Chun mee, less commonly spelled zhen mei, and also sometimes called mei cha, is a variety of Chinese green tea. The name, which is sometimes concatenated to chunmee, translates to "precious eyebrows", which reflects the fact that the dry leaves of this tea are formed into small curves resembling eyebrows. This particular variety of green tea is often available for a very reasonable price, even in batches of considerable quality.
Flavor and aroma:
Chun mee tea is characterized by its pronounced tangy flavor. It is considerably more sour than most green teas. This sourness, while it is often viewed as a desirable characteristic, can become overwhelming if the tea is brewed improperly. With this tea, more than other pan-fired Chinese teas, it is careful to watch both the temperature of the water and the length of steeping: all green teas are best brewed with water well below boiling point (160-180F or 71-82C), but in the case of this tea, the lower temperature is particularly important to avoid an unpleasant acidity in the brewed cup. The steeping length is a matter of personal taste, and also depends on the amount of leaf used. With any good loose-leaf green tea, the leaf will be good for multiple infusions.
The aroma profile of chunmee is widely variable. It usually has a noticeable but slight smokiness to it, considerably less smoky than a typical gunpowder green tea. In many respects, its aroma is typical for a pan-fired Chinese green tea, with some grassy tones and a noticeable toasty quality. However, chunmee is quite diverse, and some batches have noticeable floral, fruity, or nutty qualities in the aroma.
Young hyson and chun mee:
Chun mee is technically the highest grade of young hyson green tea. Young hyson is a variety of green tea which is the highest grade of hyson tea. Young hyson is sometimes referred to as "lucky dragon tea". Because the lower grades of young hyson are rarely sold in the United States and other western countries, the terms young hyson and chun mee are sometimes used interchangeably.
Regional and other variation among different teas of this style:
Chun mee is not commonly divided into well-recognized named varieties, but often, certain companies will select special batches of it and give them names. Chun mee also varies considerably based on the region in which it is produced, as the unique climate and soil conditions in different regions translate into different flavor and aroma profiles of the final tea. It is produced in Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Anhui, Yunnan, and Hunan provinces, and possibly others. Young hyson tea is also produced in Sri Lanka.
Organic chunmee is now widely available, and many tea companies are beginning to offer this tea in fair trade certified forms as well. One company even offers a decaffeinated form. Chunmee is generally only available as loose-leaf tea, with one notable exception: Tazo envy, although it is not widely known, is a green tea of this style.
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