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.
Pu-erh Cabernet from Vintage TeaWorks
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: Vintage TeaWorks
Tea Description:
Inspired by Cabernet Sauvignon, we blended natural ingredients to create a Pu-erh tea blend that is full-bodied, dark and decadent with hints of black cherry, clove, vanilla and spice. Like Cabernet, Pu-erh is one of the few teas in the world that ages well.
Learn more about this Wine Inspired Tea here.
Taster’s Review:
As I’ve mentioned before, I’m just a little hesitant when it comes to Pu-erh. I’m getting better, certainly, but, the hesitation is still there. Even after I’ve brewed the tea, and it’s in my cup sitting in front of me, there’s hesitation to lift the cup to my lips and sip.
But, I’m hoping that this experience will change all that, because this is WONDERFUL! It is deliciously full-flavored, with notes of warm cinnamon and clove, soft vanilla, sweet cherry and even a hint of cocoa in the background. It’s so incredible!
Yes, that earthiness from the Pu-erh is there, but it exists mostly in the aroma and not so much in the flavor. I think that with the flavor, it sort of melds with the earthiness of the spices and cocoa notes, so, it is not at all peat-y tasting. Instead … it tastes smooth and well-rounded and oh-so-pleasant. I’m betting even someone who has sworn themselves off of Pu-erh would enjoy this one!
It has a mellowness to it, and it’s remarkably smooth … much smoother than most wines I’ve tasted (I’ll admit that I’ve not tasted any recently though!) It is free of bitterness, and there is very little astringency. It is smooth from beginning to end, and it is nicely round.
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!