Darjeeling tea originated as a British colonial endeavor to disrupt China’s tea monopoly, following the Indo-Nepal War. Renamed from Dorjeeling (a Tibetan term meaning “Land of the Thunderbolt”), the region’s tea industry expanded through British-led estates managed by Indo-European entrepreneurs, reliant on Nepali laborers renowned for their resilience in high-altitude Himalayan terrain. Over generations, these workers transformed dense forests into a globally celebrated monoculture of tea gardens—87 of which now span seven valleys across Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts.

The tea’s distinctive character stems from microclimates and topography: east-facing gardens receive gentler, prolonged sunlight, enhancing leaf tenderness and flavor complexity. Each garden’s tea is labeled by estate and harvest year to denote origin, ensuring traceability and authenticity. Many estates, sustained by multi-generational Nepali families, are USDA-certified organic, while others maintain conventional methods yet produce premium, champagne-like teas year-round.

Below is the list of the tea gardens where the champagnes grow with their traditional names:

Castelton Tea Estate

Tindharia Tea Estate (ORGANIC)

Jungapana Tea Estate (ORGANIC)

Giddhapahar Tea Estate

Sivitar Tea Estate (ORGANIC)

Goomtee Tea Estate

Nurbong Tea Estate (ORGANIC)

Jogamaya Tea Estate

Seepoydhoorah Tea Estate

Mohan Majhua Tea Estate

Makaibari Tea Estate (ORGANIC)

Longview Tea Estate

Mahalderam Tea Estate

Monteviot Tea Estate

Mullootar Tea Estate (ORGANIC)

Narbada Majhua Tea Estate

Rohini Tea Estate

Selim Hill Tea Estate