“In spring, there are three things to do: admire flowers, go on an outing, and drink West Lake Longjing.” As the top choice among spring teas, the pre-Ming West Lake Longjing is one of the favorites for seasoned Tea enthusiasts.
Many seasoned tea enthusiasts favor pre-Ming green teas, with West Lake Longjing being the most beloved. After a winter's rest, the tea leaves are thick and plump, the buds tender, and the tea water sweet. The new tea's market release time this year is similar to last year, as is the price. However, the appearance of the tea buds this year is slightly better than last year. Lishui Longjing and Meijiawu Longjing, favored by many citizens, will be available in about a week, with more spring teas to follow.
Even before the Spring Festival holiday, the tea farmers of Lingyin Corporation had already booked their tea pickers for the year. According to tea farmer Zhu Mingying, over 200 acres of tea fields at Lingyin Corporation have reserved several hundred tea pickers, mostly from Anhui province and a few from Quzhou. This year, the daily wage for tea pickers is 220 RMB, an increase of 10 RMB compared to previous years.
2024 Longjing Spring Tea Reference Prices
Different production areas, processing methods, picking times, and brands can lead to variations in the prices of Anji White Tea.
Generally, they are mainly divided into Longjing, West Lake Longjing, and Lishui Longjing, with grades such as first pick, special grade, and first grade. Let's take a look at the following data for specific prices. Note that these are personal statistics and do not represent market behavior.
Zhejiang Longjing (250g)
Premium First Pick: 980 RMB
Pre-Ming Special Grade: 680 RMB
Pre-Ming First Grade: 380 RMB
Before-Rain Second Grade: 180 RMB
Hangzhou Longjing (250g)
Premium First Pick: 1800 RMB
Pre-Ming Special Grade: 950 RMB
Pre-Ming First Grade: 625 RMB
Before-Rain Second Grade: 460 RMB
Before-Rain Third Grade: 255 RMB
West Lake Longjing (250g)
Handcrafted Premium First Pick: 5588 RMB
Semi-handcrafted Premium First Pick: 5488 RMB
Semi-handcrafted Pre-Ming Special Grade: 3999 RMB
Pre-Ming Premium: 2688 RMB
Pre-Ming Special Grade: 1998 RMB
Pre-Ming First Grade: 1520 RMB
Before-Rain Second Grade: 980 RMB
Before-Rain Third Grade: 600 RMB
Lishui Longjing (250g)
Intangible Cultural Heritage Master Handcrafted: 35000 RMB
Semi-handcrafted Premium First Pick: 13888 RMB
Semi-handcrafted Pre-Ming Special Grade: 11222 RMB
Pre-Ming Premium Grade: 7688 RMB
Pre-Ming Special Grade: 5455 RMB
Pre-Ming First Grade: 4255 RMB
Before-Rain Second Grade: 3000 RMB
Before-Rain Third Grade: 1500 RMB
The highest quality is generally around 70,000 RMB per catty or more, while cheaper options can be around 360 RMB per catty. However, for non-core area Longjing teas, even those of better quality, prices are generally between 350 to 600 RMB per catty.
The 2024 Longjing tea has a straight, sharp, flat, and elegant shape, smooth and uniform, with a color that shows a yellowish-green hue. After brewing, it exudes a clear and long-lasting fragrance, like orchid flowers; the tea soup is apricot green, clear and bright, the leaves are tender and green, evenly distributed, with buds standing upright, vividly lifelike. Drinking the tea is invigorating, leaving a lasting fragrance, and an endless aftertaste!