What connects the tea-growing region of Darjeeling to the famous wine district of Champagne? On how terroir influences the flavour of tea.

‘Terroir’ is a French word that in its simplest translation means ‘land’. The art of winemaking, however, has elevated this term to a much sought-after element in artisan produce. In an agricultural context, terroir means soil, topography and climate and even altitude, rainfall and sunlight.

You may not know the term, but you probably already understand the concept. Champagne (the beverage) can only come from the Champagne region of France – everything else is merely sparkling white wine.

The same goes for tea. Why is Darjeeling so special? First of all, like champagne it’s a geographical indication, a kind of ‘intellectual property’ related to place. Growers or producers seek a geographical indication when they believe their offering possesses certain qualities and has a good reputation because of its origin. It’s ironic, then, that some people call Darjeeling ‘the champagne of tea’.

The reason Darjeeling tea producers sought this designation is because they believed their product has a particular taste because of what it is (Camellia sinensis var. sinensis) and the conditions under which it grows, in particular the altitude, as the designation specifies certain hilly tea estates.

The secret is, tea doesn’t need an official geographical indication to be special. Longitude, latitude and altitude all play their part in the climate and growing conditions, as does everything from the soil biome, which rocks (and therefore which minerals) are in the vicinity and how much sun the plants receive. If you processed tea grown on opposites sides of the same mountain separately they will taste different!

So next time you go to buy specialty tea, be sure to ask where it comes from. Terroir gives tea its individuality – it’s the place where magic happens.

Read more about geographical indication.

This article originally appeared in AUSTCS enews 27 August 2019.