Tea and Wine

In a few weeks my daughter leaves for Acadia University to complete some college courses. It is located in the beautiful Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia, Canada, surrounded by quality wineries. They produce incredible maple and icewines, as well as delicious ports.

Reminiscing about my two favorite beverages got me thinking about their many similarities. After taking a World Tea Expo class and purchasing the book, Tea, Aromas and Flavors Around the World, I discovered even more shared traits.   

Tea and wine can both be consumed intimately or for serving guests on a grand scale. Special objects: cups, mugs, glasses, pots, pitchers, and serving trays play a part in the ritual of imbibing these beverages with friends and family.    

Tea and wine plants both flourish on sloped ground. Their taste will vary according to the region and country that produces them, due to climate and elevation.  During each season within the production cycle tastes can vary drastically; depending on the amount of rain, winds, moisture, soil, and temperature. Both plants produce a product that improves with age. They are produced in distinct stages. First the plants are grown, and then harvested and finally chemical processes occur to create the end product that we can purchase, consume, and enjoy.

What else do tea and wine share? Let us hear about it. 

Life’s toiling, the water’s boiling, drink more tea!