America: My Time

Chapter 46 Winery
Chapter Forty-Six: The Winery

John laughed when his scheme was exposed by his uncle. Although his plan had failed, the pressure and tension he felt vanished without him realizing it.

Supporting so many businesses is undoubtedly incredibly stressful. Even with ample future information to rely on, the pressure remains unchanged. This playful interaction with family relieved that stress; one can't always be tense, people need to relax!

The car sped along the highway, and as they talked, they gradually arrived at his grandfather's winery. Although the winery was in the Pomerol region of Bordeaux, John knew that his grandfather's winery wasn't a top-tier winery, but rather a mid-range one. As the car entered the winery, they could see vineyards all around through the car windows, and soon stopped in front of a stone villa.

After getting out of the car and walking on the cobblestone road, we soon arrived at the gate of the villa. Standing in front of the gate was an elderly woman with short, graying hair at the temples, a slender figure, and a height of about 1.65 meters. Although her face was wrinkled, it could not hide her former beauty, and she wore an elegant and kind smile.

Seeing the car stop, the old woman walked towards John with a smile. John hurried to meet her, a happy smile on his face, opened his arms, bent down slightly, and hugged her.

"Grandma, it's been so long! How are you?" John quickly stepped forward to greet her!

"Okay, Grandma is fine. Come on, let Grandma take a good look at you!" She said, reaching out to cup John's face in her hands, her eyes filled with love and kindness.

"Yes, you're much stronger and more mature than before. You're not the little John who used to snuggle in my arms anymore. Grandma is so happy to see you get back on your feet!"

"Grandma, where's Grandpa?" John was a little surprised to find that his grandfather was not home. French people are very attached to their homes, and how could the host not be there when his grandson was coming?
"Your grandfather went to the vineyard. He can't let go of those grapevines and is fully focused on running the winery. He'll be back soon!"

Although I knew my grandfather cared deeply about the winery, I was still somewhat surprised to hear these words. It was my Chinese heritage acting up; after all, Chinese people value family ties highly. Generally, when children come home, grandparents will wait at home, wanting to see how their children are doing as soon as possible!
"Little John, how long will you be staying this time?"

"Grandma, I'm afraid I won't be able to stay for more than a few days. I still have some things to take care of in the US. I'll come to see you and Grandpa again in June after I've finished my gold futures trading!" June is when gold futures trading begins, and after finishing the gold futures transactions, I'll still have time to visit my grandparents in Bordeaux. However, I'll only have a few days, as summer vacation is approaching and game sales will begin. I still need to be careful; this is my money, and I can't afford any mistakes!
Warner Bros. won't just sit idly by and take the beating. When Atari is cornered, Warner Bros. will definitely step in and fight back. They can't just watch Atari fall like this, and they won't stop with what they've got. That will be the most dangerous moment in the gaming world!
Arriving at my grandmother's house, far removed from the cutthroat business environment, I felt incredibly relaxed, both physically and mentally. I became more laid-back, sitting in a deck chair, gazing at the rolling grapevines in the distance, completely at ease. As evening approached, the setting sun painted the sky an orange hue, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene.

This was almost the first time I had felt so relaxed since I came into this world. In such a relaxed environment, I couldn't help but have a strange feeling: "Perhaps I have an inexplicable connection with vineyards. When Grandpa comes back, I can ask him to help me inquire whether any of the top wineries are for sale. It seems that in my memory, quite a few wineries should have changed hands around this time!"

Investing in a winery is a viable business opportunity. While wineries are currently facing difficulties, they know how incredibly high the prices of top-tier red wines will be in the future, especially considering 82 was one of the best vintages for wine. Owning a winery allows one to acquire the red wines of top wineries, controlling a large portion of the 82 production. Even if not sold, drinking it oneself would be a good option.

Soon it got dark, and Grandpa finally returned home. He was an old man who was about 1.8 meters tall and in good health. Even though he was quite old, his face still showed a kind of persistence that many young people did not have. He was an old man who was overly attached to the winery.

Upon seeing his grandfather, John smiled, quickly walked over, gave the old man a big hug, and said, "Grandpa, it's so good to see you're still so healthy. In terms of health, you're probably even stronger than my uncle!"

"Hehe, you haven't visited me and your grandma in so long, but your French is quite good, you've made great progress. It seems your mother is still very responsible. You're doing well now, and you've managed to get out of this predicament on your own. I'm happy for you. If it weren't for your parents' constant interference, I would have given you a good beating long ago!"

It seems that Grandpa is very aware of my situation and even quite dissatisfied with my parents' methods, which is unlike what one would expect from a Frenchman. However, these words made me very happy; this is what family love is all about! "Grandpa, that's all in the past. I'm doing well now. Getting through this is a good test; it has at least made me understand and see many things clearly. Let bygones be bygones!"

John doesn't think much of his past; it's just an experience. People always need various trials, and this experience is a good way to hone oneself!

Dinner was a feast, a fusion of Chinese and Western cuisine, including both French and Chinese dishes. I thoroughly enjoyed the meal, and the atmosphere among the family was wonderful.

After dinner, John said with a smile, "Grandpa, you've been around for so many years, why are you still so fixated on the winery? Instead of worrying about the winery all the time, why not travel around with Grandma and let Uncle take over the winery? We can't keep Uncle busy with his ethereal art forever!"

Even I, as a grandfather, cannot understand this dedication. In my memory, my grandfather was always busy with his family's winery, rarely had a moment to relax, and almost never traveled. If I had to say he did travel, it would only be to visit relatives in the United States!

John also didn't understand his uncle and didn't want him to continue wasting his precious life and time. Since he couldn't persuade his uncle himself, he thought it would be better to let his grandfather persuade him, since the winery always needed someone to inherit it.

"You brat, what are you saying? How can my ideals be so vague and unrealistic!"

"Haha, Uncle, I'm not trying to criticize you, but painters need to eat too. All these years have passed, what have you gained? Has anyone collected your paintings? No, right? You've had to make a living through other means. Since this path isn't working, why not choose another? I feel like you're just like me during that period of confusion, except you've maintained a calm mindset, while I've lost my mind. Art isn't something you can't pursue, but it requires time. You see no hope of success right now, so why waste your time and life? If you take over the winery, Grandpa and Grandma will finally have time to rest!"

"You brat, you're bringing up the winery again. Why don't you take over the winery?"

"Uncle, to be honest, wineries are a really good investment. I feel like I have a connection with wineries. If I have the opportunity, I will acquire a few wineries. It's just that Grandpa's winery is not suitable for me!"

John paused here, looked at his grandfather, and said, "Grandpa, please keep an eye out for any top-tier wineries for sale in Bordeaux. I don't want any ordinary wineries!"

"Good lad, you've got quite the ambition, wanting to acquire a top winery right off the bat. Do you even have that much capital?" John's uncle Justin was somewhat surprised!
"Haha, Uncle, you don't know this. Actually, top wineries aren't as amazing as you think. Not all wineries are like Yquem or Latour. There are many small wineries among the top wineries that don't require too much capital!"

"John, do you really want to run a winery? Running a winery isn't as easy as you think. While there are some top wineries like the one you mentioned, they're not easy to acquire!"

“Grandpa, I am genuinely interested in acquiring the winery. In my opinion, it's a good investment, and the acquisition itself isn't difficult. In today's economic climate, top wineries are struggling, and not just wineries, but the entire luxury goods industry is in a bad state. This is due to the economic environment, something that can't be reversed by human effort. As long as a good price is offered, someone will still be willing to sell. If I weren't currently limited in funds, I would be keen to acquire Château d'Yquem. Now is a great opportunity to acquire a winery, and it's also when the winery's value is at its lowest!”

John is right. The early 1980s was the lowest point for the luxury goods industry. All the major wineries were struggling and barely surviving. If they could offer a good price, someone would naturally sell. Château d'Yquem was no exception. It was determined by the market.

(End of this chapter)