2008 Gyokuro Kame-Jiru-Shi (O-Cha)
2008 Gyokuro Tama Homare (Marukyu)
2008 Kabusecha Takamado (Marukyu)
2008 Karigane Otowa (Marukyu)
2008 Sencha Miyabi (O-Cha)
2009 Shincha Fukamushi Supreme (O-Cha)
2009 Shincha Shigaraki (Marukyu)
2009 Shincha Uji Gold (Marukyu)
2009 Shincha Yutakamidori (O-Cha)
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The 2009 Shincha Shuei is a competition grade tea – but more knowledgeable readers will have to enlighten me as to the status of the ‘All-Japan Competitive Tea Exhibition’. In any case it’s among the more expensive offerings from Marukyu but at ¥2,600 / 100g it’s hardly exorbitant.
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The good people at Marukyu seem to have a preference for asamushi [short-steamed] teas. This is another very well-presented tea with intact leaves of a consistent dark emerald green colour, no fragmentation, no fannings. Visually it is similar to the 2009 Shigaraki and 2009 Uji Gold from the same merchant I’ve reviewed before. However there is a mild variation introduced in the aroma. This tea smells almost erotic – it is so intense, sweet and creamy, full and vegetal while staying really elegant. Smelling the freshly opened can is almost as satisfying as a proper brewing session. In the background there is some very pleasant baked bread light roast.
A standard session with 2g / 100ml, water at 70C and 60 seconds for the first infusion reveals a tea that is both typical and excitingly good. The colour is medium light with as many shades of green as of gold. Flavour-wise this is eminently fresh and has so much presence and subdued, understated intensity. The concentration of a cup of tea is largely a factor of your brewing parameters but what I define as ‘presence’ is derived from the leaf quality. I rarely wax lyrical but this shincha has a haunting finesse that makes the ‘liquid jade’ metaphor sound very adequate. The leafy, spinach-like vegetality of this tea (usual in any sencha) is subordinated to its evocative character of ripe summer fruits and flowers; for me, this is the hallmark of a truly exciting tea.
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First infusion with ‘standard parameters’: 2g, 70C, 60s.
In my previous post on the 2009 Uji Gold from Marukyu I mentioned that with this low-steamed category of Japanese sencha green tea, in order to boost the flavour of your infusion, you have two options to depart from the ‘standard’ sencha brewing parameters: increasing leaf dosage and/or water temperature. Applying these with discrimination, you will obtain more body and flavour without extracting too much bitterness from the leaves. (Grassy, tangy bitterness and ‘fishy’ flavours are a reason why Japanese teas – a large portion of which is long-steamed, fukamushi – are usually steeped briefly from a small dosage of leaves). With this very high-quality Shuei tea, I came up with another solution.
I’ll call it ‘gyokuro technique’, in that it consists of treating sencha tea [made from leaves grown in full sun] a bit like gyokuro [a different grade of Japanese tea made from leaves that are shaded]. In my experiment I increased dosage to 4.5g of leaf / 100ml of water and increased steeping time to 2 minutes, but lowered the water temperature to 55C. In this way, extraction of colour, flavour and nutrients from the tea is changed into a ‘softer’ but ‘deeper’ one. The colour becomes a little more intense but keeps the same greenish-golden register. The aroma is a little more intense too, but again doesn’t change substantially. The major change affects the texture. The tea becomes really thick with a glutinous, oily feel to it, and there is a very distinctive brothy, salty character that is defined as umami [the fifth taste; see more about it in this post], although it’s a little more salt-driven than umami is usually considered to be. (When discussing the concept, I’m often told I should identify it as a flavour impression independent of saltiness).
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The distinctive salinity of this 2009 Shuei shincha reminded me of a great mineral white wine from such places as Cinqueterre in Italy or Santorini in Greece. Its eminent quality is also confirmed when you brew it the wrong way. Heavily overbrewed with 85C water, this is shown packing in some considerable power for asamushi, but the bitterness it develops is clean and excitingly fruit-flavoured. Whereas the similarly profiled Shigaraki Shincha from Marukyu was a very tasty but eminently simple tea this has a lot of dimension. Is it three times better as the price would suggest? No. Would I buy it again at the same price? Very definitely so.
I'll be sound repetitive myself, but as I said before, great reviews !!! Very useful and I really would like to taste that tea !Cheers,Fortunato
Greger,you can't order directly on their website but I sent them an e-mail and there were very cooperative. Payment by credit card, standard EMS shipping rates, very efficient and polite service.
Fortunato, please e-mail me (link through "My complete profile"), I have an offer for you.
hello,i would like to know if marukyu have an online-store? I could not find it on the webpage.Best regards,Greger
Really nice to hear from you Greger! Studying Polish in Sweden must be as exotic as drinking shincha in Poland.Regarding Warsaw, it's slowly improving. Decent green & black tea is widely available from a number of sellers, we have a filiale of Demmers, some OK internet shops. Good oolong is much more difficult and there is no good puer (yet). Prague and Slovakia seem to be much better served in good tea [sigh].
If you're ever back to Poland and need recommendations or want to share a pot of tea, do drop me a line (email in Profile section)I'll be keeping a balance between tea, wine and other topics on this blog in the future. Surely not giving up tea. (My liver wouldn't forgive it).
Best wishes, Nerval
Steven, great many thanks. I'm enjoying your blog too, and especially the podcasts. Keep up the good work!
Your friend in tea
Wojciech, you have quickly become my new favorite tea writer. (I keep plugging you on Twitter and my Web site, as well.) You've really added to my depth of understanding on a number of topics, and I always look forward to reading your reviews and thoughts.
Greger:
the best chocolate in Warsaw is currently at a new shop named Le Chocolat, brilliant selection of artisanal single-origin chocolates from the best makers in Europe (I should blog on these one day) plus they make their own pralines. It’s very central close to the railway station and they have a website.
Marc Angeli: I know his wines a bit, less than I’d like to (difficult to get). He’s a powerful personality, very interesting terroir-driven wines, sometimes a bit heavy for me though, and he’s getting more and more controversial (read very good summary here). I prefer his wines in the cooler vintages e.g. 2002 and 2004. Which cuvée and vintage did you get?
Thank you very much for your help. I studied polish at the university in Sweden so I : mowie po polsku:) I was last time in Warsaw 3 years ago. I would like to know how it has changed regarding to tea. Is there a tea store that sells high quality teas. Will keep blogging about tea and wine in the future or will you be more focused on wine?Best regards,Greger
U Kucharzy is indeed very good. Very traditional Warsaw food with good ambience.
The wine shop must be Robert Mielżyński. He's currently the best wine importer in Poland. But it's impossible to get into the bar without booking a week prior.
2006 was a warm vintage in the Loire. This preannounces a pretty big wine from Angeli. Don't hold on it, open it soon. I recommend decanting in a carafe or at least using large glasses: his wines like to breathe. Find out for yourself. For sure it will be an interesting, thoughtful wine.
Re: WINO Magazine, please e-mail me in private.
Best wishes and stay tuned for more reviews
Dear Nerval,Yes it is very exotic for a swedish person to study polish at the university in Sweden. Thank you for the news update regarding the development of tea in Warsaw. What about bonbons(pralins) and other chocolate. Has there developed smaler companis besides Wedel or Blikle in Warsaw. I bougt a bottle of Mark Angeli bottle in Paris have you ever tasted his wine. I have never I just bought the bottle on the recomendation from a friend. I will definetly send you an email when I am in Warsaw. Thanks for the invitation.You have a great blog keep up the good work.
Thanks for the link on Angeli. I have just recently become interested in wines. I bought a 2006 Les Fouchardes from Angeli( is it good?). I would like to get a copy of your wine magazin. I read polish and looked at the website it looks very interesting. Please blog about the delicasys that are avavilible in Warsaw like chocolate. I recently read an article in a swedish magazin about Warsaw. It talked about the restaurant U Kucharzy and the winestore from Robert( sorry I forgot his last name).
How long should I decant the wine from Angeli. Do you think 1 hour is good? Should you decant red wines more than white or does it depend on the wine(like its grape, origin)Like I said blog a little about your gastronomic experiences in Warsaw or when you bought nice chocolates(or other delicasys). That would be really interestingI have send you an email regarding Wino Magazine.
1 hour decanting for Angeli is too long, I think. I don't know this wine in this vintage but I'd advise to be careful with decanting. It's best to decant and pour. As you drink / taste the wine it will keep breathing in the decanter. Angeli allows some oxidation of his whites so they don't need so much air, just a bit to shake off what are called the "bottle aromas".