Robb Report samples the premium delights of New Zealand’s North Island. Their visit would not have been complete without a stop at our tea estate!
(…) we stopped at Zealong (…) which is situated just north of the city of Hamilton, and is famous for its oolong tea. The story behind Zealong is a fascinating one: a tea lover, Tzu Chen, was struck by the similarities between tea plants and the camellia, which grow abundantly here. In 1996, Chen imported 1,500 tea seedlings from Taiwan. He was left with only 130 after a rigorous quarantine from New Zealand’s Ministry of Agriculture. Luckily, they were the strongest and healthiest, and today, Zealong is a prosperous 40-hectare plantation. We were served a high tea, during which we tasted a few cups of fine Zealong tea. (…)