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Red Leaf tea's new special flavor, the Sicilian Vespers, is a perfect delicacy. The essence of the delicate tea is the ability of the straight flavor of the leaf to remain clear and present on the palate, as you measure the brew for heat, spiciness, aftertaste and other factors. The floral taste of osmanthus and chrysanthemum are not overwhelming, but in the measured balance of this tea they stand out beautifully, and, need we add, delicately, against the cabernet wine infusion folded in for sweetness. This is an outstanding and delicious tea, perfect for afternoons or mornings!
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Steeping instructions:
Amount of water: 6 oz
Amount of Tea: 1 Flat teaspoon
Water Temperature: 180° F
Steeping Time: 4-8 minutes.
Note: Do not use boiling water for Green and White teas as they will burn and create bitter flavors.
A good way to guess water temperature without a thermometer is to bring the water to a boil, and wait about 30 seconds (for White tea) or 60 seconds (for Green tea) before pouring over the leaves.
One thing about this reviewing tea gig is that I sometimes feel as though I repeat myself over and over. I am not sure if anyone pays enough attention to my reviews to notice. This is one of those times, when it is appropriate to say that I've said it before and I'll say it again---I am very impressed with the white tea base that Red Leaf Tea uses in their flavored blends. This truly makes sampling any of their white teas a pleasure for me. This blend is no exception. Red Leaf Tea lists the ingredients in this blend as white tea, osmanthus flowers, royal chrysanthemum petals and Cabernet flavoring. I prepared my cup using water brought to steaming and infused for close to 3 min. The flavor profile of this blend is not unlike that of Pink Sonoma. In fact, when I first started drinking the cup I found myself wondering what the differences were. From what I gather the white tea used in Sicilian Vespers is more delicate than that of Pink Sonoma? I base this on Red Leaf Tea's descriptions. Other than that, the only other difference I could ascertain was that the accompanying flowers are different. Pink Sonoma has roses and jasmine whereas this has osmanthus and chrysanthemum. Since, I have already finished off the remainder of my sample of Pink Sonoma, I will have to go off of my memory to recall any other differences. Both blends have a grape/muscat taste to them from the cabernet wine. While it is a relatively full flavor profile, you can taste a smooth and delicious white tea base. The biggest difference that I notice between this blend and my recollection of that blend is that this one has a far more floral finish. Again, I will remind folks that this does not taste like wine flavored tea per se. If you purchase this thinking that you will likely be disappointed. Overall, this is another delicious offering in the wine category from Red Leaf Tea. Like Pink Sonoma, this offers a respectable white tea base, a delicious grapey flavor profile, some notes of white wine and a floral finish. I guess I would recommend picking your favorite floral combination in order to decide which blend should end up in your shopping cart. In which case, I would definitely give the edge to the Pink Sonoma. At $6.99 for 1.6 oz, this is a great value for a great cup.
Laura -Teaviews.com -Reviewer
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