Green tea grown on New Zealand's only commercial tea estate, Zealong, has won the top prize in its class at the Global Tea Championships - the second year it has carried off the honour.
Zealong's tea was one of 140 teas from 16 countries judged by international tea experts atthe competition in Colorado, United States.
Zealong Green won the silver medal in the pan-fired green category of the spring hot (loose leaf) contest. No gold medal was awarded.
"That all the teas were blind-tasted confirms the high calibre of tea grown in New Zealand," said Zealong general manager Gigi Crawford, noting the estate was competing on the same level as tea from the world's long-established and traditional growing areas.
Last year the Zealong estate at Gordonton in the Waikato entered three teas in the global championship ahead of the World Tea Expo in Las Vegas.
All three topped their categories, with Zealong Black earning a people's tea choice award at the expo.
This year's award win means Zealong Green will again appear in the October 2018 Global Tea Buyer's Guide, a digital publication to the international tea community and vertical markets, said Crawford.
