Country of Origin: Sri Lanka
Grade: OP (Orange Pekoe)
Altitude:
4800 - 7600 feet above sea level
Cup
Characteristics: Add a dash of sugar and have an organoleptic journey to the
winter vineyards of Niagara. A delicious fresh and piquant white grape flavor with hints of exotic fruit that pleasantly lingers
on the tongue.
Infusion: Bright and Coppery.
Ingredients: Luxury black tea,
Freeze dried grapes, Luxury white tea, Ontario Icewine, Natural flavors.
Information:
Icewine…the nectar of winter. Or,
should we say, nectar of the gods? What else could you possibly call a drink that goes for upwards of $250,000 per 350 ml
(11.8 oz)? That’s the price you’d have to pay for an ultra rare bottle of Royal DeMaria, 2000 Chardonnay icewine.
Most icewines are priced well below that figure, but they still garner higher prices than traditional wines. Why? The grapes
used to make the sweet dessert wine aren’t pressed until they are frozen. As such, 1/5th the amount of grape
juice is pressed from each frozen grape compared to the non-frozen variety. For vintners, a general rule of thumb is that
each frozen grape will yield just one drop of icewine. The flavor of the finished product is divine.
Depending on the varietal, the nose can offer notes of peach, pear, honey, dried apricot and green apple. In the glass, the
flavor is a sumptuous combination of apricot, peach, mango, melon and other sweet fruits. This fabulous black tea blend uses
real icewine to deliver all that fruity sweetness in a rich, round cuppa.
Who invented
icewine? No one really knows, but the Latin poet Marcus Valerius Martialis (AD
40-102) wrote that grapes should be left on the vine until they were stiff with frost. Evidently, he preferred the rich, sweet
wines produced after November.
Hot tea brewing method: Place 1 teaspoon of tea for each cup into the teapot. Pour the boiling water into the teapot. Cover
and let steep for 3-7 minutes according to taste (the longer the steeping time the stronger the tea). Add milk and a dash
of sugar help enhance the flavor character on this tea.
Iced tea brewing
method: (to make 1 liter/quart): Place 6 teaspoons of tea into a teapot or heat
resistant pitcher. Pour 1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher
with cold water. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the leaves. Add ice and top-up the pitcher with cold water.
Garnish and sweeten to taste. [A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to double the strength of hot tea since
it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water]. Please note that this tea may tend to go cloudy or ‘milky’
when poured over ice; a perfectly normal characteristic of some high quality black teas and nothing to worry about!
