The Harvest Fair (2)
The person most shocked by the tie for first place in the table grape category was, unexpectedly, not Matthew Higgins.
It was Professor Thomas Edward, the judge for the table grapes and the department chair of Viticulture & Enology at UC Davis, who had personally scored the entries.
He examined the grapes submitted by Redwood Vineyard once more with a puzzled expression. The firm, plump shape without a single flaw, the deep grape aroma, and the intense sensation felt when biting into them were characteristics commonly found in Cabernet Sauvignon from To-Kalon.
“Incredible, simply incredible...”
“You’re right. I looked into Redwood Vineyard, and I heard they went through a terrible ordeal with White Powder Disease last year and that the owner changed.”
Another professor attending the judging, also surprised by the results, chimed in beside Department Chair Thomas.
“Is that so? So, the owner changed just a year ago and they produced grapes like this? That Asian father’s skills must be remarkable.”
“I suppose so. They’re Korean, and it seems their ability to cultivate wine grapes is far superior to what we knew.”
Neither of them could believe that a kid who had just turned twenty had grown these grapes. To them, this was the only logical assumption. They knew all too well that in farming, experience is paramount.
“Do they even produce wine grapes in Korea?”
“That is...”
“As far as I know, Korea mainly produces table grapes. That Korean farmer must have studied abroad. Cabernet Sauvignon is a finicky beast. You can’t get results like this by luck.”
“Hmm... I agree with the department chair. In that case, I’m truly curious. I know they’re located quite a bit south of Oakville, where To-Kalon is, so how did they grow them so well? Even in our research vineyards, we don’t easily see specimens this robust and aromatic.”
When the land of To-Kalon was divided and sold, UC Davis had acquired a portion of it. Naturally, there was a UC Davis research vineyard within To-Kalon.
“If they challenge us next year with wine made from these grapes, what do you think the results will be?”
At the department chair’s question, the professor, who looked to be about forty, tilted his head with a troubled expression.
“It depends on whose hands they end up in, but if made properly, the Cabernet Sauvignon wineries centered around Oakville will be nervous. But since making proper wine is just as difficult as growing the grapes, wouldn’t that Asian farmer try to sell them at a very high price?”
Thomas, the department chair, nodded at that.
“I suppose so, right? That’s probably why they participated today.”
“Yes.”
“I’d like to visit that Redwood Vineyard if I have time. Perhaps the terroir of Redwood is similar to To-Kalon, and these results came about by chance.”
He knew the possibility was slim, but because he couldn’t believe an Asian had grown Cabernet Sauvignon this well, he preferred to keep suspecting other factors.
“Yes. I’ll look into it when I have time.”
He was curious. If these results were achieved despite the terroir not being similar to To-Kalon, wouldn’t it be possible to assume that top-tier grapes could be produced in environments other than the ones they knew?
He was still looking for other reasons rather than acknowledging the cultivation skills.
“Congratulations.”
Even at Sienna’s congratulations, Matthew didn’t show the slightest change in expression. Instead, he looked bewildered, as if wondering what there was to congratulate.
“For what?”
“You tied for first place, didn’t you?”
“Are you mocking me right now? I tied for first place with grapes grown by a yellow monkey from a farm I’ve never even heard of, and you’re congratulating me?”
Sienna’s face hardened.
“I didn’t know you’d take it so sensitively. But it’s funny. You took it as a joke when I was humiliated by that guy earlier. What was it you said? Did you ask if my dad had tasted it too?”
“...... My bad. I apologize.”
Because he apologized, Sienna turned her head away, though she still didn’t look pleased. Then, as if a thought suddenly occurred to her, she looked at the Asian family in the distance and muttered.
“Who is that?”
A girl with many freckles and reddish hair had approached them at some point and started talking.
“The girl student next to Brian?”
When Sienna turned at the sudden voice, the girl with braces on her teeth smiled brightly and said.
“I’m Elaina, a freshman.”
“Do you know them?”
“We went to the same school. Vintage High School.”
“Ah... who is she?”
“Chloe Harris. She’s the daughter of a family that owns a cherry farm with hundreds of acres in Brentwood. She sticks to Brian like glue. Brian goes around pretending to know this and that about farming.”
Sienna’s eyes shifted. She knew well how much power and wealth a family of large-scale farmers with hundreds of acres in California possessed.
“Really?”
“She was famous for following around the football players when we were in school.”
No matter how much she wanted to tear her down, Sienna wasn’t a fool. No, she was actually quite smart, and she felt a strong sense of jealousy in Elaina’s tone.
“I see.”
She played along, but she didn’t believe what Elaina was saying. However, she checked one thing to confirm a point.
“But does he know a lot about farming? Brian?”
“Um... well... he’s just pretending to know.”
Having been on the receiving end of that ‘pretending’ once, she knew at least that he wasn’t just blowing hot air. She had already heard what kind of kid he was from Pierce Morgan, who was known to be the most knowledgeable about organic farming in the California region.
“Is there any... proof? Or is he just talking big?”
“I don’t know either. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of him achieving any great results.”
“Really? Okay. Thanks.”
“If you’re curious about Brian, please ask me anytime.”
“I will.”
As she nodded with a soft smile, Elaina walked away, looking satisfied. The smile vanished completely from Sienna’s face as she turned. She then walked toward the blind test area for the best wine selection, the main event of the festival that was about to begin.
“Mom, Dad will be at the grape-stomping event, so you two go have fun.”
“... What are you talking about? I have to go to the blind test class.”
“Still, can’t you just leave Chloe behind? You can go together and have Chloe stay by your side.”
At Mom’s words, Chloe nodded, much to my bewilderment.
“That sounds fun.”
“......”
You would think it’s fun.
“Hmm?”
“Okay. Let’s go.”
Mom, impatient to experience the grape-stomping contest on the stage, dragged Dad away, and I had no choice but to take Chloe with me to the wine judging area.
“I’m not bad at wine either. I’ve been learning by drinking a little bit every evening since I turned twenty.”
“Does your father not know that alcohol is bad for your body?”
“You drink a lot too.”
“I...”
I was about to say I don’t drink anymore, but I realized that if I said that, everything I said from now on would be inconsistent, so I just shut my mouth.
“Do Koreans look down on women drinking?”
“... It’s not like that, okay?”
Chatting nonsense with Chloe like that, we arrived at one side of the venue, an area covered with black cloth. UC Davis students were already gathered there, chatting with each other.
I took Chloe and approached the professor in charge.
“Excuse me, I have a friend here with me for the event, would it be okay if she just stayed with me? She’s a plant science major, so we’re in the same college.”
The professor who had judged the grapes with the department chair earlier recognized me, smiled, and readily agreed.
“Go ahead. Congratulations on taking first place earlier.”
“Thank you.”
As Chloe and I blended in with the students, I felt a strange gaze different from before.
“Is it because you took first place? Everyone is watching you.”
Chloe whispered in my ear, and I shrugged my shoulders.
“Well... I guess so.”
In front of the students, there were glass cups lined up on a long table and wine bottles with their labels covered. Further away, the real judges all held scorecards, and they were all scoring the wine with serious faces, feeling the aroma and taste.
“Now, feel the aroma and taste of each one, write down your scores, and submit your final individual scorecards later.”
The students lined up and started drinking the wine one by one and scoring them. But strangely, Matthew Higgins was standing right behind me. He smirked and gave a nod to Chloe, but she just gave a formal nod with a smile on her lips and turned her head away.
“If it’s okay, I want to take a sip too.”
“Of all of them?”
“Only the good ones.”
“Tsk tsk tsk...”
I clicked my tongue, but since she asked me to recommend the good ones, I tasted them one by one as I moved along, and only passed her the wines I had given a score of B+ or higher.
“What about that one?”
“Not really... the aroma is too light.”
“How about this?”
“The alcohol is too strong and the acidity is too high.”
“Then this one?”
“It’s not bad... but it doesn’t have any distinct characteristics.”
We talked quietly and passed them one by one, and on the other side, the professor was watching us with subtle focus.
Then, it was when we stood in front of a certain wine. After I smelled and tasted it and scored it in my own way, Chloe asked as usual.
“What about that?”
“Want to try it?”
“Sure.”
Since it was the third tasting I’d recommended, Chloe drank it with high expectations, and the professor watched that scene with a furrowed brow.
“Hmm?”
Chloe tilted her head. And I heard a snort from behind me.
“Are you seriously recommending that?”
Matthew, who had been watching because I kept recommending the ones that were worth drinking, had sneered.
“Ah, this one... I gave it a decent score.”
“This? Are you out of your mind? What score did you even give it?”
“That’s a secret...”
As I shrugged and just smiled, the professor in charge approached.
“Could you show me?”
There was no reason not to show him, so I showed him the score I had written in my notebook.
The professor, startled by the score, then pointed out to Matthew.
“Do not discuss scores until the test is over.”
“I apologize.”
The students continued to score, suppressing their curiosity. After checking the scores of all the wines for over 20 minutes, the professor in charge collected all the score sheets evaluated by the students.
After the students’ field class ended and only the professor’s final words remained,
“Brian?”
“Yes?”
The professor suddenly asked me.
“About Sample J that Matthew asked about earlier. Why did you give it an A-? Ah, should I ask Matthew first? Why did you give it a C+?”
All the students looked shocked that I had given it an A-. And most of the students nodded in agreement that Matthew had given it a C+.
“From what I saw, the red color was a bit murky, and the aroma didn’t burst out compared to the other wines. There was no reason to give it a high score.”
At his answer, the students nodded again as if in agreement. The professor turned his face to me.
“Shall we hear your opinion?”
How should I explain this so I don’t look too much like an expert... I scratched my head, pondered for a moment, and slowly opened my mouth.
“I remember reading in a book that if the tannins are soft compared to the red berry aroma and color intensity, it means the Pinot Noir is not yet fully matured.”
“Oho, you even predicted the variety is Pinot Noir? And?”
“It said that if the fruit aroma is simple and the tannins feel like they’re scratching the mouth roughly, it’s not that it’s immature, but that it’s in the pre-polymerization stage of polyphenols. And it said that if you get that feeling, the balance of taste will be achieved after 2-3 years, and you’ll feel a complex mix of rose and cedar aromas instead of raspberry. It’ll be completely different then than it is now.”
“So, you’re saying it’s currently in the bud stage before the flower blooms?”
“Yes.”
I explained it as simply as possible, racking my brain. Of course, Matthew and the other students laughed in disbelief.
“Haha, no way...”
But unlike the students, the professor looked at me with a surprised expression.
“You tasted it yourself and found what you felt in the explanation you saw in a book? How is that possible? That’s impossible without a vast amount of experience!”
As the atmosphere started to get weird, I went with a brazen approach.
“I just felt that way, so that’s what I said... Ah, and in Korea, if your parents give you alcohol, you can taste a little bit even in your teens, so I don’t have zero experience. Just a very little bit...”
By using a line from a drama, “I just said it was a persimmon because it tasted like a persimmon...”, the professor was left speechless. He just looked at me with surprised eyes.
Only then did the students realize who was closer to the correct answer, and they covered their mouths with their hands in shock.
“Is it true? Is what he said the correct answer?”
Matthew frowned as if it were nonsense, but I gave an awkward smile.
What do you know? How many research papers have I written until now...
But I smiled awkwardly and said to Matthew.
“It’s okay. You can feel that way. If you drink about... a thousand bottles in the future? You’ll feel the same thing. Time will solve things like that...”
I was trying to comfort him, but at the mention of a thousand bottles, Matthew’s face crumbled, losing its composure for the first time.