Saicho

Saicho (Shropshire, United Kingdom)

A revolutionary pioneer in non-alcoholic dining, crafting single-origin sparkling teas designed to mirror the complexity, structure, and food-pairing elegance of fine wine.

Quick Facts for Consumers

  • Style: Clean, effervescent, and highly aromatic. Every expression represents a single-origin tea estate—capturing specific terroir profiles balanced with grape juice to produce a dry, champagne-like acidity and fine tannins ideal for gastronomy.
  • Redefining the Table: Founded by Charlie and Natalie Winkworth-Smith, Saicho bridges Asian tea ceremonies with European dining traditions. Each batch is brewed in Shropshire using local English spring water to ensure pure, precise flavor extraction.
  • The 24-Hour Cold Brew: To extract the delicate floral and fruit aromatics of the leaves without releasing bitter, heavy tannins, Saicho utilizes a meticulous 24-hour cold-brewing process before adding a gentle, refreshing effervescence.

The Producer at a Glance

Sourcing & Terroir Direct partnerships with legendary, high-altitude estate gardens stretching from the foothills of Darjeeling to Fujian, China, and Shizuoka, Japan.
Key Expressions Jasmine: Scented with fresh summer blossoms; notes of apple, lychee, and white flowers.
Darjeeling: Summer flush from Gopaldhara; mineral-rich notes of mandarin, ginger, and muscatel.
Hojicha: Roasted Sencha from Shizuoka Prefecture; complex notes of roasted hazelnut, nori, and delicate smoke.
Osmanthus: Xianyou Tie Guan Yin oolong infused with golden blossoms; notes of apricot, custard apple, and honey.
Production Craft Leaves are cold-brewed for 24 hours in local Shropshire spring water, balanced with premium grape juice for structure, and carbonated to create fine champagne-like bubbles.
Global Acclaim Proudly poured in over **120 Michelin-starred restaurants** and elite properties globally, including Rosewood Hotels, Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA, and The Ritz-Carlton. Heavily praised by the Financial Times as a spectacular non-alcoholic alternative with gorgeous complexity.