1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 393 Knowledge is never wasted!
Ronan guessed that the tourism board might participate in some of the 'pilot zone' projects, but just like the problem he encountered when writing his application report that morning—he didn't know how to convince these departments to fund it.

We can only follow the morning's pattern and focus on the Ministry of Agriculture's work plan for this year.

He spoke about the 'removal plan,' the 'wine lake' phenomenon, the European Community's attitude towards the matter, that Provence was the second region after Bordeaux to implement the plan, and the conclusions he reached after discussing it with Pierre.

Once the high-yield, low-price grapes are removed, new high-priced grape varieties will inevitably emerge in Provence, which is the key to solving the 'wine lake' phenomenon.

Fearing that these theoretical concepts were too abstract, Ronan provided some readily available examples:

"In pursuit of sophistication and structure, Provençal rosés often incorporate Mourvèdre. However, as Quincy points out, adding Mourvèdre makes it difficult for existing grape varieties to balance the tannins and acidity. This type of wine doesn't suit the tasting habits of New World consumers. Americans don't like overly acidic wines; they prefer sweet and light flavors. There are many similar regions. Therefore, we can try developing new premium grape varieties to reduce tannins and acidity. The original winemaking formula remains unchanged, preserving the characteristics of Provençal while adding new varieties to make St. Louis more competitive."

All the knowledge Ronan had in his head came in handy.

The conversation ranged from the characteristics of rosé wine in the European market to those in the Americas, and then to Asia and East Africa, captivating both leaders.

In the end, Quincy and Blanco realized they had been too naive.

So the rosé wine master was right in front of them!
"Have you found your target species yet?" Quincy asked, unable to hide his excitement.

The tourism bureau doesn't participate in many 'experimental field' projects; it mostly plays a supporting role in promoting the development and protection of new varieties of Provence's iconic tourism crops, such as lavender, the king of visual economy, and olives, a symbol of Mediterranean culture.

Although grapes are not under the protection of the tourism bureau, rosé wine is something the tourism bureau cares about.

As directed by the region, they hope to create a 'pink-purple-blue' color scheme that combines rosé wine with lavender and the French Riviera, making it a new iconic cultural symbol of Provence.

At this point, it's a matter of seeing which of the provinces under Provence can make rosé wine a hit first!

“I have a few goals, but I want to connect with professionals and hear their opinions,” Ronan said matter-of-factly.

Quincy immediately stood up:
"I'll make the calls right now and push this to happen."

Ronan called out to him from behind:

"But I've already submitted my application to the Ministry of Agriculture!"

He mailed the letter at noon.

Quincy said without turning his head:

"Whenever the Ministry of Agriculture needs money, it always thinks of our tourism bureau. I just let my colleagues know about it sooner."

Ronan: "."

After watching Quincy leave, Ronan looked at Blanco:
"So what exactly are the disaster compensation terms? When do you plan to announce them to the farmers?"

This concerns when Ronan will implement the 'purge plan' in Lourmaran.

Blanco also stood up and patted Ronan on the shoulder several times:

“You, you always manage to do so many unimaginable things. It’s unbelievable that two government officials like us would hear such crucial information from you. This information you’ve said is very important. I need to call a meeting to discuss whether we should change the original plan. The development of new grape varieties is important for Lourmaran’s agriculture and tourism. We may increase the compensation ratio to help you implement the ‘removal plan’.”

After saying that, Blanco left, leaving Ronan alone.

Ronan looked around Blanco's office, trying to see if there was room to fit another table and a chair.

Every time Ronan visits the Lourmaran government, he hears good news, and he decides to move here to work!
"What are you doing? Aren't you leaving?" Blanco suddenly turned around, startling Ronan.

Ronan quickly picked up a wine glass, pretending to savor it carefully:
"Drink some wine before you leave. It's all spilled out. It's a waste not to drink it."

Blanco waved to Ronan, signaling him to leave:
"Don't just sit around doing nothing. Hurry up and go to Papal Newcastle to finalize the contract with Stella. Sylvie has already discussed the payment date with her former boss and drafted the contract. Go and confirm the details and terms first, and then I will send a staff member with legal expertise to assist you in signing the contract."

The tourism bureau was involved in the 'experimental field' project, and Ronan didn't dare call Juliet that night.

Although he hadn't done anything to wrong the Department of Agriculture, for some reason, he felt a sense of guilt, and he wasn't sure whether he should tell Juliet about Quincy's involvement. What if the two departments had some connection he wasn't aware of?
He decided to pretend he knew nothing and that nothing had happened, and wait until Juliet received the application and contacted him to see what happened.

But he made a phone call to Jerome.

"That batch of goods sold out so quickly?" Jerome joked. "I wonder if the new boss will be able to retain you and Jacques, two big clients. The order volume of the two of you is terrifying."

“Yes, it’s sold out again. I’m notifying you to send another batch, and I also want to go to Stella Winery tomorrow. Do you have time?” Ronan asked calmly.

Jerome smiled and sighed:

"No need to say goodbye to my friends. Theodore comes to see me every few days as if we'll never see each other again. Ines is the same; he came all the way to have a meal with me. And that Jacques fellow had something delivered to me three times in a week. You guys are really something. Retirement is a pleasant thing, isn't it?"

At the last gathering, Jerome revealed that he and his next owner would soon sign a contract, and once the contract was finalized, he would sell off his "belongings" and leave Provence. Ronan replied with a smile:
"I also have something pleasant to talk to you about. Are you at the winery tomorrow? If not, how about the day after?"

Seeing Ronan's firm stance, Jerome had no choice but to agree:

"Okay, come over tomorrow, but don't bring any parting gifts, I don't need them!"

The next morning, Ronan drove away from Lourmarin and headed straight for Papal Newcastle.

There were very few workers left at the Stella Winery, making it seem particularly deserted. However, the huge winery was very clean, with no trash or weeds, clearly showing that it was being carefully maintained.

Ronan guessed that the man was Jerome, because when he arrived, he saw Jerome tending to the flowerbeds at the factory entrance.

"We probably won't see you bloom this year." Jerome carefully weeded and watered the plants like an old gardener, clearly someone who did these things often.

Ronan stood behind him with his hands behind his back and asked:
"Have the wineries, vineyards, and machinery been sold?"

Jerome straightened up, pointed in a direction, and said:

“A resort group has taken a liking to this winery and wants to convert it into a hotel. There’s no rush to sell the vineyards; as soon as they’re listed, they’ll be snapped up by the surrounding wineries. Land in Châteauneuf-du-Pape is in high demand. I plan to sell the equipment at a low price after I sign the contract with the next owner. The equipment is only 2 or 3 years old, and I’ll sell it at 30% of the original price. I’m sure it will sell very quickly.”

"Alright, let's not talk about that anymore." Jerome put down his tools and cheerfully led Ronan into the winery. "Come help me sell off some of the inventory; there's still so much wine left!"

Ronan smiled and followed him inside:

"Okay, let's have a good drink today."

Jerome's house is located within the winery.

Knowing that friends were coming today, his wife specially prepared several of her signature dishes to entertain Ronan.

During the meal, Ronan noticed that the couple's moods were completely different.

Jerome's wife would become sentimental at the sight of anything related to rosé wine, and she would often tell Ronan about the days when she and Jerome struggled for St. Scotts.

Jerome, on the other hand, looked relaxed, as if he was finally about to retire, and remained silent to Stersgaard.

“Alright, honey, didn’t you bake some lemon cakes? Go check on them!” Jerome kissed his wife. “Ronan and I are going to have a few more drinks. If you’re tired, you can go and rest.”

Jerome's wife gave Ronan a forced smile:
"Sorry, I may have said too much. You guys continue eating, I'll go check on the cake."

After his wife left, Jerome shrugged at Ronan:
"Forgive her nagging. My wife used to be a worker at Stella, which was a winery cooperative back then. Stella was with her for over 20 years."

Ronan sighed:

"I understand. It would be hard for anyone to accept suddenly leaving a 'friend' that has been with them for more than 20 years."

Jerome smiled and said:
"Actually, it's okay. Just don't think about it too sadly. Like when I'm with you all, as long as I think that we can meet again in the future, it's not that sad!"

Jerome was the most optimistic of all; when faced with sadness at the party, he could even comfort everyone.

"My friend, what brings you here today?" Jerome poured drinks for himself and Ronan.

Ronan took out the contract that Sylvie had drafted for him from his briefcase and said with a complicated expression:
“You might not believe it, but I only found out about this ‘news’ a few days ago. The buyer who contacted you before was the Lourmaran government, which is the village government where I live. I’m here today to deliver the contract to you. Please take a look at the terms.”

Jerome's hand, holding the pink wine glass, froze in mid-air, and his expression stiffened.

A few seconds later, he gently put down the cup, revealing a very awkward, bitter smile:

"Although I had prepared myself mentally, seeing the contract right in front of me still felt really complicated."

Ronan pushed the contract forward a bit.

Jerome picked up the contract, casually flipped to the first page, and began to ramble on like an old man:
"Your government is moving very quickly! Didn't they say they'd need some time to prepare before signing the contract? How come it's so fast? I thought the handover wouldn't be until at least mid-April. But that's fine too; the sooner it's signed, the sooner I can get the winery and vineyards ready—"

Jerome suddenly held the contract up to his face.

He excitedly pounded on the buyer's name, pressing so hard that the thick contract bent like a leaf.

"It's you. You're the one who's here to take over Stellagard?!"

(End of this chapter)