YUNNAN, CHINA

THE ORIGIN:

Yunnan, the home region of puerh, is one of the most misunderstood origins in tea. Yunnan covers a huge area, and its tea gardens range from common plantation-style fields to old groves of hundred-year-old trees. Different areas are famous for different traits in the tea, and there are complex dynamics between the farmers, the factories, and the buyers. Yunnan, and its puerh teas, both demand years of experience, knowledge, and intuition from the tea buyer.  

The capital, Kunming, is home to vast tea markets, and for many buyers the city is the limit of their travels. However, we believe that visiting small growers is best for the educational experience. Relationship-building and connections are key in Yunnan, and so we rely on friends and their small-grower friends for our time in this complex region. 

THE GROWERS: 

* This particular segment of the trip is less predictable, so we will only list our host grower, although we will explore the surrounding areas and meet other growers. 

The Li Family in Menghai, Yunnan, China

The Li Family is our host on Nannuo Mountain, and the long-time mentors of our friend and Yunnan guide, So Han Fan. Mr. Li and his wife are both the children of famous Yunnan teamasters, and have spent their entire lives in tea. Mr. Li is from the Akha minority, whose values include a profound respect for the environment, and a preservation of traditions. 

In particular, Mr. Li spent decades at the Menghai Dayi factory as a tea engineer, and his experiences there have allowed him to develop his unique, small-batch techniques. Their teas are "ecological", crafted from trees that have never been altered or aided, allowed to grow as nature dictates.  

>> Learn more about The Li Family.

THE EXPERIENCE:

The Yunnan segment is focused on education and exploration. Unlike in other regions we have visited, we feel like we still have much to learn in Yunnan, and more to discover. Join us on this journey if you would like to learn and explore with us, and have the necessary patience and humility in the face of this often intimidating tea region.

In our travels, we focus more on the farms, rather than the factories. While both are important parts of the puerh industry, our emphasis is on the independent growers on the ground.

See the interesting contrast between rural, farming lifestyles and the prosperity and modernization brought about by the growth of the Chinese economy, and the popularized puerh industry. Learn about puerh directly from the farmers, and understand the process from leaf to cup. Observe the differences between various types of tea plants, from old trees to younger trees, unusual varietals, and how processing affects each. 

The Li Family's Nannuo Gu Shu Maocha

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