Owner of Tao Tea Leaf and certified tea sommelier Tao Wupours boiling hot water on loose-leaf oolong in pre-warmed vessels, then dumps the water quickly. This first rinse, as it is commonly known, is not to clean the tea, as many claim. It is to open up the leaves, the same way wine opens up with exposure to air. Tao inhales the scent, then brews another batch, leaving the water in for no more than a minute.
Tao will happily demonstrate the traditional Chinese way of steeping tea to help his customers get the most out of his award-winning selections. He does not, however, want them to feel constricted by excessively strict methodology. “Drinking tea is a way to relax, to feel restored,” he explains. “You shouldn’t stress about doing it correctly. You should enjoy the calm it brings.”
