Genmaicha usually evokes thoughts of autumn for me because of its warm, roasty-toasty taste, and this experience is no different. And because I am hoping for a speedy spring and summer so that I can enjoy autumn once more, my thoughts of autumn this afternoon are definitely welcome!
But there is also a freshness to the taste, courtesy of the Japanese Sencha base. The green tea tastes sweet, grassy, and has just a hint of savory bitterness that sort of perks the palate up and keeps the flavor interesting. I taste the sweet notes of the Matcha as well, and there is the slightest creamy note from the Matcha which is quite a nice complement to the warm, toasty rice flavor.
I found this experience with the conventionally grown Matcha Infused Genmaicha to be similar to that of the Organic variety, but I think that the flavors here might be a little less distinct. The tones of the rice, the savory quality of the Sencha and the sweet, creamy notes of the Matcha are less defined here, providing a more homogenized flavor that is at once sweet, savory, warm, toasty and creamy, with the toasty rice notes standing out as the strongest notes, and the savory notes lingering on the tongue in the aftertaste. And to tell the truth, I enjoyed both teas very much, and this experience was not so unlike the other that I would choose the other over this one based solely on taste alone. However, I probably would choose the organic because it is organic. Both teas are of excellent quality and superior taste!
Pink Sonoma Wine Infused White Tea from Red Leaf Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Red Leaf Tea
Tea Description:
We are proud to introduce our newest wine infused tea, the Pink Sonoma!
Thoroughly saturated with the flavor of a light cabernet, Pink Sonoma is based on the sweetness of a strong white tea. We have given this base a powerful floral aroma and body by adding a good measure of rose petals, as well as a light touch of jasmine. Try steeping Pink Sonoma in boiling water for a little over two minutes, at a ration of one teaspoon tea leaf each five ounces of water.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I know I’ve said on many occasions that I’m not a big wine drinker. My husband has been trying a few wines lately and has been enjoying them, and is trying to get me back in to wine (I used to drink them more some years ago, but now I prefer my tea, thank you very much!) But I must say that if I were given a glass of wine and I took a sip and it tasted like this, I’d happily finish the glass and might even consider another.
This is a beautifully floral tasting tea – I like that it’s floral but it isn’t overdone. Notes of rose with hints of jasmine add a lovely sweetness to the cup without tasting perfume-y or soapy. These floral notes accent the wine notes as well as the flavor of the white tea.
The wine is pleasant, with fruit tones – a soft grape, maybe a hint of apple in there. Crisp and enjoyable, a flavor that seems to glide over the palate easily.
The white tea is not overpowered by these flavors, either. It is a soft taste, not vegetative, exactly, and not of hay or other notes that I often taste with white tea … it just tastes of white tea – soft and delicate.
Served hot, this tea has an agreeable flavor, but I think I prefer it iced. Even though the weather is such that I seldom enjoy iced tea right now, after trying this one hot, I decided I’d let it cool and try it iced. And I must say, this is so much more refreshing chilled. The fruit notes really pop, and the overall cup is very sweet and flavorful … this is one I might stock up on when the warm weather returns!
Red Peach Vineyard from Fusion Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Fusion Teas
Tea Description:
Red vineyard peach: an incomparable delicacy with a unique taste. Together with the strawberry it awakens the desire to visit the slopes of the beautiful vineyard regions where it is grown!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The sample packet that I have for this tea just says “Red Vineyard” not Red Peach Vineyard, but when I compared the ingredient list on my package to the online ingredient list, they are identical so I think I’m pretty safe in assuming that this tea that I’m sipping right now is indeed Red Peach Vineyard.
This is LOVELY!
I know I probably sound a bit like a broken record when I state that I’m not one to imbibe alcohol, but it’s true, and it always seems like a relevant fact when I encounter teas that are wine inspired. I don’t really care much for the taste of alcohol … every once in a while, I take a sip of something, but, I just don’t care for the taste of it. Even alcoholic beverages that supposedly have no taste, like vodka, I can taste something there, and I’m not fond of it. That doesn’t mean that I’m not tempted to try something every once in a while – I mean when I see something like “caramel flavored vodka” or “Almond Roca Wine,” I’m intrigued. But, I think that is more about my sweet tooth than about the actual alcoholic beverage. And I will on a very rare occasion indulge in a mixed cocktail that taste more of sweet fruit than of fermented spirits, but these occasions are indeed rare, and again, the sweeter they are (and the less like alcohol they taste) the better I like them.
But for whatever reason, I usually enjoy wine inspired or wine infused teas. And I don’t know if this tea is actually wine flavored, or if it’s just inspired by the idea of a California Vineyard (Strawberries make me think of California … peaches don’t, however, peaches do grow quite well in California!) Either way, I do taste a sort of wine-y element to this cup. Like a sweet red wine. Slightly grape-y flavor with a hint of fermentation and the slight astringency to this tea play to the wine-like characters of this tea.
The black tea has a very pleasing quality to it. It is a well-rounded tea, it is strong but not what I’d call “bold,” really, and it has a hint of flowery intonation and an undertone of earthiness that also play to the wine-y character of this tea.
But the real stars of this particular show are the flavors of peach and strawberry. I love this combination, and it is one that I think I’d like to see offered more often in tea blends. The sweet, luscious flavor of the peach complements the sweet berry very well, there is just a twinge of tartness to the cup from the berry, but overall, this is a sweet, fruity tea that is really quite enjoyable.
Another great cuppa from Fusion Teas!
Oolong Chardonnay from Vintage TeaWorks
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Vintage TeaWorks
Tea Description:
Inspired by Chardonnay, we blended natural ingredients to create an oolong tea blend that is full bodied with luscious tropical hints of papaya, citrus, and vanilla balanced with a touch of cinnamon spice.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Every time I taste teas from Vintage TeaWorks, I am more and more impressed by them. They have truly managed to capture the spirit and essence of wine in each of their teas. It’s amazing to me!
Of course, I’m not saying I’m any kind of a wine expert. Nothing could be further from the truth. I know very little about wine … in fact, in the last six months, I’ve had maybe four sips of wine … not even a full glass! I’m kind of a wimp when it comes to wine. Or any alcoholic beverage for that matter. My beverage of choice is tea … and I prefer it without the alcohol, thank you very much.
But that does not mean that I don’t enjoy a wine-inspired TEA like these from Vintage TeaWorks. This Oolong Chardonnay is remarkable!
When I opened the canister and started measuring out the tea, I found a HUGE chunk of papaya! Now, papaya is not a flavor that I normally associate with wine … but then, what do I know? Re-read the second paragraph of this review if you need clarification.
It wasn’t until I started pouring the tea into my mug that the wine inspiration really started becoming apparent to me. I could SMELL the chardonnay as vividly as if I had poured a glass of wine instead of a cup of tea.
This has a very warm and cozy kind of taste and feel. The cozy, warm feeling is a very luxurious one, like velvet. The smooth flavor of the Oolong emphasizes that comforting kind of luxury. The vanilla and the cinnamon are very harmonious: the cinnamon gives a warm flavor without coming across as too spicy, while the vanilla is soft and creamy without coming across as too cloying.
I taste the hints of tropical flavor from the papaya and citrus fruit, but what I REALLY get a taste for are the flavors as described by Vintage TeaWorks: I taste the essence of pear and butter, of melon and of butterscotch. It’s really quite remarkable how well Vintage TeaWorks has translated the flavor of Chardonnay into this delicious tea.
It’s great for those of us who want to be wine savvy … without having to actually drink the wine.
Rooibos Noir from Vintage TeaWorks
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Vintage Teaworks
Tisane Description:
Inspired by Pinot Noir, we blended natural ingredients to create a rooibos herbal tea blend that is light, fruity and fun, with hints of mango, blueberry, raspberry and hibiscus.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not very knowledgeable when it comes to wine. I wouldn’t be able to tell you the difference between a Pinot Noir and a Chardonnay … or any other kind of wine for that matter. But I do like to think I know a thing or two about teas and tisanes! So with this wine-inspired line of teas from Vintage TeaWorks, I get to taste something that I’m familiar with, and still explore something that’s outside my realm of expertise. I like that … it challenges me a little bit!
The dry leaf smells like wine. It has a strong, fermented grape kind of aroma. And I can see big pieces of fruit and flower petals tossed in with the needle-thin leaves of the red rooibos, creating a very stunning visual presentation.
The brewed tisane still has a bit of the wine-like scent, but, it is significantly softer as a brewed tisane. It still smells pleasantly grape-like: sweet and fruity.
And this translates to the flavor. It is deliciously sweet and fruity, with well-defined notes of wine grapes, with notes of berry and a hint of mango. I love the sweetness that the mango adds without detracting from the overall concept. It still tastes like a wine-inspired tisane, even though when I think of wine, I don’t think of mango. This makes me think that the minds at Vintage TeaWorks must be geniuses! The way they find just the right flavors to meld together to create such a unique tisane that is delicious served hot or iced.
I personally find this more refreshing as an iced tea – but, it has a very soothing, relaxing quality as a hot tisane. Something that is fun to curl up with and watch TV later in the evening.
Surprisingly, I don’t taste much hibsicus from this at all. I even steeped this for a full 10 minutes, and I don’t taste or feel the syrupy quality of the hibiscus, nor do I taste the pungent tartness of it. I do taste hints of tartness, sure, and these can be attributed to the hibiscus… but they accentuate the flavors of the berry, grape, and mango so well that it becomes not a disruptive flavor but instead something that works toward offering the best flavor possible.
Also surprisingly, I don’t taste much from the rooibos here. I do taste hints of nut and wood from the rooibos, but, it isn’t that funky, sour woody taste. And there isn’t that weird sweet aftertaste from the rooibos.
This tisane makes me very happy, indeed! I’m so impressed with what I’ve tasted from Vintage TeaWorks so far! I highly recommend their teas and tisanes!