[Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars(1)]
Perhaps because they had grown accustomed to Koreans, neither Uncle Frederick and his wife nor Chloe showed any significant aversion to Korean food. Bulgogi and kimchi were already quite famous even back then, and my mother, hearing that Chloe’s parents were coming, had deliberately made the bulgogi sweet and savory to suit American palates.
Perhaps that was why Uncle Frederick kept exclaiming, "Fantastic!" throughout dinner. Once he had sufficiently filled his stomach, he looked at me with a subtle expression.
"Actually, I was quite surprised after hearing what Chloe had to say. I know Jack quite well, you see."
Having run a tomato farm for a long time, it wasn't strange for him to know the man well.
"Then you must have known that Chloe was his daughter?"
"I suppose so. But he isn't the type of person to worry about such things."
"He doesn't worry about it? How can that be?"
As a Korean, it was truly difficult to understand.
"Originally, his farm wasn't that large. At first, it was only about 20 acres. That must have been over 20 years ago. But there was an incident where a neighboring farm dug a well incorrectly, causing the salinity of the groundwater to rise significantly. Jack, who had been finding farm work difficult, saw this as a golden opportunity and immediately filed a lawsuit."
Judging by his current behavior, I could easily picture how he had acted in his youth.
"So, this wasn't his first time doing something like that?"
"Exactly. The problem was that while he initially intended to squeeze out a few tens of thousands of dollars, the matter grew larger than expected as surrounding farms joined the lawsuit. Furthermore, the damage to the farms from the increased salinity was greater than anticipated. That’s why the scale of the litigation expanded."
"Ah..."
"At that time, the farm owner who caused the damage couldn't bear the losses, so he put the farm up for sale and chose bankruptcy. That farm was then carved up according to the damages awarded."
"Then that land had an original owner?"
"Yes. Jack, having acquired over 30 acres for free like that, went on to steal land using the same method several more times."
At those words, my parents and I dropped our jaws in shock.
"But that means he tried to steal Chloe's farm too. How could he do such a thing while knowing your face?"
"That has nothing to do with it. He would just say he is merely following the law."
"He's a bad guy."
"Indeed. He’s the kind of guy who would have sued me just the same if I had dug a well incorrectly while setting up my pear orchard. It is truly fortunate that you helped Chloe in such a situation."
"Not at all. It was the right thing to do."
"From now on, I intend to keep a close eye on Jack. I heard you told him you wouldn't pursue any additional lawsuits?"
"Yes. I didn't want him to harbor any ill feelings toward Chloe."
"You thought well. It's best to avoid a madman. And even if you don't tell them, the surrounding farms are probably eyeing Jack's land intensely. The owners there know better than anyone how he expanded his land."
At those words, both Chloe and I felt a chill run down our spines. I vividly remembered the look in their eyes when they first came charging in.
It wasn't that they had come just to get some insurance money or damages; they had come to tear apart and devour that 70-acre expanse of land.
"So, when do you plan on buying a house?"
Seeing the uncle ask again, perhaps still harboring lingering attachments to the Deer Ridge Country Club, I answered awkwardly.
"Probably... around the end of this year?"
"That's not a bad idea. The real estate market these days is looking quite ominous."
The subprime mortgage lender 'New Century Financial' had already gone bankrupt, and red lights were flashing in the real estate market. I didn't want to pay attention to it, not wanting to live a new life through money games, but it was true that the market situation was turning very sour.
"That's why. I'm thinking of looking into it around the end of the year."
"You have long arms and good body control, so you'll be good at golf, too. It will be very fun if you learn it with Chloe later."
"...... Yes..."
Having overcome the crisis that had befallen Chloe, as April approached, a black Bentley sedan pulled into Oakville, Napa Valley, and came to a stop. An elderly man stepped out, revealing himself. Surprisingly, he was Warren Winiarski, the founder of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, the protagonist of the victory at the Judgment of Paris and known as the pinnacle of American wine.
A Polish-American, he founded his winery in 1970, and his 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon took first place over the finest French Bordeaux wines at the 1976 Judgment of Paris, instantly propelling him to the status of a world-class winemaker.
A single bottle of his historic 1973 S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon is currently housed in the Smithsonian Museum. It was no surprise that he would visit Robert Mondavi, as the two were very close.
His attire was also quite casual for someone who had just stepped out of an expensive sedan.
"You've come?"
Upon entering the study, Warren Winiarski waved his hand at Mondavi, who was greeting him while leaning on his cane.
"Why are you getting up? Please, sit."
Warren, who had always seen Mondavi as robust, frowned at his gaunt appearance.
The relationship between Warren and Mondavi was not merely that of winery owners in the same Napa Valley. Since he had worked at Mondavi's winery and learned winemaking philosophy while studying wine in the early 1970s, they were practically master and disciple. When Winiarski recognized the soil of the Stag’s Leap region and chose the SLV vineyard, Mondavi had actively supported the choice, even leaving a record of encouraging him by saying he had "chosen excellent land."
Therefore, even though Mondavi was over 90 and it wouldn't be strange for him to pass away at any time, Warren was in a foul mood after hearing that his health was failing.
"Why the expression?"
Warren, seated, frowned as he looked out at the vast vineyard stretching beyond the window.
"I just have a lot on my mind."
"Hahaha... You've been recognized as having the best-selling wine in America, so what do you have to worry about?"
"Isn't everything a worry until a person dies? I'm even worried about what to eat tomorrow. And it's not the best-selling wine. It's second place."
The wine that took first place at the Judgment of Paris re-tasting held last year was the 1971 Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello, and his wine had come in second.
"Haha! Such bitterness... Even if it's my time to go, I'm not about to die right this second."
"Are you saying it's not serious?"
"That's what I'm saying. I've got at least another year in me."
At those words, Warren nodded. He was somewhat relieved that there was still time.
At this moment, someone from inside brought out two glasses of wine.
"Why wine? You could have just given me tea."
"Are you tired of it now?"
"Honestly... a little."
It was an unexpected remark. But Mondavi, perhaps knowing the inside story, brought his hand holding the cane to his chest and said,
"I heard. You've put it up for sale?"
"It's been quite a while since I put it on the market. It's just that they haven't been willing to meet the price."
Surprisingly, Warren Winiarski had put Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars up for sale. However, before that, no one had offered a proper price, but after taking second place at last year's Judgment of Paris re-tasting and reaffirming its fame, the sale had gained rapid momentum.
"Even so, your children are fine, so why?"
"They are alive and well, but isn't that all? They have no interest in wine, only in real estate, sports, and funds... That's why I envy you when I see you. Seeing your children consistently interested in wine and striving to develop it. Seeing your grandchildren working at the winery makes me so envious..."
"... So? Did they say who is taking it?"
"Marchesi Antinori and Ste. Michelle Wine Estates."
Marchesi Antinori was Europe's longest-running winery family, established in 1385 and spanning over 600 years, with its roots in Tuscany, Italy. It was one of the most prestigious wine families in Europe, having actively invested overseas in the US, Chile, Romania, and Malta from an early stage. Ste. Michelle Wine Estates was the second-largest US wine company located in Washington, which had grown into a massive winery after the Eroica Riesling, a collaboration with Germany's Dr. Loosen, achieved global success.
The fact that these two companies were acquiring Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars meant that a family with European tradition and history was joining hands with American corporate capital and distribution.
"The price?"
"I don't think it will be much less than 200 million dollars (approx. 186 billion KRW as of 2007)."
Hearing this, Mondavi picked up his wine glass with a somber expression.
"Everywhere you look, everything is being sold off."
"Where else are you talking about?"
"Duckhorn Wine Company."
"Ah... I've heard of it. I heard Dan was making an exit, so it seems he's handing over most of his shares in the end?"
The Dan he mentioned referred to Daniel J. Duckhorn, the owner of Duckhorn, and industry insiders or acquaintances called him Dan Duckhorn.
"Maybe it's because I'm an old man, but I don't look favorably upon the sight of selling a winery and leaving. No matter how much money there is in wine, the sight of blatantly making money and leaving..."
"So, are you trying to scold me as well?"
Mondavi looked at Warren over his wine glass and grinned.
"You are different. I know the heart of someone who wanted to pass it on but is handing it over because there is no one to pass it to."
Warren, who had frowned again because his feelings were hurt, took a sip of the wine he hadn't really wanted to drink. However, after frowning and swirling it in his mouth for a moment, Warren asked,
"What's the occasion? You're serving something that isn't your own wine?"
"Maybe it's because my time is near, but I don't want to put the wine I made into my mouth anymore. When I put it in my mouth, I keep analyzing and worrying about it."
"Certainly, you only need to enjoy other people's wine."
"Hehe... That's right. It's a wine I've taken a liking to lately. The cheeky thing is, they don't make much of it, so there isn't much on the market, and most of it is released in the East, so it's not easy to find in the West."
Warren, who tilted his head for a moment, soon realized the identity of the wine.
"Ah! It's Sylphid. It's been quite the topic lately..."
He, too, had drunk a bottle last year. This was the first time he had drunk it this year, having only heard rumors. Because it was a wine he had tasted before, he could immediately identify it.
"That's right. It's a cheeky wine."
Warren chuckled.
"The winery is the cheeky one. I heard the owner is an Asian..."
"I've seen the owner, but the friend who is the owner's son caught my eye. His talent for wine is, how should I put it... it felt just like seeing you in the old days."
At the surprising praise, Warren's eyes lit up.
"Is that so?"
Redwood Winery had become quite famous in Napa now, but that didn't mean every winery owner envied them or considered them great. After all, a significant number of winery owners in this region were world-class monsters. Moreover, a wine turning out well could be due to the winemaker's skill, but it could also turn out well if the terroir of that vintage was incredible. Therefore, it was important to make a name for oneself by consistently releasing popular wines.
"Tsk tsk tsk... You've completely let go, haven't you?"
It was a rebuke for not pouring his attention into the winery while putting it up for sale. At the scolding of Mondavi, who could be called his former mentor, Warren gave a bitter smile.
"Please consider that I had no reason to try."
"Well... I suppose that's true. How about it?"
"What are you talking about?"
"If you're going to sell the winery anyway. Why don't you hand it over to that friend who seems to have potential?"
However, Warren wore a lukewarm expression.
"Giving up 200 million dollars?"
"Can't you just receive it in installments over a long period? Are you in urgent need of money right now?"
"That's not it, but..."
"Think carefully. If you let go, do you think the philosophy of Stag’s Leap will be well maintained?"
At those words, Warren pondered for a long time, unable to provide an answer.