1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 547 Alcohol cures all diseases, my friend!

If it weren't for Bishop Clement V moving the Papacy south in the 14th century due to political turmoil in Rome, Papal Neuschwanstein might be an even lesser-known village than Lourmaran today.

Clement V was jokingly called the "Pope of Wine" because, it is said, a major reason why he decided to move the Papacy to Avignon was because he was drawn to the grapes in the area.

This legendary bishop initiated a series of 'Portuguese' revolutions as soon as he moved to Avignon.

First, he ordered the eradication of the local sour Cinsault grapes and introduced Pinot Noir from Bordeaux (which later degenerated into Grenache due to the heat). In addition, he promoted the replacement of wooden barrels with stone fermentation tanks and other storage methods.

The most influential of these was the construction of a summer palace atop the Rhône River cliffs, 17 kilometers from Avignon—hence the name 'Châteauneuf-du-Pape'.

Centuries later, the archbishop's summer residence in Papal Neuschwanstein was reduced to ruins on the south side by German bombing during World War II.

Almost all the arable land in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, along with several neighboring villages, was planted with grapes.

According to records, in 1987, Châteauneuf-du-Pape had a resident population of about 2000, of whom 9% worked in grape-related jobs.

Despite such a high 'grape' penetration rate, Ronan and Jacques were unable to buy a single barrel specifically for spitting out wine here.

“This is amazing, there really aren’t any stores that sell spittoons.” Ronan’s eyes darted around, unwilling to give up. “I thought I could find an art piece with a beautiful design, special materials, and maybe even a celebrity autograph.”

With plenty of time to spare, the two of them explored the area thoroughly, but even after exploring almost the entire core area of ​​Papal Castle, they couldn't find a place that specifically sold vomit barrels.

Mr. Jacques adjusted his glasses and said disappointedly:

"Have you noticed that everything sold here is designed to help people drink more wine, rather than spit it out?"

Ronan stopped outside a building's glass window and 'complained' with empathy:
"I've also discovered this, can you believe it? In Papal Newcastle, even doctors are advising people to drink more alcohol."

Before them was a seemingly ordinary pharmacy, but the items displayed in the window were anything but ordinary.

In other parts of Provence, pharmacy windows either display brochures for various medicines or feature mannequins, and in some larger cities, they even post photos of attractive female models to raise awareness about health. But the pharmacy in Châteauneuf-du-Pape was unlike any Ronan had ever seen before.

In the center of the shop window hung a anatomical photograph of a human body that would send chills down your spine if seen at night. The location of each internal organ was marked with the name of a wine, along with the miraculous healing effects of these wines in even smaller print.

Champagne can prevent colds, dry white wine can help flush out gallstones, dry red wine is very beneficial for tuberculosis, and wines with a smoky flavor can relieve tension.
Rosé wine is surprisingly on the list.

This picture says that rosé wine can relieve joint pain!
If everything before my eyes is true, then it means that all diseases in the world can be cured by drinking wine. God, that's insane.

But the person who edited the material was too careless. Ronan looked at it for several minutes but couldn't find a treatment for cirrhosis.

Perhaps this doctor does not agree with the "fight poison with poison" treatment approach.

Jacques stared at the shop window for a while, then smiled and asked Ronan:
Do you think Lourmaran will become like this in the future?

The rosé wine capital also needs to boost wine sales.

Ronan thought seriously for a few seconds before speaking:
“I don’t think so. Lourmarin does position rosé as the absolute core of its development, but besides rosé, Lourmarin has many other interesting elements, such as art, food, weaving, and a wide variety of shops. There’s no need to go to such an ‘extreme’ place, is there?”

Châteauneuf-du-Pape has nothing but wine, but Lourmarin is different. It's a place where anything can take root and flourish.

Jacques glanced at Ronan with some surprise, and said, half-jokingly:

"What you've said is making me worry about the Bonigno government. Will a fourth 'corner' emerge in Luberon in the future?"

Ronan smiled and shrugged:

"why not?"

After saying that, he turned back to look at the road he had come from:

"What do we do? Find another container to spit out the wine?"

There are a few alternative container solutions, but they don't look very elegant.

This is a high-end auction! Is it appropriate to vomit while holding a ceramic jar or a bowl?

Mr. Jacques glanced down at his watch:
"It's almost time to meet Theodore. Let's meet him first and ask him where he bought his buckets."

At 10:30 a.m., the three reunited.

The auction will begin in the afternoon, and they will be visiting several other places before that.

Yesterday's schedule was specially arranged for Ronan, while today's schedule is one that Theodore, as a sommelier, must attend, but he can bring Jacques and Ronan along.

Jacques can choose his favorite high-end wines from among them, while Ronan continues to make his mark at high-end gatherings.

Mr. Jacques asked Theodore:
"We want to prepare a spittoon. Do you know where we can buy one in Châteauneuf-du-Pape?"

Today's itinerary will definitely revolve around the afternoon auction, so wine tasting is unavoidable.

Jacques had a bad feeling that this year's record of 450 wines might be broken in just two days.

Theodore stopped them from buying the barrels:

"Yesterday was an accident. Jackson's plantation is not a professional winery. There are places to spit out wine throughout the rest of the trip, so you don't need to prepare barrels."

Ronan looked at the big black backpack on his back and said:

"But you still brought a bucket with you."

Today, Theodore is still sporting his usual mismatched combination of a black suit and a black backpack.

Dude, better safe than sorry.

See, isn't that what you think too?
Theodore was taken aback at first, then took off his backpack and opened it to show them:
"I didn't bring a spittoon today. This is olive oil; drinking a glass before wine tasting can protect the stomach lining. This is goat's milk pudding, also eaten before wine tasting; it can increase liver glycogen reserves. And this is honey."

Theodore pulled out several home remedies for protecting the liver and stomach, then looked up and asked Ronan and Mr. Jacques:

"Do you need any? I brought a lot, I can share with you."

Ronan stared at him, dumbfounded, and asked:
"You're not going to drink? Why did you prepare all this?"

Theodore replied confidently:
"I answered that yesterday, you can't vomit it all out! Even if you absorb just a little bit, it will still put a lot of burden on your body."

Ronan asked, both amused and exasperated:

"Are you a sommelier or a health expert?"

Theodore took out a dried dandelion and chewed it:
"Of course I'm a sommelier, but I value my health. By the way, when do you plan to have children after you get married? I can share some 'preparing for pregnancy' experience with you, which will help the baby's health."

Ronan's perfunctory expression of 'gratitude':

"Let's share after we finish drinking these next couple of days. Thank you in advance." Theodore then took them to a much more professional place—a boutique winery aiming to dominate the afternoon's auction.

The winery owner invited sommeliers and industry experts in advance to taste the wines.

Just like yesterday, Theodore did his best to introduce Ronan's identity to his colleagues. If he was busy with other things, Mr. Jacques would take Ronan with him and try to increase his presence.

Ronan saw and remembered everything the two did, and of course, he also remembered the kindness shown to him by the president.

Jerome's request proved quite reliable—every member of the Rosé Wine Lovers' Association of Vaucluse could be of help in running Stjesga.

I'll express my gratitude later. My task today is to perform well and leave a good impression on these true experts.

Ronan followed the group into the cellar of the boutique winery.

The wine cellar contained thousands upon thousands of bottles of wine, with barrels stretching as far as the eye could see, disappearing into the dark distance.

In such an environment, surrounded by so many fine wines, with the intoxicating aromas wafting through your nostrils, everyone is reminded that something is missing from your hands.

To be honest, the thought of tasting hundreds of wines over the next two days made Ronan feel particularly resistant this morning, and he lost all interest in drinking. But now, more than an hour later, he is eager to pick up a glass and have a good taste.

This boss is clearly the mastermind behind the 'Papal Newcastle magic phenomenon'.

After walking for a while with dry mouths, everyone was surprised to find that wine glasses, wine bottles, and snacks for wine tasting had already been prepared in front of them.

The table was laden with a dazzling array of snacks, just as delicious as those in restaurants, and they looked exquisite, making them perfect for pairing with wine.

Ronan couldn't resist picking one up and tasting it, only to find it was salty, which made him want to drink something even more.

Lourmaran certainly can't follow the route of Papal Neuf—everything in this village is designed to tempt you to have a few more drinks.

But Stella can 'copy' it.

Ronan kept all these experiences in mind and vowed that when Stellar officially opened and could receive wine patrons, he would make them 'mouth dry' before they even entered the wine cellar.

“And the food to accompany the drinks—” Ronan’s professional instincts kicked in, and he ate several dishes before even starting to drink. “We need to put in more effort. Provence is known for its delicious food; if we can win over their stomachs, we can sell even better wine.”

While Ronan was showing off his snacks at a high-end wine tasting, the winery owner was enthusiastically introducing his fine wines to his guests, and thoughtfully reminding them:
"The water bowls placed against the wall are all for everyone to spit out the wine. There will be a lot of different kinds of wine to drink later, so please remember to spit it out and don't delay the afternoon auction."

Ronan mentally gave himself a thumbs up as he savored the snacks with his drinks.

That's what you call professional.

"boom--"

The sound of the cork leaving the glass bottle was amplified infinitely in the cellar.

"Today I have prepared more than 60 bottles of wine for you all. Please enjoy them to your heart's content!"

This was Ronan's first time participating in such a high-end wine tasting event, and even with Theodore and Mr. Jacques offering their "tips and suggestions," it was difficult to change his status as a nobody.

However, this gave Ronan a perfect opportunity to learn and observe.

All the things he saw and experienced in Papal Newcastle these past few days will be a valuable asset for his future management and development of St. Stephen's.

First, Ronan observed that all the experienced sommeliers and wine experts present were dressed in very formal suits, making him, who was there to "gain experience," easily distinguishable.

This is probably why Theodore changed his 'Peter Pan' style of dressing.

Theodore couldn't possibly introduce Ronan to everyone, but this detail would allow Ronan to notice important figures at the afternoon auction or other events that followed.

Secondly, Ronan also learned that there is a specific order to tasting wines at a formal wine tasting event.

Yesterday at Jackson's vineyard, they drank too casually and without any order, while this high-end winery owner gave a very standard answer to wine tasting.

Wine should be savored starting with new wines, and then gradually aged through each vintage.

The most direct result of doing this was that the further he went, the less Ronan wanted to spit out the liquid in his mouth.

Those fine, aged wines have no astringency whatsoever; when you put them in your mouth, they have a smooth, full-bodied taste that makes your brain want to savor them.

The brain controls the body, so the later the wine is served, the higher its rating becomes, and the more people order wine on the spot.

Mr. Jacques, who was with Ronan, ordered several wines in a row, and the same wine, if tasted first, would not have such a high degree of 'transformation'.

"Today's harvest was truly remarkable." Before the wine tasting event was even over, Ronan had already written a 4000-word 'reflection'.

The last few bottles of wine weren't particularly interesting or worth tasting; all that could be said was praise.

Ronan didn't have such a strong addiction to alcohol, nor did he have any lofty dream of drinking the world's finest wines.

Having learned most of the rules and experience, Ronan began to slack off and focused his attention on Theodore.

Mr. Jacques said that Theodore is a very famous wine taster in Provence.

Jerome said that without Theodore's suggestions, Stella might have been gone years ago.

But those are just things other people say.

Ronan preferred to observe with his own eyes.

The wines that are served later become more fragrant and mellow. Many experts forget their status by this point and are completely absorbed in the 'enjoyment'. Only Theodore is carefully tasting each wine, and the later ones he tastes become more meticulous and complex.

Usually, others have already praised it several times, but his wine is still colliding with his taste buds in his mouth. Sometimes, he even has to take several sips before he can give his evaluation.

"It's like holding a rose petal moistened by morning dew in my mouth. This wine is good; it'll definitely fetch a good price at auction this afternoon." Theodore spat out the wine and wiped his mouth.

The winery owner breathed a sigh of relief:

"Theodore, I can finally rest assured after hearing your words."

In the darkness, Ronan stroked his chin and thought:
If only we could get Theodore onto the Striesga ship.

He was famous in Provence.

You need the ability to have it.

Look at the attitude of these winery owners and plantation owners towards him these past two days. If he joins Stella Artois, wouldn't he immediately have the 'high-end' attribute?

(End of this chapter)