Nannuoshan 2019
sheng pu'er - gushu
These small cakes (bing cha) will tell tasters, those both new to us and old, why we chose Nannuoshan as our name: a very young Sheng Pu, this warm and inviting tea is immediately drinkable, and rewards the tea drinker with skill (i.e. 'gong fu') not only with excellent longevity (we got up to a dozen steepings out of it), but a wealth and variety of flavours.
The wet leaves start off with fruity overtures suggesting apple butter or wandering in a lemon grove, then the first infusions swell to a chorus, a velvety mouthfeel enveloping the tongue with vegetal notes of artichoke or asparagus, the sweet nuttiness of almond, and the acidity of stone fruit. More intense steepings can bring out the tastes which linger in the background: the surprising (for Sheng) notes of dark chocolate and dried fruit like prune, raisin, or fig. Relaxed and almost summery on the palate, it doesn't stray so easily to bitterness while brewing, making it even accessible to Pu'er beginners as well as satisfying to Pu'er experts. A delight in bing cha form.
For suggestions on how to steep it, as well as tasting notes, watch our YouTube video Power Steeping Nannuoshan 2019:

- ORIGIN: Banpo Lao Zhai, Nannuoshan, Menghai, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China
- MEANING: Nannuo mountain (nan nuo shan)
- CULTIVAR: Da Ye Zhong
- HARVEST TIME: Early Spring 2019
- TASTE: Artichoke, stone fruit, chocolate
Preparation
- Quantity: 6g / 500ml
- Water temperature: 100°C
- Infusion time: 4 min
- Quantity: 5g / 100ml
- Water temperature: 100°C
- Several infusions: 2-15 sec.
Start with 2 seconds. Increase steadily after the 5th infusion. Never exceed 15 seconds, unless you want to taste the chocolate notes.For best results in gongfu cha, brew in a gaiwan or in a Yixing teapot.
Additional Information
This photo gallery illustrate the first steps of pu’er production. All photos taken by us at a farmer's house on the Nannuoshan Mountain.The same day of the harvest the leaves are fired in a rotating drum or in a wok, heated by wood fire.