Known for producing some of the most exceptional white tea in China, you can find our tea estate for Silver Needle and White Peony nestled in the picturesque hills of Fuding. Our first day there was one of the hottest I experienced during the entire trip but as you can see, high temperatures didn't deter the tea pickers.

Along the winding road up to the center of town, we saw people walking with tea baskets around every corner.

Downtown Fuding bustled with tea workers.

At one of their two downtown storefronts, our tea estate manager welcomed us with a tasting - remarkably cooling and refreshing. Beginning with White Peony and Silver Needle, the two delicious white teas we bought back to the U.S., she also shared some of their white tea puerh.

Tea trees interspersed terraced rice paddies along the road up to the tea estate.

Here is the newly paved road that leads to the tea estate. At one time, workers had to hike and climb the rugged terrain before harvesting. I'm in awe of their strength and fortitude.

Armed with umbrellas to block the sun, the tea estate manager and I are pictured at 7000 ft. The oldest tea trees on this estate are 60 years old and reside at the top of the hill behind us. A fresh breeze at this elevation was so revitalizing.

Here's a photo that offers a sense of the height. In the far distance, a body of water and another mountain top reveal a better perspective of the high altitude. I am still amazed by these majestic tea origins with infinite scenic views.

Seafood is the preferred cuisine in Fuding. For lunch we enjoyed this delectable plate of razor clams, a local delicacy smoked beneath a bed of sea salt, peppercorn and scallions. We had many delicious fish and vegetable dishes during our visit.

The next day we visited our tea estate's production facility. Here are panels of white tea leaves drying in the sun.

The leaves change after being out for a few hours. From the moment leaves are plucked to the length of drying, each step is executed with precise timing to ensure the best outcome.

This is the first drying machine used in the winter when cold temperatures impede drying the tea leaves outside.

In the summer, our tea estate harvests leaves for a white tea puerh. The workers here are examining leaf by leaf to pick only whole, uncrushed leaves to use for the puerh cake. Our Silver Needle and White Peony teas are harvested in spring when leaves are most tender and robust in flavor.

Of the giant piles in the previous photo, these are the only baskets of leaves that remain after the vigorous sorting process.

We love staying in touch with our tea estate partners, and these trips are an important reminder of the truly precious and special qualities of pure tea. The terroir, elevation, air quality, soil make-up and immense skill, hard work, and artistry that are all involved in transforming a small leaf into the tea in our cups. We are grateful and honor them with every sip. Until next time.