Tea invites us to slow down. But in the case of sparkling teas, the bubbles rising in the glass are on a pace as steady as the following attracted to the non-alcoholic drink.
While the trend is just arriving in Monterey County, Michelin star kitchens were quick to latch on – and for good reason. Ellison Wofford of the California label Susurrus calls her creations a companion to wine because there is as much to know about tea as there is about wine. Locally, her sparkling teas are available at two Monterey County tasting establishments, Lady Somm in Carmel’s Barnyard and Domaine Messier’s tasting room in downtown Carmel.
Susurrus is an onomatopoeia that refers to a whispering sound. And those who taste these sparkling teas may contemplate their origins in such a way. The Osmanthus Golden Tip sparkling tea is harvested from the Fujian province in China and its companion bottle, Oolong Magnolia tea, hails from Yunnan province.
As the daintiest bubbles dance while sipping the Osmanthus Golden Tip sparkling tea, a wave of florality soothes the olfactories while its light taste lingers on the palate.
The Oolong Magnolia whispers a much softer effervescence. Color more akin to a Champagne with miniature bubbles rises in the flute as the herbal aroma doesn’t hold enough power to pair with anything else, yet stands on its own. This experience is just you and the tea – an appropriate accoutrement for the priceless works adorning the walls of the art gallery housing Atelier Domaine Messier.