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!
Wild Monkey Marsala from Red Leaf Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Red Leaf Tea
Product Description:
Here it is at last! The Wild Monkey Marsala Tea, a wickedly zesty tea that comes from our wine-infused group. There are several spicy teas available from Red Leaf Tea, and we think that this may be the most exotic one of all! We begin with a strong Chinese black tea and then add a heavy dose of cinnamon to that sweet and rosy brew. We finish this complement of dominant flavors with the powerful musty sweetness of an infusion of marsala wine. It all balances out perfectly, with the marsala melding into the black tea and the cinnamon lending a peppery effect. Let the Wild Monkey into your tea service today!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I was a little worried about this tea prior to tasting, but, it really is quite tasty. I think that it is the wine. While I’ve enjoyed almost all of the alcohol-infused teas that I’ve tried, I am always a little apprehensive; I’m not big on strong alcohol flavors. Fortunately, it’s been my experience that the flavor of the alcohol compliments the tea flavor, and it is the flavor of the tea that prevails. And that is the case here, too.
The aroma of the dry leaf is a bit unusual, but certainly not unpleasant. The sweet, fruity scent of the Marsala wine is apparent, and the cinnamon is quite strong. It smells sweet, spicy and rather intriguing, actually.
The flavor of the cinnamon and the Marsala wine meld together quite nicely here, the cinnamon is warm and spicy and it does have a slight peppery kind of taste to it. The Marsala wine is sweet and fruity, and the combination of the two tastes a bit like mulled cider. It doesn’t taste strongly of wine, but I can taste hints here and there that are reminiscent of wine, especially as it cools.
And the flavor of the tea is there too; it is a good, strong black tea base that creates a pleasant backdrop for the flavors of the wine and cinnamon. Together the flavors of wine, cinnamon and black tea offer a very well-rounded, smooth taste for the palate to enjoy. There isn’t a whole lot of notable astringency to this tea. The aftertaste is cinnamon-y sweet and pleasant.
I really enjoyed this tea, a delightful tea to sip on these chilly winter afternoons, as it will warm you from the inside out.
Canadian Ice Wine Tea from Culinary Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Culinary Teas
Product Description:
Our Canadian Ice Wine tea has a unique flavor. Grapes are left to fully ripen and then freeze before they are picked to make ice wine. 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. Made with all natural flavorings.
Taster’s Review:
I know that I’ve written about my gramma and her yard full of fruit. One fruit that she grew that I don’t think I’ve written about, though, is her grape vine. It wasn’t as prolific as her lemon tree or her apricot tree, but, the limited amount of fruit she did manage to harvest from it was very memorable. Those grapes were considered a great treat when they were harvested because there weren’t quite so many of them as the other fruit.
These weren’t the ordinary, store-bought variety of grapes. They had seeds in them, and the fruit was crisp and juicy with just a hint of sweetness to them. They were more tart than sweet. It was almost a pucker-y kind of tart, but just as I was about to pucker, the sweetness would arrive. They were very refreshing, bursting with grape flavor.
This Canadian Ice Wine Tea brings me back to those days and the flavor of those grapes. It has a crisp, bright flavor that is tart with just a hint of sweetness. It is a true grape flavor – not some cloyingly sweet, artificial grape taste that you might find in purple ice pops.
The black tea base is a brisk, black Ceylon tea. Mellow and smooth; it is not particularly strong. It does its job: providing a delicious background flavor. It has some astringency to it which plays well with the wine-like flavor.
I really have enjoyed this tea; it is a nice change from the typical sweet-fruit flavored teas out there. It’s remarkably refreshing – and it has this crisp, fresh taste to it that has really taken me by surprise. I like this! It makes a nice afternoon tea or, for a real treat – try it iced! When chilled this tea becomes much more wine-like in flavor. The grape flavor really emerges powerfully. Awesome!
Strawberry Zabaglione Tea from 52 Teas
Tea Type: Black Tea
Where To Buy: 52 Teas
Product Description:
This was a suggestion from one of our customers, and I spent an hour digging through my email folders and searching our facebook page, but I couldn’t find the original suggestion anywhere, so I couldn’t put his or her name on the blend.
Anyway, when I first got the suggestion, I realized I was going to have to MAKE some Zabaglione to try, because not only had I not tried it before, but I had never HEARD of it before. Well after trying it (for those of you who never have, I would say it is something like a custardy (flavor, not texture) whipped cream with a hint of wine. After trying it, I was not at all sure that we would be able to make a tea that hinted of the complexity of Zabaglione, but after some trial and error, we now have…
Our Tea of the Week for the week of May 31, 2010
Tasters Review:
I’ve now had two separate tries with this tea and here is what I have found…
For my first attempt…
I found this to be very VERY nice! It’s very creamy and a lovely Strawberry taste without being tart or fake tasting! There is a a bit of fruit, a bit of wine, and lots of cream! Ahhhhhh!
My second go-around was just as pleasing! Yes, the strawberry is still there and is juicy and plump in flavor but this time around I picked up more on the wine-likeness and it was a beautiful thing! And the cream was perfect and more towards the end of the sip! Truly unique!
All good things must come to an end – and so has this tea in my stash. I’m officially putting this one on my re-order list because it’s a goodie!!!
Sicilian Vespers from Red Leaf Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Red Leaf Tea
Company Description:
Red Leaf tea’s new special flavor, the Sicilian Vespers, is a perfect delicacy. The essence of the delicate tea is the ability of the straight flavor of the leaf to remain clear and present on the palate, as you measure the brew for heat, spiciness, aftertaste and other factors. The floral taste of osmanthus and chrysanthemum are not overwhelming, but in the measured balance of this tea they stand out beautifully, and, need we add, delicately, against the cabernet wine infusion folded in for sweetness. This is an outstanding and delicious tea, perfect for afternoons or mornings!
Taster’s Review:
This tea took a little while to grow on me, but once it did – I really fell in love with it! The first couple of times I tasted it, I thought it was alright. But now, as I’m finishing the last of what I have of it, I am realizing just how good it really is!
Funny how that works out sometimes!
The flavor is crisp and sweet – but not too sweet. Some of that sweetness is cut with the slightly tannic nature of the cabernet wine, giving it a whisper of astringency.
But it’s the floral essence that really gives this tea blend its extraordinary flavor. It is a delicate floral taste – but it is just enough to provide an interesting contrast to the flavor of the wine and white tea.
The white tea base is soft and fresh. The lighter body of the white tea is just right for this blend, anything heavier would upset the very pleasing balance in this cup.
This tea is very good served hot, and even though it is rather delicate in flavor, it manages to retain its flavor nicely as it chills, making this an excellent iced tea as well.
This may very well be one of the best wine-infused teas that I’ve tasted thus far! If you’ve been curious to try a wine-infused tea, I suggest starting with this one!