Golden Star White Jasmine Sparkling Tea,$13/750 ml or $ 7/375 ml
It’s always good to have something non-alcoholic on offer for the holidays — extra points if it’s dry enough to match with food and more interesting than water. This tea expertly fits the bill. The pale yellow hue with its delicate bubbles suggests champagne; the scent makes a flower lover swoon with its pure jasmine notes; the tea part of the equation keeps it from being too sweet. Made from filtered water, white jasmine tea and a little organic cane sugar, the flavor is pure and elegant. Poured into a wine glass, it’s easy to forget that it isn’t wine — with the bubbles and the smooth, restrained flavor, it acts like an exotic, elegant white. Perfect with dinners of steamed snapper with ginger sauce or takeout sushi.
Golden Star Tea Co., San Francisco,
Tara Q. Thomas,
