Terroir
Definition
Borrowed from wine, terroir describes how a tea's growing environment - altitude, soil, climate, humidity, and surrounding vegetation - shapes its unique character. No two gardens produce identical tea, even from the same cultivar.
Why it matters
Terroir explains why a Longjing from West Lake tastes different from one grown elsewhere, or why high-mountain oolongs have a distinctive sweetness. Appreciating terroir deepens your understanding of why origin matters and why certain regions command premium prices.