[The Gold Standard]
Three hours ago, Conrad St. James Hotel, London.
As is typical for the British climate, a light drizzle had been falling outside since morning. While the thick clouds cast a gloomy pall over the city, the atmosphere inside the hotel was starkly different. Officials, brimming with anticipation, excitement, and nervous tension, kept their eyes on the clock, waiting for the moment to arrive.
How much time had passed?
The lights dimmed, and the moderator’s British accent echoed through the hall.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we will now announce the results of the 2007 Decanter World Wine Awards. As a reminder, each wine was evaluated by price point, region, and varietal, with Bronze, Silver, and Gold medals awarded based on average scores. Furthermore, wines judged as Gold will automatically advance to the next stage of consideration."
The DWWA evaluation system is quite similar to that of the San Francisco Chronicle. While the Chronicle moves from Double Gold into additional judging to determine the top-tier wines, the DWWA uses an additional assessment called Best in Show, where Gold-rated wines can earn a Platinum grade.
"We will begin with the Bronze medal presentations."
Since the rankings are determined by comparing wines within specific regions and price brackets, the announcement process is inevitably time-consuming. In that regard, the situation was even more difficult than the San Francisco Chronicle, as the wholesale prices for Echelon and Sylphide had been raised to over $70, significantly increasing the caliber of the competing wines.
That was the only point Christopher was slightly worried about. However, after a long while, when the mention of Redwood Winery finally came, a bright smile spread across his face.
"Gold Medal – Redwood Winery, Echelon 2005, Cabernet Blend, California."
While some had anticipated it, the majority of the room looked genuinely surprised. Redwood Echelon wasn't an old brand in the U.S., and it was known only to those in the inner circle. To a European audience, it was an even more unfamiliar name, so for it to take Gold in a price range exceeding £100 was bound to cause a stir.
But that wasn't the end.
"Gold Medal – Redwood Winery, Sylphide 2005, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley."
Two Gold medals simultaneously. Christopher, having already considered the two Double Golds from the San Francisco Chronicle, expressed his joy with composure, but those around him were different. Everyone who congratulated him on submitting Echelon and Sylphide cast meaningful glances his way.
For the winery owners, it was a look of interest in the Redwood brand; for the distributors, it was the glint of greed, wanting to bring those wines to Europe.
"We did it! I knew this would happen!"
Thomas clenched his fist, looking at him.
"It's a relief. They've recognized the value..."
It was certainly a happy occasion, but Christopher’s expression looked somewhat bitter for some reason.
While it was naturally good for him if Sylphide won Gold, Echelon was not a wine he distributed, which made his heart ache. If Echelon were to be the only one to receive Platinum in the Best in Show category—which selects the best among the Gold-rated wines—it would sting even more.
After the long awards ceremony ended, he ran into Eliza Wordsworth while walking through the hotel corridor. Or rather, it would be more accurate to say she recognized Christopher and approached him.
"Two bottles, both Gold. That’s impressive."
"Thank you."
"Come to think of it, I don't think I expressed myself properly before. If you were to send half of the wine you've secured to the UK, I could offer you better returns than distributing them in the U.S. I neglected to mention that."
"Is that so? Wordsworth & Co. certainly deserves its high reputation. You pinpoint and resolve the concerns of even a small company like ours beforehand."
"Of course. Additionally, I could arrange tours and meetings with major European wineries for the winery owner. Naturally, we would cover the expenses."
"Oh—that would also be a great merit for the winery owner. We will be sure to pass that along."
He answered with a smile, but she looked at Christopher with a strange glint in her eyes and said,
"I truly hope you do. I believe in respecting everyone's position and pursuing cooperation that is mutually beneficial."
"I feel the same way. With such a philosophy, it’s no wonder Wordsworth has such a long history. It’s remarkable."
"Indeed. Our company’s doors are always open, so please contact us whenever, and we will do our utmost to accommodate you."
"Thank you."
She brushed past Christopher. After she had moved a fair distance away, Thomas asked Christopher, whose expression had stiffened slightly.
"What’s wrong?"
"She’s asking for help in building a direct relationship with the winery owner."
"Ah...!"
"Distributing wine depends on various conditions, but in the end, a close relationship with the winery owner is the most important factor. Depending on that relationship, things that shouldn't work do, and things that should, don't."
"But if she wanted to, couldn't that woman just visit Redwood herself to build a relationship?"
Christopher nodded as he walked.
"True. But having a justification is important. A distribution company that already holds exclusive rights exists, and she’s going to come all the way from the UK to the U.S. to steal them? It’s not impossible, but the risk of failure is high. Especially for a distribution company of Wordsworth & Co.’s scale..."
"You mean the humiliation of failure is too embarrassing?"
"Simply put, yes. She’d be mocked everywhere. If a company of that stature visited and failed, it would only boost the reputation of the winery and the company holding the exclusive rights, leaving her alone to face the shame. And even if she succeeded, she wouldn't hear good things in the wine industry. Fundamentally, wine is considered the beverage of the nobility."
"Ah... so they’d treat it like a company without class?"
"That’s it. That’s why she wants a natural encounter. Something that doesn't look strange to anyone. She wants to use a relationship formed that naturally to make the winery give them exclusive distribution rights on their own."
"Wow, that’s scary."
Thomas shook his head with a look of disgust. However, Christopher shrugged, as if it were obvious.
"That is the power of tradition and history. It makes the other party bow their head on their own."
"I suppose. Even if a club with history is struggling now, sports stars are willing to go there to revive the old glory."
"Hm?"
"Haha, we’re in England, so I tried talking about football."
"Well, anyway, that’s the point. So, there’s no need to take that woman’s words to heart. In fact, you should erase them from your memory."
"Yes! I’ll keep that in mind."
After leaving the hotel, Christopher got into a taxi and picked up his phone. He had to deliver this happy news to the winery that would be waiting.
"Brian! The results are in!"
"How did it go?"
Christopher was slightly disappointed by the overly calm question, but knowing Brian’s personality, he didn't mind and spoke happily.
"Both Echelon and Sylphide received Gold medals. Both are on the Best in Show candidate list, and we’ll know within a week whether they’ll undergo additional judging and receive the Platinum grade."
"That’s great. Thank you for your hard work."
"You don't seem very excited."
Brian’s light laughter came through the receiver.
"What are you talking about? Of course, I’m happy. It would have been enough with just Sylphide, but you even submitted Echelon. Thank you."
"It’s my job. Anyway, there’s still one stage left, so don't be disappointed if the results aren't great. Let’s go have a drink when I get back."
"Yes, yes."
Christopher hung up the phone and frowned at the gloomy weather outside the window.
"This is why I can't grow fond of England."
"They got Gold, both of them."
As I said that while hanging up the phone, Chloe jumped for joy.
"That’s huge! Congratulations!"
"Thanks."
"Aren't you a bit too calm? If it were me, I’d be so happy I’d tell the whole neighborhood."
"The rumors will be spread by Christopher, not me, anyway. And I had somewhat expected it."
At my words, Chloe’s jaw dropped.
"Ha, if someone else heard that, they’d think you were incredibly arrogant."
"I wouldn't have said that to anyone else."
For a moment, Chloe twisted her body for no reason and said,
"Well, I guess that’s true."
Knowing what she was thinking, I chuckled and started walking.
"If you’ve seen enough, let’s go."
Because after showing her this, I had promised to go to the pear orchard to check the soil and the growth status of the pear trees. Chloe trotted up behind me and asked,
"You went to that senior's birthday party, the one named Sienna, right?"
I turned my head, acting as nonchalant as possible.
"Hmm? Oh... I did."
"Armando said there was a pool party, too?"
Inwardly, I cursed Armando.
"...... Ah! Armando was there playing in the party. Me? That kind of thing isn't fun, so I didn't even go in. I talked to Sienna’s dad. He had some business with me."
When I mentioned Sienna’s dad, Chloe’s eyebrows, which had been at a slightly steep angle, regained their balance.
"Really? What about?"
"Just that he wanted me to participate in an event hosted by the California state government, but I said no. It was a hassle, and I didn't see the point."
"Hmm..."
"Oh, and Armando was chasing Sienna around so much it was painful to watch. Honestly, it was better back in high school when he couldn't even talk to her properly."
"Hahaha! True."
Bursting into laughter, Chloe quickly forgot about the birthday party and moved on to another topic. After chatting for about two hours, we arrived at Chloe’s pear orchard in Lodi.
Boasting a size larger than all the vineyards we owned at Redwood combined, the sight of the pear orchard alone was enough to make my heart swell.
"Do the workers listen to you?"
"Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. Still, the senior manager works like a pro, so everyone follows his lead."
"Then the key is whether that senior manager follows your lead. Was it that guy named Liam I saw back then? The one with the good impression..."
I had greeted him when I visited the farm last year and had seen him once or twice since, but we hadn't had a long conversation.
"Right. You were worried a lot at first, weren't you? Unexpectedly, it feels like he listens well."
I had gone to help when planting the saplings last year, but essentially, experts in planting saplings had come to do the work. I had helped manage the farm afterward, but since I couldn't come to check every time, I had created a manual and given it to Chloe.
That manual didn't contain any knowledge from my past life; it simply listed the basics of farming and rules on what not to do when cultivating Shingo pears. If they followed it, they could farm without any major issues.
"Then that’s a relief."
Biochar compost had been spread here in the pear orchard as well, so I wasn't too worried about the soil’s nutritional status.
"Oh? Liam is coming over there."
The man walking from afar was a middle-aged man with a good impression and a stylish mustache. As he walked up, he reached out to shake my hand.
"The owner’s boyfriend has come again."
I was slightly flustered for a moment, but I laughed awkwardly and brushed it off.
"Haha, well..."
"Since you run a fairly large winery in Napa, it seems the owner relies on you a lot. I heard the crops were also planted based on your recommendation..."
"Yes, that’s correct."
"Then, would you mind if I asked you one thing?"
"Sure."
"There’s a phenomenon where the graft union is swelling on some of the trees. Do you happen to know what this is?"
"Oh? Where did that happen?"
"Follow me."
After following him for about ten minutes, I could see the graft union slightly swollen, as if it were wearing a scarf.
"Do you know the reason? It seems like a lack of water, but..."
I crouched down slightly to examine the area and realized the reason. Just as I was about to answer, I saw a group of people walking from afar.
Even from a distance, their expressions were stiff, and it didn't look like they were coming with good intentions. Following my gaze, Liam and Chloe also identified them, and their faces hardened.
"Those people..."
"What is it?"
"It’s because of the water."
Liam looked troubled, glancing between me and Chloe.