1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 405 Troublesome Family Relationships

Merlot is a grape variety that emerged in the late 18th century and originated in Bordeaux.

It was later widely cultivated in countries such as the United States, Italy, Eastern Europe, South Africa, Argentina, and Chile.

Its excellent wine regions include Bordeaux and Languedoc in France, Napa Valley and Sonoma in California, North Fork in Long Island, New York, Stellenbosch in South Africa, Margaret River in Australia, and Central Valley in Chile.

Bordeaux typically uses Merlot to produce more structured, high-quality red wines. This grape is also particularly popular in New World wine regions because Merlot has low tannins, sweeter pulp, lower acidity, a smooth body, and very rich fruit aromas, making it very easy to drink.

However, due to these characteristics, Merlot is very prone to oxidation and requires precise control of maceration time, making it more difficult to handle during winemaking compared to traditional Provençal grape varieties such as Grenache.

However, Melo's style perfectly suited Ronan's requirements:

Firstly, although Provence has many grievances against Bordeaux, it must be acknowledged that Bordeaux red wines firmly dominated the world's high-end wine market in the 1980s, and Merlot was an important component of the Bordeaux style, providing complexity and structure.

Secondly, Merlot's characteristics of low tannins, low acidity, strong fruit aromas, and easy drinking can compensate for the problem of unbalanced tannins and acidity in high-end Provençal rosé wines.

Finally, this grape, loved and familiar to the New World, can effectively help Ronan expand into a larger international market, especially attracting tourists from all over the world.

However, there are significant obstacles to cultivating Merlot in Provence, mainly due to the climate.
Provence has a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers, plenty of sunshine, and large temperature differences between day and night. This is conducive to the accumulation of sugar in grapes, and if Merlot is successfully cultivated here, its fruit flavor will be even more intense.

The problem is that Merlot grapes are better suited to growing in mild and cool climates, and require ample water and a relatively cool environment in the early stages of growth to promote the growth of branches and leaves.

However, the hot and dry summers in Provence may restrict the growth of Merlot grapes, resulting in smaller berries and increased susceptibility to pests and diseases. The low summer rainfall also does not match Merlot's water requirements.

If you want to try growing Merlot in Provence, you need to overcome four major challenges: irrigation, summer cooling, soil drainage, and pests and diseases.

In addition, Ronan was also considering the importance of the terrain.
"Melo prefers a cooler growing environment, so could the altitude of the planting area be increased?"

"what are you saying?"

After determining the experimental grape varieties, Juliet, who was determined to "destroy" Bordeaux, immediately went to help Ronan solve the seedling problem, while Ronan and Lucas drove back to Lourmarin.

Throughout the journey, Ronan kept thinking about the details of planting Melo and didn't bring up the topic. Since Ronan didn't speak, Lucas just drove in silence.

Hearing Ronan mutter a couple of things under his breath, Lucas assumed he was talking to him.

"No, no, I was thinking about something." Ronan snapped out of his thoughts.

Lucas nodded, lit another cigarette, and continued driving.

On the way there, Ronan had started the conversation, while Lucas had remained silent the entire way. Seeing that the return journey was the same, Ronan smiled and asked Lucas:

Why are you so silent now?

When Ronan first met Lucas a year ago, his two deepest impressions of him were his eloquence and wide circle of friends.

Ronan still vividly remembers the party that even Camus's son attended; when they first met at Louis's house, the eloquent and knowledgeable Lucas was dazzling.

Lucas had many friends in Menard, Gordes, Bonnillo, and Marseille. His friends were all over Provence. How did Lucas become such a 'silent person'?

Lucas forced a smile:
"Drive carefully on mountain roads."

Ronan looked out the window at the flat path.

He had seen Provençal people eat breakfast with both hands off the steering wheel while driving.

I've also seen Provençal people lean out of their seats to fix their rearview mirrors while driving.

I've also seen Provençal madmen who get out of their cars to hug and greet each other on steep cliffs, completely ignoring the honking of cars behind them.

Does this 'flat' path require such complete concentration that you can't utter a single word?

Ronan touched his forehead.

Lucas has lived under immense pressure for too long. Although he has now bottomed out and is slowly climbing in a positive direction, he is still under immense stress.

His pride remains, but he has transformed from a confident Lourmaran lion into a lone wolf.

Lourmaran.

Lucas parked the car at the entrance of the shopping street:
"Then I'll go back and wait for news. Let me know when you find out the price of the saplings."

Professor Fernand needed some time to reply, and Ronan took on the task of inquiring about the price of the host tree seedlings again, leaving Lucas with nothing to do but wait.

Ronan opened the car door, but instead of getting out, he extended an invitation to him:
"Park the car and come with me to the restaurant for a while. Anyway, no one's home. What are you going to do going back alone?"

Lucas's wife and son have gone to Marseille, and he is now living a happy bachelor life.

Happy bachelors should spend more time with their friends, otherwise how can they be happy?

Lucas raised his chin slightly:
“Margaret is at home, I’m going back to be with her.”

“Then let’s pick up Margaret and go back to get the dog first.” Ronan closed the door again and urged, “Go to my house again. I’ll bring Blackie and Marseille with me too. Zoe is meeting friends at a restaurant today, so I’m not in a hurry to go home. You can stay for dinner tonight before you leave.”

"Next time," Lucas said with a smile.

Lucas understood Ronan's intentions and was grateful for his thoughtfulness. But now, Lucas really doesn't like going to crowded places.

Ronan said in a 'threatening' tone:
"Okay, then you can go back now. I'll take Xiao Hei to pick up Margaret later. The two of them haven't played together in a long time. You know Margaret will definitely come with me."

If you're comfortable with your precious daughter 'running away from home,' then go back.

I'm not responsible if anything happens.

Lucas shook his head and gave a wry smile.

I'm impressed!

Living in the countryside, every household has to keep some small animals, such as dogs, sheep, donkeys, or rabbits.

It's not a big deal if a few dogs appear in the restaurant; even if they suddenly show up, the guests won't be alarmed.

“But the problem is that Huhu won’t go with you.” Zoe looked troubled.

Ronan brought Lucas and the three dogs to the restaurant, first greeting Zoe and overhearing them talking about pets.

Once Zoe and Ronan get married, Bobo and the other dogs might stay with Louis, but Huhu, who is only close to Zoe, will definitely go to live with Ronan.

The problem is that this little guy is becoming increasingly unruly, especially since he doesn't respect Ronan.

The reason Ronan was able to eat so much of Zoe's homemade lunch every day was because he would have a fierce battle with Hoo-hoo before eating.

Of course, Zoe had to intervene every time.

"I'll make it know who the real master is sooner or later!" Ronan declared fiercely.

Zoe sighed:
"Huhu is too smart. Using force won't work, and it might even backfire. The best way is to let it have more contact with you, normal contact, not the kind that starts fighting as soon as it sees you."

“Then let’s send Huhu to Ronan’s house,” Vivian said enthusiastically. “You and Ronan will be renovating the house together for the next few months. Take this opportunity to let Huhu get to know Ronan better, and you can watch over it.”

“No,” Ronan and Zoe said in unison.

Zoe stroked the head of the Masai puppy, whose face was full of grievance because of being ostracized, and said:
"Huhu and Masai fight as soon as they meet, so the two of them should never meet again."

"What should we do?" Vivian was troubled by her sister's complicated family relationships.

“Let’s roast it and eat it. Without you two, that sheep would have been roasted over the fire last year. It’s had a perfect year of eating, sleeping, and playing.” Pierre appeared with a mischievous grin and jokingly said to Zoe, “Can I borrow your fiancé for a bit?”

Pierre came to ask Ronan about the uprooting plan and the new grape varieties; Lourmarin hadn't made any progress, and he was starting to get anxious.

"I only got the news today, so I'm going to find Blanco in a bit." Ronan looked for Lucas. "But wait a minute, I need to have a few drinks with Lucas first. You have no idea how much effort it took to bring him here."

Human nature does not change suddenly.

Lucas's 'reclusiveness' is only temporary.

At heart, he's still the same big brother Lucas who loves making friends, talking a lot, helping others, and exuding confidence and charm.

Thanks to Theo's publicity, everyone in the village knew that Ronan was going to do business with Lucas in artificially cultivated truffles, so those 'rumors' were nothing to worry about.

Lucas just needs time, some time to recover slowly.

Pierre, as if by telepathy, pointed Ronan in a direction:
"Go find Blanco, you don't need to worry about that."

Ronan is a more dazzling presence than Lucas.

It's not appropriate to send him to awaken the sleeping lion.
Long ago, there was a cooperative system among the farmers of Luberon.

If any family's grapes and olives need to be replanted, everyone will come to help voluntarily.

This cooperative system later evolved to the point that if a farmer encountered trouble, the other farmers had to help him.

Ronan grew up gradually with the help of his brothers time and time again.

In Provence, the saying "those who work with the land are brothers" is not just a figure of speech.

Just as Pierre knew what Ronan was looking for without Ronan saying anything.

Pierre and Ronan didn't need to say anything; the farmers all eagerly gathered around.

"Lucas, Theo said the hunting rifle you gave Ronan cost over ten thousand francs. Is it really that expensive? Do you have any other impressive hunting rifles you could show me?"

“Lucas, I’m thinking of going to Marseille for a few days this summer. You’re familiar with the area, so could you recommend some fun places to visit? The only requirement is that they’re not too expensive. I’m not a rich person like you who can afford to enjoy a life like the wealthy.”

"Lucas, I heard that the forest you bought for 900,000 last year is now worth over a million francs? You're really something, making so much money just from buying land!"

"Lucas"

"Lucas"

(End of this chapter)