Enjoy the "new art of blending," a collaborative creation by Yame tea producers and François Chartier, the harmony creator. The finest competition-level tea leaves of Yame Traditional Hon Gyokuro have been carefully extracted over approximately 10 hours.
DESCRIPTION
Yame Tea is produced in Yame City, located in the southern part of Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture. This bottled tea is made using Yame Dentou Hon Gyokuro, considered one of Japan’s finest teas. Grown in the deep mountains of Yame, this ultimate Japanese tea is carefully cultivated by skilled producers, refined through a unique climate and special cultivation methods.
Yame Dentou Hon Gyokuro is a highly refined gyokuro tea, produced by only about 100 out of 2,000 Yame tea growers, under strict, unique production standards. Yame tea is cultivated across 1,510 hectares, but Yame Dentou Hon Gyokuro occupies only 12.1 hectares—just 0.8% of the total cultivation area.
Furthermore, the tea leaves used in this bottled tea are the highest-grade competition-level leaves, known as "Superlative," even among the rare Yame Dentou Hon Gyokuro. Out of Yame tea's total production volume of 1,664,000 kg, only about 124 kg of these exceptional leaves exist. This means that the tea extracted for this bottle represents the top 0.0074% of all Yame tea.
By carefully extracting these tea leaves over approximately 10 hours, we have crafted a one-of-a-kind gyokuro with deep umami, rich sweetness, and an aroma reminiscent of premium German Riesling white wine. Enjoy the "new art of blending" created by Yame tea producers and world-renowned sommelier François Chartier.
How to Enjoy
To fully appreciate its delicate aroma and rich flavor, pour it into a wine glass and savor it slowly. The ideal serving temperature for Yame Dentou Hon Gyokuro Bottled Tea YAME is around 15°C, allowing its deep umami and exquisite fragrance to unfold, creating a truly special moment.
Introduction of François Chartier
World-renowned sommelier François Chartier supervises the YAME bottled tea made with Yame Dentou Hon Gyokuro. The concept behind this bottled tea is to "complement cuisine." While preserving the distinctive rich sweetness and umami of Yame Dentou Hon Gyokuro, it also offers a refreshing and crisp finish. The goal was to create a tea that inspires chefs worldwide to pair it with a variety of ingredients and dishes.
François Chartier
Current Role: President of Chartier World LAB
Achievements:
- Winner of the Grand Prix Sopexa 1994, awarded as the World's Best Sommelier
- Founder of the groundbreaking aromatic science "Molecular Harmonies"
- Twice awarded "Best Cookbook in the World" at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards (Paris 2010 & China 2016)
- Five-time recipient of the elBulli World’s Best Restaurant Advisor award
- Gastronomy Special Project Advisor at Sony AI
- Established the Aroma & Gastronomy Department at the historic University of Barcelona in 2021
- Appointed Visiting Professor at Tokyo University of Agriculture in November 2022
About the Paulownia Box
This special edition of YAME, the bottled tea made with Yame Dentou Hon Gyokuro, is packaged in a custom-made paulownia wood box. It is perfect as a gift or commemorative item. From the moment you open the box, enjoy a truly special experience.
