Wojciech Bońkowski
Master of Wine

First tea bar in Poland

A tea sensation: the first tea bar has opened in Warsaw. Actually it’s just a tea café, run by Dilmah.

Wine and tea (2)

Wine and tea: they actually have a lot in common. In the second installment of this seminal article I look at the production process of wine and tea and how possibly they can be similar.

Moving tea

The logistic challenges of moving a tea collection.

2011 1st flush Darjeeling (cont’d)

8 first flush Darjeelings on the tea table. Some exciting teas, though 2011 seems coarser and chunkier than 2010 for first flush.

2011 Risheehat Exotic Spring

Let the first flush games begin. I taste my first 2011 Darjeeling.

In Portugal (8): Tea from the Azores

The only tea produced in Europe comes from Portugal’s Azores islands. I taste the green and black teas of the leading tea estate here, Gorreana.

In Portugal (5): Tea in the Douro

Enjoying tea in location… in wine country.

2010 Nonpareil Tanyang Gongfu

A good black tea from China: I even reached 7 infusions brewing it the gongfu way.

Tea and food: the umami issue

Third installment of my tea and food matching sessions. Italian red mullet fish roe (bottarga) provides a challenge with its huge intensity of umami taste. Will any tea survive this?

Le rouge et le noir

Another good tea from Teasmith and another good black tea from Taiwan.