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In China, the tea market has changed

24 January 2014
In China, the tea market has changed

The process of buying tea in China is not what it used to be. Only 20 years ago only the state had the authority to export tea, and every Chinese tea was given a specific reference. Expert tasters would travel the whole country, visiting each tea factory and tasting each tea before giving it a reference number. For example a Grand Yunnan Imperial was given a grade of 6112.
Things have changed a great deal since then. Today those Chinese experts have gone, no doubt to the private sector, and domestic consumption has increased dramatically. Demand now outstrips supply, pushing prices up. And nobody thinks to remember how it was done 20 years ago.

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New Palais des Thés store opens in Bordeaux

8 November 2013
New Palais des Thés store opens in Bordeaux

The day after the opening of the new Palais des Thés store in Bordeaux, I have chosen this photo with a nod to the region’s vineyards. I know the topography is different, but I must say that tea bushes and vines are very similar in terms of the lines they form within the landscape.

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Political turmoil in Darjeeling

13 September 2013
Political turmoil in Darjeeling

Don’t you think this landscape evokes calmness and tranquillity? Yet I took the photo in Darjeeling, a region that has been in political turmoil for more than 30 years. At regular intervals the local party calls for strikes in the hope of achieving some autonomy in the Indian Union, and the creation of a new state, Gorkhaland. Nowadays, all roads in the region are blocked, and the shops are shut.

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The Palais des Thés team discovers the plantations of Darjeeling

28 June 2013
The Palais des Thés team discovers the plantations of Darjeeling

Every year I set off on an exploration of the tea plantations with senior staff from Palais des Thés. It is an opportunity to introduce them to an extraordinarily beautiful region of the world and it allows them to familiarise themselves with different cultures and, of course, to learn about every stage in the production of tea.

It is also a chance to spend some good times together, like here at Tumsong, where we are enjoying a delicious meal.

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Infatuation with black tea in China

3 May 2013
Infatuation with black tea in China

For centuries, the Chinese drank mainly green tea, leaving black tea to foreigners. However, in the past year or two they have become infatuated with black tea. They call it Hong cha, due to the colour of the infused leaf, which is red; the best known here is called Jin Jun Mei. Of course, prices have rocketed, which happens every time our Chinese friends start a new trend.

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A new Palais des Thés store opens in New York

5 February 2013
A new Palais des Thés store opens in New York

I was lucky enough to travel to New York last week for the opening of the new Palais des Thés store in Soho (156 Prince Street). Here I am with my niece Aurélie Bessière who has been working with her husband Cy for two years to promote the Palais des Thés brand among Americans.
I was delighted to be able to meet dozens of attentive journalists throughout the course of the day. I showed them the best way to make tea, told them all about my work as a tea researcher and “tea sommelier”, and answered lots of questions. In the evening, Aurélie and I welcomed many guests.
It was a wonderful occasion and a exciting challenge now lies ahead: to encourage people to appreciate fine teas on that side of the Atlantic.

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Trouble in Assam

30 October 2012
Trouble in Assam

The state of Assam (India), the country’s main tea-producing region, is going through a difficult period.
Security has been an issue here for years. I don’t want to go into the detail of the reasons behind the violence. I don’t know enough about it. I just want calm restored, like the lovely calm expression on this Assam tea plucker’s face.
The red and white fabric she wears wrapped around her head is typical of women in the region.

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A show detailling how to prepare tea

24 August 2012
A show detailling how to prepare tea

Many of you would probably say that you make your tea perfectly well. But can you imagine yourself up on stage, performing under the spotlights while a commentator stands beside you with a microphone, detailing your every graceful move to an attentive audience?
This is exactly what is happening at the moment at the Hong Kong Tea Fair.

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Price hike at the Hong Kong tea fair

21 August 2012
Price hike at the Hong Kong tea fair

The Hong Kong tea fair is taking place at the moment, and the context is particularly difficult for western buyers. For the past few years, erratic weather conditions have affected harvests, and the quantities produced have fallen sharply. In addition, production costs, whether in India or China, have risen considerably, as has the cost of sea freight. What is more, the very low value of the euro is pushing up the price of tea, which is generally traded in dollars. On top of all this, in China and India, the world’s two biggest tea producers, the middle classes, which did not exist in the recent past, now represent several hundreds of millions of people, many of whom enjoy drinking good quality teas. They aspired for so long, and now they have the means at their disposal. So in these two countries the domestic markets have expanded massively, and there are plenty of Indian and Chinese tea connoisseurs who are now buying the best teas that used to be reserved for export only. We can understand them, even if it is costly for us.

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Good news for Japanese tea lovers

29 May 2012
Good news for Japanese tea lovers

Good news from Japan! All the teas harvested since the start of the season by the farmers we work with have shown normal levels of becquerels. This is a huge relief for the growers as well as for fans of senchas and other gyokuros. Of course, we will continue to be highly vigilant and to analyse each lot before making it available for sale, to ensure it is completely safe and allow us to enjoy our tea with peace of mind.

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