The Cult Wine (4)
After visiting Christopher’s White & Co. Wine Trading in LA, I returned to find October in full swing, marking the start of both the grape harvest and the bottling of Sylphide. The harvest was manual labor, so I spent my time checking the condition of the fruit, and the bottling process required similar oversight.
Inside the aging cellar, a strange, warm air hung heavy with the scent of metal and fruit. Every time the valves on the stainless steel barrels opened, crimson liquid flowed out, and the conveyor belt of the bottling line hummed at a steady pace.
The clinking of glass bottles and the sharp hiss of air pressure valves echoed through the room.
"Keep the speed consistent. If it's too fast, it'll foam," I commanded.
I could see the workers tense up at my voice. Since our winery had become quite reputable in Napa Valley, the staff were significantly more skilled than before. It wasn't just that the existing employees had grown accustomed to our specific routines and patterns; the fact that so many people now wanted to work at Redwood meant we could finally be selective, hiring only those with the best experience and talent.
It wasn't just immigrants working the fields anymore. Many young people with a genuine passion for wine were willing to work for relatively low wages just to learn the craft. In that sense, Redwood had become a dream workplace for aspiring young winemakers. Of course, I didn't reveal the core secrets of our production to them—no winery would. What they could learn was the fundamental process of viticulture and basic winemaking. Regardless, thanks to them, I could optimize my workflow and focus exclusively on the high-level tasks.
"Is this something other wineries don't use? I didn't hear about this in the training I took," my father asked, peering intently at the various sensors attached to the stainless steel fermentation tanks.
I’d installed them a long time ago, but back then, Dad had just accepted it when I said it was necessary. Now that he had started taking winemaking courses at UC Davis, he seemed genuinely curious.
"It’s definitely better to have them. And I’m sure other wineries use them too—they just don't make it public like we do," I replied.
"Oh, I see. That makes sense."
UC Davis offered professional knowledge to winery owners and vineyard managers, even if they weren't enrolled as undergraduates. Dad had started the program this fall semester.
"When you have sensors for temperature, CO₂, and dissolved oxygen, you can accurately track the fermentation state. It allows you to draw out the grape's full potential," I explained.
"But what should those numbers actually be?" he pressed.
I glanced at the tablet in my hand. The fermentation temperature for each barrel was locked within a ±0.1℃ range, and the CO₂ levels were dropping uniformly. The DO (dissolved oxygen) graph was a perfectly straight, stable line. But to explain the "why" behind those numbers required a mountain of foundational knowledge.
"That depends on the situation... haha..."
There was still so much for Dad to learn.
"I suppose I still have a lot to study," he sighed.
"You'll get there quickly now that you're taking classes. Is anyone looking at you strangely in class?"
When the owner of Redwood Winery first registered for the course, they had verified his identity multiple times. It was no wonder—the owner of a winery that had received two Double Gold awards simultaneously was suddenly signing up for a basic winemaking course.
"At first, yes. But since I just sit quietly and take the lessons, no one thinks it's strange anymore. I think they suspect that the Double Gold awards were just a stroke of luck," Dad chuckled.
"Hahaha, I bet they do."
Others might worry about the damage to the Redwood brand, but I didn't care. While building our reputation and selling wine was important, I wouldn't trade the opportunity for real learning for the sake of appearances. Besides, if I had to sit Dad down and teach him everything myself, it would take far too much time.
"So, which ones are for the limited edition?" he asked.
"These," I said, pointing to two large oak barrels and sticking labels on Selection Barrel #3 and #7.
"Are those the best?"
"Yes. This is the finest Sylphide of the year."
Even with the same grapes and the same conditions, the taste varies slightly from barrel to barrel. This quality was more than enough to be proud of for a limited release.
A few days later, Christopher White visited the Redwood winery in person from Los Angeles. As always, he appeared in a sharp suit and spoke with a polite, professional demeanor.
"I’ve come for the final quality check before shipment."
Since Christopher had pre-purchased a massive 3,000 cases of wine, it was only natural for him to verify the quality before taking delivery.
"Great. Let's go."
I led him to the aging cellar and opened a barrel valve. The red wine poured into the glass, and the aroma filled the air. The characteristic cherry and raspberry notes of the Russian River Valley, layered with a subtle, earthy scent of wet fallen leaves, were clearer and deeper than in previous years.
Christopher took a sniff and closed his eyes.
"...This is different. The aroma is more refined than last year. It’s as if the very air is different."
I just smiled silently, and he slowly tilted the glass. The smooth liquid coated his tongue; the first taste was a delicate cherry, followed by the floral notes characteristic of Pinot Noir, and finally, a faint mineral finish lingered on the tip of his tongue.
"How can the acidity be this clear...?"
His eyes widened, unable to hide his astonishment. The previous Sylphide had been high-quality enough to win a Double Gold, so the fact that this year's felt even better was both delightful and baffling to him.
"I minimized oxygen exposure. Thanks to that, micro-oxidation was inhibited, leaving the structure clean and crisp."
He understood the theory, but surely other wineries knew that too.
"This... doesn't $150 a bottle seem cheap? It’s not lacking compared to most cult wines."
"If that's what you think, I'm grateful."
We were selling it for $70 a bottle. Clearing 3,000 cases at once meant $2.5 million in revenue in one go. Considering the cost of the 40 tons of grapes from the Hart farm in the Russian River Valley was just over $100,000, the profit margin was immense.
However, Redwood wasn't the most profitable winery in Napa. 3,000 cases was a small amount compared to the large-scale wineries in the valley, and there were cult wines that sold for hundreds or thousands of dollars per bottle.
"When I first met you, I thought you were just a lucky newcomer. I realize now that’s not true. I’ve realized that this was a perfect, calculated success from the start. I’m still baffled by how someone your age could achieve this, but I suppose there are areas of the world beyond my understanding," he said, swirling the red wine in his glass and savoring the deep, complex aroma.
"This wine will be talked about for a long time to come."
"Haha, I'm glad you're satisfied, but that's too much praise. I just think I've completed this year's vintage."
Christopher, seemingly pondering my nonchalant attitude, pulled a silver envelope from his bag. It was an invitation sealed with a red wax stamp.
"Actually, there's an event I was invited to. It’s the Hollywood Humanitarian Gala 2006, a wine sponsorship partner event that I am hosting personally."
"Hollywood?"
I unfolded the invitation to see my name written in gold lettering.
[Redwood Winery, Sylphide 2006 / Official Sponsor Wine.]
"I know you don't like these kinds of events, but I truly hope you'll come this time."
"Me? Attend this?"
"As you know, the global wine competition program Wine Masters is a massive hit, and interest in Napa Valley wines is skyrocketing."
The program, which Redwood hadn't been invited to, had drawn significant attention due to its unique concept of wine duels. Because the show included explanations that made wine accessible to consumers who didn't know much about it, analysts suggested that overall wine consumption had increased immediately following the broadcast. Naturally, the wineries that participated in the show were seeing a massive surge in sales, even if they didn't reach the top ranks—which was why Christopher was so eager.
"That may be, but... isn't it true that even if we don't go on that show, we can still sell our 3,000 cases?"
It was an arrogant statement that most wineries couldn't make, but since Redwood had sold out both Echelon and Sylphide last year, it wasn't an unfounded claim.
"You're right. In fact, when I explained our distribution strategy before, it wasn't because I was worried we couldn't sell the 3,000 cases. It was a strategy to raise the brand reputation of Sylphide and Redwood. But the sales boost from the Wine Masters craze is so strong that having the winery appear at these events has a tremendously positive impact."
"......"
"Besides, this isn't a low-class event. It won't just give us exposure; it will genuinely help the winery's prestige."
He was telling me not to look down on it just because celebrities would be there.
"Hmm..."
The reason I disliked these events was that I wanted to focus on the basics—growing grapes well and making good wine. But as it happened, we had finished harvesting all the grapes, and Echelon was scheduled for bottling at the end of the month. It was a rare moment of downtime in my busy schedule. There was no reason not to go.
"Let's go. If Redwood is going to release cult-level wines worth thousands of dollars in the future, these people will be our biggest customers."
I hesitated, but Christopher's final point made up my mind.
"Alright, let's go."
Since I had been planning to create a cult-level wine anyway, his persuasion was highly effective.
"Thank you!"
Two days later, Christopher loaded the 3,000 cases of 2005 Sylphide that had been sitting in the warehouse. He sent 500 cases, including the limited edition for the auction, directly to New York via air freight, and sent 10 cases of Sylphide—still in LA—to the Hollywood Humanitarian Gala 2006 venue.
A week later, the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
The heart of Hollywood was buzzing with excitement under the golden chandeliers. Flashes popped from the entrance as actors, directors, and suit-clad businessmen walked slowly down the red carpet.
[Hollywood Humanitarian Gala 2006]
It was a charity event held every year around this time, but I couldn't help but feel nervous. It wasn't just the event itself; it was the fact that Sylphide was one of the two main wines being served. I had confidence in the wine, but knowing it would be evaluated by such famous figures made my nerves understandable.
Christopher White looked natural and dashing in his neat black suit, but I felt a bit uncomfortable in mine.
"I'll handle the conversation; you just need to greet people and explain the wine. It's only natural for luxury brands to participate in charity events to promote themselves, so just act naturally and build connections with the Hollywood figures. That's all you need to do," Christopher said.
"Yes, I understand."
But the very first person we greeted at the event was someone I hadn't expected at all.
"Oh? You came too! Was Redwood one of the main sponsors today?"
The owner of that voice, which sounded somehow irritated, was Elowen from Silveroak.
"Ah, nice to see you."
"Nice to see you too."
I wasn't sure if he was genuinely happy to see me, but his face radiated confidence. It was understandable; while Silveroak had only placed 9th in Wine Masters, the show's popularity had given them significant name recognition.
"I saw that TV show. It was very unfortunate."
His face stiffened for a moment before he forced a smile.
"I just had bad luck. I was paired against Château Smith Haut Lafitte."
Château Smith Haut Lafitte, a winery acquired in 1990 by Daniel Cathiard, who had found success in the sporting goods business, was certainly a good place, but it was by no means an absolute powerhouse.
"I suppose so. Being paired against a strong opponent... Anyway, what about your wine today...?"
"It's a new release. Everyone will be surprised," Elowen boasted.
"I look forward to it."
"And yours?"
"Ours is the new vintage of the Sylphide we released last year."
"I see... but our wine is premium-grade. Isn't Sylphide a bit lower? I feel like they'll be compared," he said with a smirk.
Before I could answer, Christopher stepped in.
"Ah, the retail price of this Sylphide is $150, so it’s not exactly something to be ashamed of at today's event."
A hairline crack appeared on Elowen's face.
"$150? It wasn't that price last year, was it?"
"It went up," I replied.
"Haha, you raised the price that much? Can you even justify that?"
"I suppose the consumers will be the judge of that."
"My, my... is that why you're at this event today? So that if the celebrities acknowledge it, people will complain less about the $150 price tag?"
He was the type of person who judged everything by his own narrow standards.
"Well... anyway, I look forward to your wine."
"I look forward to yours as well."
As he turned and walked away, Christopher looked at me, bewildered.
"Is that guy always like that?"
"He has a bit of a grudge against me, so he’s quite emotional."
"Tsk... he's going to be in for a surprise later... tsk tsk tsk..." Christopher muttered, shaking his head in pity.