Mei Zhan
Mei Zhan (梅占)
Mei Zhan is a versitile cultivar from Fujian Province used in a variety of Wulongs and Hong Chas.
Name
- 梅 (pronounced Mei in Mandarin): means plum or plum blossom.
- 占 (pronounced Zhan in Mandarin): means to occupy, and is used when talking about staking claims or marking territory.
Together, 梅占 (Mei Zhan) does not make for an easy translation into English. Mei Zhan's aroma is sometimes described as floral or compared to plum blossom fragrance (梅花香), which might connect to the name. The Zhan is trickier — it might imply that the plum aspect is distinctive or dominant.
Production
Mei Zhan is principally grown in Fujian province
- Anxi, Fujian: The historical origin for this cultivar, where it has traditionally been used for Wulong production. Today, it's largely overshadowed by the popularity of Tieguanyin, with it's lighter aroma. You can find some producers still doing deeper roasts of Meizhan, but it is more niche.
- Wuyishan, Fujian: In the Wuyi region, Meizhan is cultivated in the core ecological zone as Yancha, as well as in the surrounding villages as Zhen Shan Xiao Zhong and Jin Jun Mei.
- Zhenghe & Fuding, Fujian: Mei Zhan is primarily used here for Hong Cha. These areas are primarily known for their Bai Cha production, so finding this cultivar here is less common