[The Ghost of a Failed Experiment]
While everyone has their own story, it was impossible not to be curious when Elias didn't just mention the farm in general, but specifically singled out Harrington's flagship wine: Harrington Noctis Ridge Pinot Noir.
Though I didn't know the specifics, Noctis is Latin for "night" or "darkness." I assumed the name implied an exploration of the "depths of darkness" within the delicate nature of a Pinot Noir. It was the ace up Harrington's sleeve, a flagship wine that produced hundreds of thousands of cases annually and generated massive profits.
“But what exactly is the story behind it...?”
Elias just gave a faint smile and replied,
“Does the reason matter? Either way, isn't it good for Redwood if you win?”
“...That’s true, winning would be good.”
I backed off, as it’s rude to pry when someone clearly doesn't want to answer, but Christopher caught my eye.
Once we finished the contract and stepped outside, Christopher spoke before getting into his car.
“I was originally going to head off separately, but I have something to tell you. Shall we head to the winery?”
When my father agreed, he nodded as if that were for the best.
“I’ll tell you more at the winery.”
Curious about what was going on, I rode back to the winery with my father and led him to the office sofa. I served him tea instead of wine, which seemed to slightly disappoint him, and then I asked,
“Is there a reason Elias has such bad blood with Harrington?”
“Well, you see...”
He hesitated, gathering his thoughts, before speaking cautiously.
“Actually, this is the first time he’s ever openly shown any ill will toward Harrington. He’s never let it show to the outside world before.”
“And yet, you can guess the reason?”
“Of course. It’s a story from over twenty years ago, but it’s quite famous in the California wine industry. It’s about Elias’s son.”
My father and I leaned in, naturally intrigued by the subject.
“Daniel Grendel, the son of Elias Grendel, graduated from UC Davis and joined Harrington Winery. He was a senior to me, and I heard he was quite famous at school. His passion for wine was immense...”
“And then?”
“Perhaps because he was young, Daniel Grendel was known for having a very experimental nature. Even after joining Harrington, he kept that tendency and started trying to make all sorts of different wines. But originally, the most famous wine at Harrington wasn't Harrington Noctis Ridge Pinot Noir. It was Harrington Estate Pinot Noir Reserve, the most traditional and textbook wine from the Sonoma Coast.”
Thirsty, he took a sip of tea and continued his story.
“Daniel, passionate and experimental, seemed bored with the recipes he was given. So, he secretly attempted Wild Yeast Fermentation in a few barrels.”
It was a familiar story, the kind that happens all the time. Of course, it was also a story I had experienced countless times in the lab before my regression.
“Did something go wrong?”
“Indeed, something went very wrong. Two out of the six fermentation tanks were ruined, and nearly 30% of the entire vintage was damaged. For a winery, that was equivalent to millions of dollars in losses.”
“Oh, my...!”
“Mark Harrington stood in front of the reporters and declared that an employee had contaminated the wine with unnecessary experiments, and that Harrington Winery would never rely on experiments again. Daniel was fired immediately and even blacklisted in the industry. Furthermore, Harrington tried to minimize their losses by reselling that year's wine under the name Rescue Blend.”
“That’s a tragic story.”
It was tragic, and I understood why Elias hadn't been able to voice his grievances publicly.
“But it didn't end there...”
“Is there a twist?”
“A few months later, the head blender at Harrington Winery tasted one of the discarded barrels and discovered something strange. He realized the barrels hadn't actually gone bad.”
“The structure was just different?”
“Exactly. At the time, it was so unconventional that they assumed the wine was ruined.”
“Ah...”
“He discovered a complex profile of smoky, earthy, and balsamic notes resulting from micro-oxidation. They bottled a few bottles as a small experimental batch, and to everyone's surprise, that wine received the highest rating at an unofficial tasting the following year.”
“Don't tell me that was...?”
“That’s right. That is the current flagship of Harrington: Harrington Noctis Ridge Pinot Noir.”
My father and I were left speechless by the shocking story. To think that the wine which became the winery's flagship was born from the very "mistake" for which they had publicly shamed and fired an employee...
At this point, it was clear why Elias couldn't openly criticize Harrington Winery, but was still deeply resentful.
My father asked,
“But how do you know so much about this? Harrington Winery wouldn't have wanted to make these internal matters public.”
“Ah, that. Lucy Allison, the head blender who discovered the potential in Daniel’s ‘imperfect’ barrels, left Harrington Winery about ten years ago and exposed what had happened. That’s how it became such a well-known story.”
“Ah... Elias must have been heartbroken.”
“Indeed. Especially since Daniel’s name wasn't cleared until ten years later, but at the time, no winery would hire him. He became a broken man.”
“Oh, my... and now...?”
“I heard he went to France to study, but I haven't heard anything else. Honestly, Daniel’s experimental spirit and the tradition-heavy French industry are polar opposites, so I suspect ‘studying’ was just an excuse to go and recover his mind and body. Since there’s still no news of his whereabouts, it’s just a tragedy.”
After hearing this, I understood why Elias had specifically asked me to beat that one wine.
Christopher fell into thought for a moment before saying,
“I didn't understand why he didn't want to give you the grapes at first. I understood his intention to protect the identity of the single vineyard, but I wondered if that was really a reason to deny the hottest name in Napa, Redwood... but thinking of his request at the end, I think I understand his intent. He must have tasted Sylphid and seen the potential. And with that potential, he wants to use his father’s grapes to crush the wine that was created through unjust means—the wine his son tried to make but couldn't finish.”
“So that’s why it had to be a single vineyard.”
“Yes. If it were a blend, the character would be masked. He believes it will only have meaning if you win with the Grendel Hill Vineyard grapes alone.”
Thinking back to Elias, who had made the suggestion so casually, there was a much heavier story buried beneath the surface.
As expected, Christopher asked with a worried look,
“Doesn't it feel like a burden?”
“Me? Not at all... I find it interesting.”
“Interesting?”
“Yes. People who don't know won't think anything of it, but for people like you, Christopher, who are well-versed in the California wine scene, how interesting would it be to see me make a single-vineyard Pinot Noir with grapes from Grendel Hill? And since I’m the protagonist of that story, it’s even more fun.”
He looked at me with a slightly dumbfounded expression, as most people would find such a situation burdensome, not fun.
“Well, if you say so... that’s a relief for me. You received the invitation to the 30th Anniversary Re-tasting at COPIA (The American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts), right?”
“Yes.”
“I assume you aren't worried, then...”
“Haha, that’s right.”
“Good. The exact program details will be out by the end of this month, so I’ll share them with you.”
“Thank you.”
“Don't mention it... it’s my job. How is your friend’s business? The one doing the distilled spirits...”
I was slightly surprised that he suddenly brought up my friend.
“You mean Jacob? How did you know about that...?”
“I read the magazines, of course. Even though I’m in wine distribution and not close with blenders, it’s a magazine I have to read to understand the tastes and preferences of the younger generation.”
“Ah... it’s going well. They’ve already produced an additional 3,000 cases since the blender launch.”
“Congratulations. If you ever have someone you’d like to introduce later, I’d be grateful if you let me know.”
“So that’s why you asked? Alright. I’ll let you know if the opportunity arises.”
After delivering that surprising news, Christopher left the winery.
“They say Harrington Noctis Ridge Pinot Noir is their flagship. Can you really beat it?”
“It won't be easy. But it’s not impossible... It’s expensive and well-regarded, sure, but it’s not a wine that costs over a thousand dollars a bottle, so I have to try.”
“I’m just worried. I’m afraid you’ll push yourself too hard and end up the talk of the town for the wrong reasons. That’s how the world is—they praise you when you’re doing well, but they’re ready to pounce the moment you make a small mistake.”
“I know. I’m not pushing myself; I’m just doing what I’ve always done.”
It was true. I was just doing what I always did. The memories of the lab—eating, researching, eating, and researching. It was so hard and frustrating at the time, but looking back, every bit of knowledge I gained was precious.
“Right, that’s why habits are important. If you don't push yourself and just get good results by doing what you usually do, I won't have anything to worry about.”
My father wrapped his arm around my shoulder with a proud expression. Why hadn't I known this feeling before I regressed...?
At that moment, I got a call from Chloe.
“You’ve been so busy lately, are you neglecting us?”
“I’ve been doing well. I was just trusting you to handle things.”
“Pfft... Come to Lodi and check on my growth.”
“Alright. It’s late today, so I’ll come by tomorrow.”
“Good.”
The next day, my old pickup truck, which had departed from Napa in the morning, arrived in Lodi after nearly two hours.
This place, which used to be a tomato farm, was now covered in endless rows of small saplings, creating a spectacular sight.
“Brian!”
A young woman came running from afar, shouting—it was Chloe. For some reason, she was grinning, and she was holding a pear in her hand.
“Look at this, I bought this pear at a Korean market in LA. I bought it to try, but it’s not as good as I thought.”
American pears grown in California weren't that delicious. It seemed she had bought it while doing market research.
“You didn't go there just to buy this, did you?”
“Yeah, I originally went to buy Shingo pears, but they said they weren't out yet because it’s the wrong season.”
“That makes sense. Usually, Korean pears are harvested between August and October. It’s hard to find Shingo pears this time of year.”
“But you’ve had them before, why go buy them again? You’ve already eaten them a few times.”
“I bought them because they’re delicious. And I keep eating them to learn the size, sweetness, and texture of the flesh. I need to reach that level, too. Oh, and this...”
Chloe pulled a pair of gloves out of her pocket.
“Do you know Hestra? They’re luxury Swedish gloves.”
“Whoa—”
I took them immediately and put them on. They fit perfectly, and I loved them.
“Cool, right?”
“They’re great.”
“I have good taste. Let’s go.”
Walking through the pear orchard following her, the view was wide open because of the young saplings, and it felt like I was right in the middle of nature.
“And you know about that, right? The 30th Anniversary Re-tasting of the Judgment of Paris.”
“Yeah, it’s been a hot topic among the Napa crowd lately.”
“I’m going. I got an invitation.”
“Really? That’s huge!”
“Do you want to come?”
“Me? Aren't only the people involved supposed to go?”
“No... they said you can come if you’re in the same party as the invitee.”
At my words, Chloe suddenly twisted her body, kicking the dirt with her foot, and said,
“No, well... it’s not that difficult...”
“Ah, but you’ll be super busy at the end of May, did I speak too soon?”
She shouted back,
“No! It’s just one day... it’s only a day. I can go.”
“...Alright, I’ll buy you something delicious if you come.”
“How delicious will it be... I’m looking forward to it.”
She turned her head and walked ahead.