Nature and Nurture in the Journey from Leaf to Cup: Expressing Flavor in Specialty Matcha

The goal of specialty or 3rd wave coffee is similar to that of fine winemaking, to express the characteristics naturally intrinsic in the plant to their finest expression. These same principles have been applied to matcha for generations, where farmers, processors, and practitioners are in a never-ending cycle of perfection.

Compared to other agricultural products, matcha is perhaps one of the most notable examples of human “nurture” interventions of a natural process - shade growing.

Introduction

The journey from a tea plant to a final cup of matcha is the interplay between nature and nurture. In this narrative, "nature" refers to the inherent qualities of the tea leaf, influenced by factors such as weather, terroir, and the cultivar. Conversely, "nurture" encompasses the series of human interventions, from farming practices and processing to milling, whisking, and serving, which coax out and (hopefully) enhance the tea’s inherent sensory characteristics. This delicate dance between nature and nurture is central to the world of specialty matcha. It is in this domain that tea lovers strive to select the best from nature and then nurture the tea to best express itself, ultimately delivering a cup that transcends the ordinary.

The Role of Nature

Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers Kano Tsunenobu Japanese late 17th–early 18th century https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/44897

At the very heart of the matcha journey lies the tea plant itself, a product of nature's intricate craftsmanship. The inherent flavor profile of tea is heavily influenced by several natural factors:

1. Terroir: Just as with wine, the concept of terroir is critical in tea. It encompasses the unique environmental conditions – including soil composition, altitude, and climate – that shape the tea plant's growth and the resulting product.
2. Cultivar: The choice of tea cultivar, or variety, plays a pivotal role in determining flavor. Different cultivars exhibit distinct flavor profiles, ranging from rich and umami, to fruity and astringent.
3. Weather: Year-to-year variations in climate and weather conditions can significantly impact the flavor matcha. Droughts, rains, frost, and temperature fluctuations can either enhance or diminish the tea’s flavors, adding an element of unpredictability.

The Role of Nurture

Bandō Mitsugorō II as the Farmer Asakusa no Jirōsaku Tōshūsai Sharaku Japanese 1794–95 https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/37378

Specialty matcha is not merely about sourcing the best tencha (matcha’s tea leaf precourser) after the tea is harvested or letting nature do its own work in the field. The nurturing process is a series of deliberate actions aimed at preserving and enhancing the tea’s intrinsic qualities:

Example of a tarp shading system in Uji, Japan

1. Farming Practices: Cultivation practices are paramount in nurturing tea such as irrigation, the use of fertilizer, pesticides, and other modern farming techniques. Different techniques in shading from traditional reed shading, modern tarp shading, and more innovative techniques in reflective tarp shading can make a big impact on the final sensory profile and nutrient density of the resulting product.
2. Harvest & Processing: Harvesting is a matter of precision. Tea can be hand-picked or machine-harvested, and depending on the method of machine harvesting, farmers can have more or less control over the material taken from the plant at the expense of yield. Once harvested, the unprocessed tea needs to be transformed into matcha’s precursor, tencha. This involves a complex set of steps including steaming, cooling, drying, baking (a light, dry heat treatment to remove excess moisture), and destemming.
3. Blending (optional): Tencha can then be blended or left unblended and sold as single-cultivar.
4. Milling: Milling is one of the most critical determinant of final matcha quality. Industrially milled matcha is usually milled in a ball-mill and turned to “culinary grade” matcha. Modern industrial mills are highly efficient but at the expense of generating a lot of heat which makes the matcha taste more vegetal, bitter and degrades most of the subtlety and nuance inherent in the product (similar to over-roasting coffee, the flavor profile converges to “generic over-roasted coffee” losing everything nature and nurture bestowed to it). The status-quo of world-class matcha at the moment is ground on a traditional granite mill very slowly to avoid too much friction (and therefore heat) which preserves the sensory characteristics, nutrients, and color.
5. Whisking and Serving: The artistry and ceremony of matcha lies in its preparation. Where key factors such as froth, suspension quality, and water temperature all play a major role in determining the final product. Want to learn more about how to make matcha yourself? Click here

Conclusion

In the world of specialty matcha, the artistry lies in harmonizing the inherent qualities of the tea with the nurturing processes applied to it. The goal is to allow the tea to express itself fully and live up to its potential. The nature-nurture relationship in tea represents a dynamic interplay between the elements bestowed by nature and the skillful hands of those who cultivate, process, mill, brew, and serve. In specialty matcha, this alchemy yields cups of tea that transcend the ordinary and offer a sensory journey as rich and diverse as coffee or wine.

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