Monday starts the Chinese year 4646, the year of the Ox.? We’ll help celebrate by offerign specials on our Yixing pots and Chinese Teas.? Stop in and try some traditional chinese teas in handmade teaware.
January 23, 2009
Chinese New Year Specials
November 25, 2008
Tea sale and Massages
Don’t forget our annual tea sale and massages are this Friday, November 28th.? ? The sale lasts all day but the massages are from 1pm-3pm.? Read more about it in World Tea News.
? All teas will be 20% off and slected teaware will be on sale as well.? It is always fun and a great time to stock up on tea.
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November 9, 2007
Sterling Awards Video
Part of the Sterling awards was a profile video about Souvia.? You can see it now on Youtube? Souvia is about 2 minutes and 30 seconds in….?
October 3, 2007
What’s in your Cup
A great article in the New York Times makes the point that much of the tea consumed in the US is not all that healthy…? From the article
“But a 16-ounce bottle of the popular Arizona Green Tea with Ginseng and Honey, for instance, contains 140 calories and 34 grams of sugar. (By comparison, a similar amount of Coke has 194 calories and 54 grams of sugar.) A grande Tazo chai tea latte at Starbucks packs 240 calories and 41 grams of sugar.”
this is a benefit of brewing your own tea or drinking good quality leaf teas without all the additions.
June 9, 2007
$300 for Tea? Rare Tea “Rocks”
“Rock teas like rare wines are appreciated by sophisticated tea drinkers around the globe” says Kerstin Wingert, President and Founder of Souvia Tea. Souvia Tea is expanding its line of premium teas to include rare teas.? “While we carry teas that cost as little at $3 for 25 cups, this tea sells for over $300 for a half pound and many of our customers look at rare teas like a fine Pinot Noir, something to celebrate a special occasion.”? Da Hang Pao (“Big Red Robe Tea”) is a legendary and much revered oolong which is grown in the Fujian province of China. Wingert continues, “What makes this tea so exceptional is the way it grows – on rocks in the Wu Yi Mountains where water trickling down the crevices nourishes the tea plants throughout the year.” ? ? Souvia will carry this and other rare teas on a limited time basis.? For those seeking a taste of a Da Hong Pao tea and pot of it can be had in the store for a mere $15.
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Records of this teas’ existence date back as far the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), where legend has it, that the tea leaves cured the illness of the emperor’s mother. To show his gratitude, the emperor sent red robes to clothe the tea plants from which the leaves had been picked.
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? From the four original tea plants that survived, only a few pounds of leaves are typically harvested each year and thousands of dollars are paid for just a few grams of this exquisite tea. In 2006, the government decided to place the original tea plants under protection and to stop the harvest altogether.
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Since cuttings had been taken from the parent plant and cultivated in the region, a limited amount of this treasured oolong is still on the market. Taste variations, produced by processing, differences in the soil and location of these later generation plants are now used to grade the quality of this “King of Tea” 
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? But how does it taste? Wingert describes it this way, “Da Hong Pao has a warm and toasty flavor and a lingering floral fragrance, reminiscent of sweet-scented osmanthus flowers. Superb, even after multiple infusions.….”?
May 23, 2007
Tea ‘healthier’ drink than water?
Great article today on the BBC website of a study on tea.? It is a concise summary of tea’s benefits.? I guess we should say that a couple of cups a day helps keep the doctor and dentist away!
April 2, 2007
Out with the old….
It’s time again to phase out some of our teas…? The following teas are either seasonal or discontinued.? No worries,as great replacements are on the way!
- Sencha Pina Colada
- Miseltoe Magic
- Kukciha Toasted
- Fountain of Youth
- Jasmine Pearl in a shell
- Yunnan FOP
- Pear Helene
- Nutcracker Suite
- Darjeeling FTGFOP1
- Ti Kuan yin Floral Select
- Happy Holidays
- Strawberry Kiwi
We always keep your favorites in stock!
March 28, 2007
New Arrivals
It’s hanami (or flower viewing in Japanese) time!? To celebrate that we have several new Cherry Themed teas.?
- Cherry Blossom -Sencha based with a divine sour cherry flavor
- Black Forest Temptation – a unique combination of Sencha and Mate with a cherry finish
- Sweet Cherry – A rooibos base with lovely bing cherry flavor
In addition, we have a new black tea from Vietnam.? It makes a wonderful morning tea, that you’ll soon add to your favorites list.
More to come!
July 27, 2006
I’m a little Tea Pot…
“I’m a Little Teapot……”
They may be small, but what they lack in size they make up in originality and creative design. Yixing pots (yee-shing), named after the town where they are crafted, are prized by collectors all over the world. What makes these tea pots so special? It is the clay (zisha) they are made out of. The clay, which can only be found in the southern portion? of Jiangsu province, about 120 miles northwest of Shanghai in China, has? three characteristic colors: light buff, cinnabar red and purplish brown. The blue and dusty black also found with Yixing pots is achieved by mixing certain minerals into the clay. Zisha remains very strong once fired and since little contraction occurs during firing and drying, the lid fits tightly which helps prevent loss of heat and aroma.
Tea aficionados consider Yixing pots superior vessels for tea brewing because the purple clay is porous and absorbs small amounts of tea with every brewing. The patina which develops over time retains some of the flavor and scent of the tea brewed in the pot which explains why it is best to chose one particular (your favorite) tea for brewing in this pot. Some tea drinkers will swear that after repeated use, you can fill the pot with hot water and still get a good cup of tea out of it.
Typically used for Oolong teas, these pots only hold a small amount of water.? But, this allows for maximum tea/water contact producing a great cup of tea.? Most teas can be infused 3 or more times in these pots making them as functional as larger pots despite their size.
Yixing pots are hand crafted and often multiple colors are applied and inlaid to achieve the unique and fascinating designs. There are hundreds of styles, shapes, and designs available from simple to intricate.? To get an idea of what is available, check out CCCI’s website
March 9, 2006
Tea Store First of it’s kind in Arizona
Tea Store first of its kind in Arizona
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Owners Kerstin and Bret Wingert missed the tea shops of Europe and has a vision to bring that experience to life in Arizona.? SouviaTM Tea located at 15414 N. 7th Street Suite #8 (Barro’s/Circle K center) provides a place to experience “the perfect cup of tea.”? Check out the website at www.souviatea.com? to learn more about SouviaTM ? and tea. The store is open Tuesday-Friday 10-7 and Saturday 10-5.
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SouviaTM Tea has Arizona’s largest selection of over 100 loose leaf teas, fruit blends, and herbals from the planet’s finest tea estates to suit every palate.? From the sublime taste of a first flush Darjeeling to the “curl up and enjoy” tastes of flavored teas like Tiramisu Mascarpone.? You’ll find old favorites like English Breakfast tea and Earl Grey.
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Let the SouviaTM Tea staff help you select the teas you love, sample something new, or enjoy a pot of tea and pastries in a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere inside the store.
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Of course, SouviaTM Tea also sells all the accessories you need from European and Asian style tea pots to Rock Sugar stir sticks.
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SouviaTM Tea holds regular tea-tastings, and workshops to provide customers with ongoing education about the health benefits, origin, quality and ceremonial use of tea.
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With a contemporary European design that reflects the natural basis of the product offered, SouviaTM ? strives to create an environment that appeals to tea drinkers of all levels.
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Stop in, slow down, and enjoy some fine tea!
