1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 498 Welcome to the Provence Freeway
If Ronan was interested in the collaboration proposed by Bernard, then he must have long since become engrossed in the future envisioned by his fellow Parisian.

Unfortunately, Ronan could not accept Bernard's invitation for a deeper collaboration, as Stella Artois was also set to focus on the high-end wine market in the future.

It's just that no one could have imagined this goal, or rather, no one would have believed it.

Earlier today, Ronan heard from Llorente that Bernard was determined to achieve his goal.

Cooperation is a process of mutual selection. Since Bernard is so determined to win, he must come up with something that can convince Ronan.

Ronan has always been interested in how Paris Nouveau winegrowers became synonymous with high-end Provençal wines.

Those in the wine business in Provence are aware of this group of people, and judging from the Gold series of art events, these fellow countrymen are doing quite well in Provence.

In that case, Ronan will come and 'learn'.

In the brief conversation just now, he had already 'learned' a method—sponsoring high-end local events in Provence.

In fact, Ronan had thought of this path before.

As an artist, he understands better than these sponsors the benefits of accumulating sufficient exposure at major events, as he himself has benefited from it many times.

Ronan wanted to learn about other avenues, some he didn't know about.

Those big events are certainly exciting and thrilling, but they have nothing to do with Ronan.

No, it should be said that it has nothing to do with the current Ronan.

Perhaps a few years from now, when Stellar's brand upgrade is successful, Ronan will be just as troubled as he is now about which markets in Provence to attend, wondering whether to sponsor the Cannes Film Festival or the Avignon-Nion Theatre Festival this year.
Ah, what an exciting problem!

Ronan's illogical reaction surprised Bernard.

Even Llorente's gaze towards him changed after hearing his plan.

How could Ronan remain so calm and completely unmoved?

Bernard quickly realized—was it because Ronan could also attend these high-end local events on his own merits?

Thinking about it, that's possible. He had seen reports of Ronan participating in the Monaco Grand Prix.

If that's the case, then the 'bargain' he offered is indeed not substantial enough.

High-end wine brands deserve high-end events, and only high-end wineries deserve high-end artists.

“Sponsoring events to gain exposure is only the first step in the plan. An artist like you should know that listing exposure can only increase local awareness, but it has no direct relationship with the brand’s premiumization. We have other actions and paths to show how to be premium.” Bernard put down his crossed legs and became serious.

Before Ronan could reply, Bernard continued:

"For example, when we were discussing the Cannes TV Festival, we asked the organizers to send our wine to the VIP lounge for celebrities, and that guests and celebrities at the dinner party must also be photographed with our wine bottles."

He was leveraging the influence of the celebrities and guests. Ronan's expression remained unchanged, which was a strategy he had already figured out.

Bernard continued calmly:

“My winery implements a ‘plot classification’ system. Several years ago, we created a microclimate map of the hillside, and wines made from grapes grown in basalt soil, sandstone soil, limestone soil and crystal sandstone soil were priced differently.”

Ronan's expression finally changed, and he leaned forward slightly:
"Do customers approve of this system?"

Bernard smiled and shrugged:

"Of course, basalt is the most popular choice among the wealthy because it can give grapes more minerality. This approach was certified as feasible by pioneering wineries in Bordeaux more than a decade ago."

Ronan was overjoyed.

Sturska also has two different soil types.

One type is the limestone soil common near Lourmaran, and the other is the clay-limestone mixed soil he improved on the north slope over several hectares.

The latter is very rare in Provence and can only be obtained through modification.

If Merlot is to be planted on the north slope, it will definitely be used in the new high-end wine formula in the future. If the scarce clay-limestone mixed soil can also be considered a way to increase its value, then there will be another means of promotion when developing towards the high-end market in the future.

"Anything else?" Ronan continued to ask.

He didn't believe that his fellow Parisian only knew this much; he suspected there were many other tricks up his sleeve.

Bernard was finally satisfied with Ronan's reaction.

That's the expression I wanted!

“We also implemented a quota system,” Bernard said slowly. “First, we reserved a portion for the royal family, then a certain percentage for Michelin direct supply, and the rest were available for purchase by winery members.”

Ronan had heard about quotas from Jerome.

This is indeed a tactic frequently used by high-end wineries.

He asked curiously:
What is the approximate ratio of the latter two?

“Take my winery as an example, 5% is reserved for the royal family, 30% is directly supplied to Michelin, and the rest is distributed to the members’ club.” This is not a trade secret, and Bernard is happy to tell others about the winery’s quota ratio. Seeing that Ronan seemed very interested, he continued, “I have a friend who is also a Parisian. Every year, he sets aside 10%-15% of the best wines from his winery for international auction houses.”

There was one thing Ronan couldn't understand:
"What if they keep too much or too little? I mean, how can we be sure how many bottles the royal family, Michelin-starred restaurants, and auction houses will buy?"

Bernard patiently explained:
"Because we also have a pre-order policy, buyers need to pay a 60% deposit to reserve the unbottled wine. If you don't pay, these wines will go to someone else. This way, we can control the proportion and grasp the sales situation next year."

Ronan considered for a moment and asked:

"These policies can make your winery high-end?"

Bernard flashed a confident smile once more:

"The price of my wine has more than quadrupled in six years. Doesn't that speak for itself?"

After that, Bernard told Ronan a lot about the ins and outs of high-end wines, and Ronan benefited greatly from the whole meeting.

Having "learned" so much, Ronan wasn't as assertive when refusing as he had been at the beginning. He adopted a more moderate approach, not saying no directly, but simply saying he needed to consider it and see if there was a possibility of future cooperation.

Bernard expressed his regret, but also understood Ronan's reason for making this choice—it's just that difficult to collaborate with great artists these days, especially in Provence, where artists are sometimes harder to deal with than celebrities.

“If Bernard is really so determined to get it, it might be better for you to just refuse him.” Zoe said with some lingering fear after hearing Ronan’s description, “Codiae said that some partners are so ‘persistent’ that she’s tempted to kill someone.”

Upon hearing the news of Zoe's comeback, many partners sprang into action, and among them were inevitably a few who were "determined to win," and their approach was to constantly harass Cotillard.

As the 'owner' of Stellar,' Zoe was well aware that Stellar would definitely take the high-end route in the future, so the possibility of Ronan and Bernard cooperating was almost zero. In that case, it was better to cut off their thoughts as soon as possible.

As soon as Ronan got back, he and Leah started making desserts, so engrossed they couldn't even lift their heads. He stuffed a chocolate scrap into Zoe's mouth, even though she didn't need to diet.

“Bernard doesn’t just represent himself, but the entire ‘Nouveau de Paris’ community. What if they’re willing to include me? You know, once you’re labeled a ‘Nouveau de Paris,’ Stella comes with a high-end label. Just because there are no opportunities for collaboration now doesn’t mean there won’t be in the future. If you refuse so decisively, there’ll be no room for maneuver in the future. Okay, stop thinking about it. Hurry up and eat more for me. Do you know how hard it is for me to smell chocolate all day but not dare to eat a single bite?”

Zoe took a bite and held the chocolate in her hand:

"Are you still on a diet? You've already lost three or four pounds, that's enough."

Ronan has recently stopped attending all parties, given up drinking, and is eating healthier than a snorkeler every day.

His family and friends felt so sorry for him.

Ronan stubbornly shook his head:
"On the day of the wedding photoshoot, I had to return to my previous weight."

There were no competitions scheduled for the next few days, only exhibitions.

Ronan no longer needed to stay in Ax; Yulia and the women could accomplish enough.

Moreover, Lydia, who has just gained a group of 'followers', needs more opportunities to showcase herself. If Ronan stays in X, all the attention and focus will be on him.

On the night the competition ended, Ronan gave Leah an extra-long crash course to ensure she could recreate the second dessert from the competition. The course ended in the early hours of the morning.

After a brief overnight stay in Aix, Zoe left the next day to attend events elsewhere, leaving with Cotillard, while Ronan returned to Lourmaran alone to handle his work at the market.

This time he drove a large van. After the exhibition area closed at night, the women would put the props in the van and take them away, so Ronan couldn't drive away and had to take a ride home.

As Lourmarin's name became well-known, finding the car back in Aix-en-Provence was not difficult, and Ronan quickly located his target near the long-distance bus station.

It was a dilapidated little bus, designed to carry 11 people, but it only started moving after swallowing 15 tourists and their large luggage, because the talkative owner kept deceiving passing tourists, saying, "This is the last bus to Lourmarin today, those who want to see the land of Art Nouveau, hurry up!"

All the buses to Luberon are privately operated and there is absolutely no order to them. These poor tourists from other places were tricked into getting on the buses one by one.

As a Provençal native, Ronan was naturally not fooled by such a trick, but the driver's description of Lourmarin as the "new art town" made him reluctant to call him out on it, and he willingly took the ride back home.

For outsiders, the first headache they encounter when they arrive in Provence is the chaotic traffic. Compared to the traffic here, even the chaotic private cars can be described as 'well-behaved'.

Once you enter the main road, the sight of thousands of boats racing against each other can be overwhelming for outsiders, as if they were facing a dense, impenetrable sea of ​​metal.

The minibus was almost instantly caught in a vortex of speeding vehicles. What was even more frightening was that vehicles were speeding everywhere, making the scene look like criminals who had just robbed a bank were making their escape.

Brave Provençal drivers like to see every car in front of them as a challenge—you old Renault with no bumper left, what makes you think you can outrun me?

Ronan deduced from the cacophony of screams that everyone on the bus except him and the driver was from out of town. Locals wouldn't yell "Oh my god! Oh my god!!" when they saw the driver run a red light; at that moment, the Provençal would choose to be blind.

One of the tourists in the first row, wearing glasses, couldn't help but remind the driver:

"Sir, the speed limit here is 80 km/h. Please take a look at the sign."

The driver scratched his chest and said:
"Speed ​​limits are a weak constraint on freedom, and we locals won't buy into that."

After saying that, the minibus sprang into action, becoming a vehicle carrying criminals who had just robbed a bank.

The screams inside the car grew louder, a cacophony of five or six different languages. Although Ronan couldn't understand most of them, he guessed they were probably insults directed at the driver's relatives.

The customer was about to say something when his friend quickly covered his mouth.
"God, please, please stop talking to him!"

Ronan also covered his mouth, afraid that he would be the only smiling crew member on this 'screaming ship'.

That friend's concern is another story altogether.

People from Provence have a strange habit: they don't speak unless they make any gestures with their hands.

When they emphasize something, their fingers move up and down constantly; when they express frustration, they raise their arms high—this is the accompaniment to their speech.

It might be amusing to see two people gesticulating wildly while arguing in a restaurant or bar, but if it were on a highway, especially if it were a minibus driver traveling at over 90 kilometers per hour, with his arms crossed over his chest, most people's hearts would suddenly stop beating.

The screams didn't completely stop until more than an hour after the car started driving, thanks to the beautiful scenery along the way in Luberon.

Ronan guessed that most of the people on the bus did not regret coming at this moment.

The blue of the sky, the green of the grass, the yellow of the houses, and the red of the fruit—the vibrant colors gradually silenced everyone, who greedily gazed at the beautiful rural scenery on both sides.

Driving fast on such a peaceful road, free from the noise of traffic, would be a real eyesore. In this scene, the only way to truly appreciate it is to take your time and savor it.

Someone reminded the driver to slow down again, this time even using polite language, but the driver responded in kind.

“I understand how you feel. Once you arrive in Lourmaran, you will have a whole day to enjoy the beautiful countryside. Don’t worry, I will get you to your destination as quickly as possible.”

The tourists quickly fell silent.

I can only blame my bad luck today. I encountered a damn driver who has no emotional intelligence, a terrible temper, only cares about making money, and doesn't even understand traffic regulations.

Ronan closed his eyes; he had gone to bed late the night before and could barely keep them open.

But after an unknown amount of time, the minibus came to a stop in an almost suffocating state, and once again, greetings to family members in various countries could be heard from inside the vehicle.

Ronan looked at the windshield and realized they were at a bend. Apparently, the driver had been speeding around the bend, suddenly saw something, and slammed on the brakes.

He also saw clearly what was blocking the car; it was a moving, furry 'wall'.

"Wow, sheep! So many sheep!" A tourist exclaimed excitedly, poking their head out.

A flock of hundreds of sheep blocked the way in front of the minibus, and the line stretched as far as the eye could see.

It's obvious that they wandered onto the dangerous road while out for some fresh air.

"Honest your horns and get them out of here. This isn't a place for them," a tourist complained loudly.

They weren't about to let a flock of sheep delay their trip to the Art Nouveau region.

The driver turned off the engine:
"Sir, do not deprive sheep of their freedom just because you have the right to freedom. In Provence, the right of way also belongs to the flock."

After saying that, he put both feet on the steering wheel, adopting a leisurely and unfamiliar demeanor, as if he would wait until the flock of sheep had completely left before continuing on his way.

Ronan ignored the noise inside the car, patiently closed his eyes again, but kept repeating that sentence in his mind.

"Do not deprive sheep of their freedom just because you have the right to freedom."

"The freedom of sheep."

(End of this chapter)