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French Producer of Organic White Tea

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After having a visit in the amazing Reunion island entered World Heritage Site by Unesco in 2010, French overseas department affixed to Indian ocean between Madagascar and Mauritius, we had the pleasure to savour and discover the only French production associated with tea, and organic on top of that!

In Reunion Island, tea production is not a new thing. It has been introduced on the Tropical isle in 1965 as part of culture diversification. In 1967, renowned tea, the production amount to 29 tons and forty tons in 1969 then stopped in 1972.
In July 2005, Johnny Guichard took responsibility of an aged exploitation of tea dates back to 1955 and refitted it. Perched at 1 100m altitude at the ankle of primary forest of Reunion, the exploitation is located in Grand Coud at the south east of Reunion Is.
The exploitation can boasts being the only tea production of France. However , Johnny Guichard has specialized with organic premium tea under the brand Le Labyrinthe En Champ Th with white tea and white tea-flavoured with many flavours; cinnamon, lemongrass, rosat geranium, lemon geranium, lemon eucalyptus, vanilla, mint, lemongrass.
Family output, the exploitation of organic white tea of 3 hectares produces 4-6 tons of organic white tea per annum.
Tea Anecdote
Despite the conventional wisdom, tea is not a shrub but a tree which could achieve 20 meters in height. It is cut at breast height to allow the collection.
Another idea unknown to the public, tea factories are grafted together naturally in forest. Their branches intersect and end up "merge".
Production Process
The growing of organic white tea from the exploitation is done throughout the year except in June and July.
Tea production since any agricultural crop follows a specific process. The distinctive feature of the exploitation of the Labyrinth is that each measure is done by hand.
1 - The first step is the cutting of tea plants.
2 - Tea culture: tea will grow until it reaches its size of harvest.
3 - Picking: Once the tea has reached harvestable proportions, it is picked by hand. But not at any time of day, in the morning when the dew is still present.
In Asia, they often process imperial picking; only the small terminal bud is removed. But white tea harvesting can also be done by cid picking (bud and the two leaves after), which the Labyrinth uses.
4. Drying: tea is naturally dried within a workshop, away from the sun, on crates.
5. Flavour: tea-flavoured on the exploitation is made with different dried plants separately, then, they are mixed with the white tea.
6. Grinding: tea is ground by hand.
7. Triage: It is executed by hand, the large stems is removed to keep only the leaves and buds. However it mays that slender stems manage to slip into the lot.
8. Packaging and labelling: it is still done by hand. The objective of the Labyrinth in a medium or long-term is to acquire a machine that can do this work and allow them to pack quicker larger proportions of white tea.
What Makes A Good Tea
If these operations seem simple what differentiates a good tea for a bad tea.
Like good wine, good tea comes from a good soil. And Reunion Island in Grand Coud has the essential qualities for making a high-standard tea. Having been fallow for nearly 40 years, the soil is usually rich. Nevertheless, a good soil is a very good start but not only.
Other determinants components are picking. The harvesting time is critical. The Labyrinth En Champ Th makes this during the morning where the air is still cool together with where dew is still present.
Then, drying is also important. Tea must be dried at the time of packaging. This step allows a superb preservation of tea.
Certification In All This
Organic tea and a conventional one make a difference on the tea quality. The huge benefits are obviously good for the environment and this is especially true for the Labyrinth En Champ Th which does not use of substances inputs and respects the ecosystem. The tea is even better.
Certified "AB - Agriculture Biologique", the The language equivalent of USDA Organic for US and Soil Association for UK, the exploitation must follow precise specific features and receives one scheduled visit of "AB" auditors once a year and unscheduled visits, 2 to 3 checks per year.
This auditors shall audit the seeds, crops and how farmers operate on the tea. The audit is legend with a theoretical phase which is verification of specifications and a practical phase on the field.
Also, the specificity from Grand Coud organic white tea is that, at any time, it is treated. The soil is fed with compost from tea plants. Tea is left to grow at its own pace without the use of chemical fertilizers and herbal tea fields are left in their natural environment.
The other feature is that there are no diseases or pests on the exploitation to date, so there is no need of treatment. Also, by manual labour at all stages of tea production, the balance of the environment is preserved.
Moreover, the exploitation is moving to a production in agro forestry in short-term (tea rising undergrowth) tea plants, being in the woods, will be shaded. One hand, it will allow to further increase the quality about tea and also to facilitate the picking.
A Matter Of Taste
White tea is tea, that undergoes the smallest amount processing where are took only the buds and young shoots (leaves, the two that follow). This is among the list of reasons why white tea is a premium tea and has not a full flavored taste like green tea or black dinner.
White tea is known as the best tea but of course everyone has their preferences.
White teas, like all tea, have antioxidant properties, but white tea is low in theine. Because of that this is a light tea that can be prized until the evening.
White tea requires an infusion longer than green or black tea (15 mn). Your organic white tea from Reunion gives off a nice sweetness on the palate that makes it subtle, without any bitterness. Namely, that will those who prefer green tea to black tea, enjoy more.
Focus On Other Types Of Teas
Green tea: Green tea also uses a fine picking, that is to say the bud and two leaves next, but the work is not the same, the tea goes through several operations which mainly roasting.
Black Tea: This is a classic picking (bud + 4 to 5 leaves) that will undergo the same operations as green tea with an additional operation, fermentation, at the beginning of the course, which will give the idea its full-flavored.