Gao Wen Black Tea

This tea is certified organic.

GAO WEN is Hugo's flagship black tea from central Yunnan province, China. A dianhong ("Yunnan red") production from da ye ("big leaf") cultivar bushes, this lot is distinguished by a unique processing step atypical of most dianhong production: several rounds of high-heat machine roasting to finish. Through on-site collaboration with the tea makers of Ma Wei Shan, Hugo developed this process to smooth out the bright fruit notes of dianhong in favor of the malty and complex floral qualities older tree Yunnan black tea is lauded for. The result is an idealized breakfast tea Hugo will bring back year after year (Yunnan weather pending!).
Hugo's annual dinahong is produced each spring from high-mountain rows of young tea trees. Ma Wei Shan, situated just outside Simao, is foremost a pu'er producer—like with their sheng productions, their dianhong is produced with 3-5 leaves down the shoot (think "young" huangpian material made into black tea) that are hand-plucked, sorted, withered in the sun, snail-rolled and bruised to high oxidation, and baked to dry. Earlier in the spring, the same plot's buds and first 1-2 leaves are used to produce Hugo's annual yue guang bai. 
On the mountain, Hugo's producers steep a healthy pinch for a few seconds at a time, coaxing out roses, cherries, and deep sweetness. Push this tea for 2-3 minutes with water just off the boil for a classic black tea profile of malt and roast. Excellent candidate for jianshui zitao (purple clay) teapot seasoning.
Scroll to the bottom for tea producer Yuanzhen's thoughts on organic cultivation (and Ma Wei Shan's poultry economy!).

notes — milk chocolate | tobacco | bold
nomenclature — gao (高)—"high" | wen (温)—"heat"
style — dianhong ("Yunnan red")
cultivar — da ye ("big leaf")
region — Simao (Pu'er), Yunnan, China
locale — Ma Wei Shan farm ("horse tail mountain")
elevation — 1200 meters
producer — Yuanzhen Li
vintage — summer '19