Yunding Ranch

Chapter 349 Serious Appreciation
Looking at the expressions of the three of Mark, Tony stood beside him a little eager to try, but he couldn't tell whether it was anticipation or nervousness, or both.

I didn't realize it just now, but now I suddenly understand that Mark and the others are the first batch of guests of Yunding Winery, the real guests, and at the same time, they are also the first guests to comment on the wine.The mood can't help but become mixed up.

The three of Cole and the others stood nearby, laughing and looking at Tony, and the eyes were obviously watching a joke.However, at this time Tony was absent-minded and had no time to talk to them. He just looked at Mark with burning eyes, waiting for the next step.

"How is it? How much taste have you tasted?" Mark asked while holding a wine glass, but his calm words could taste a little bit of excitement.

Raymond tilted his head, frowned, and said nothing; but Robinson, who was standing next to him, deliberately smacked his mouth loudly and flicked his teeth with his tongue. The vulgar movements were simply unbearable to look at. There is no aesthetic feeling at all, but it makes people speechless. I don't know whether it is shock or concentration.

Mark didn't urge him either, and stood quietly by the side and waited. Robinson said slowly, "roses, leather, bell peppers..." He paused every time he said a word, as if he was searching for the aroma remaining between his lips and teeth , "Is this... minerals? And shrubs?"

This time, Robinson stopped and looked at Mark uncertainly, "Vineyards here in Texas, and shrubs?"

Mark pursed his lips lightly, "Napa Valley doesn't have it, which doesn't mean Texas doesn't have it either." Mark turned his head and looked at Lu Li, "The winery in Yeqiu has a very unique taste of shrubs, which is hidden deeply, but not every day. It can be fermented for a year."

shrub?Lu Li was full of question marks, why didn't he know that the wine could also taste the taste of shrubs?

Lu Li cast a questioning look at Tony, but Tony was so focused on Mark and Robinson that he didn't have time to pay attention to Lu Li.

"There's not much rain this year, right? It feels a bit dry, and the taste of the terroir is a little bit heavier. It's best to pair it with fatter beef." Raymond also joined the conversation, "However, the tannins are too heavy now. , Ferment and ferment again, it should be better."

"It rained a few times throughout the summer." Tony finally came back to his senses and began to join the conversation, "The pasture is irrigated with stream water, but it is not natural rainfall after all, and the flavor is probably not as good."

That's probably what it means to be lucky.Before, Lu Li was worried that there would be problems in the rainy season this year, and the ranch might encounter challenges, but in the end, it encountered a midsummer with insufficient rainfall.Such changes are clearly recorded in each bottle of wine, so that every diner can feel the natural changes every year.

This is the magic of wine, which truly and clearly records the precipitation of that piece of land and the weather of that year.

"No wonder, the whole wine is lighter, which is a good thing." Mark looked at Tony with a look of interest, "I think this is an advantage. I like a little heavier terroir. Texas is better than Burgundy. The second is much rougher, the whole taste has a wild strength, and there is even a little oriental spice aftertaste."

They were standing here talking, while Lu Li, Cole, Jessica, Randy and others were standing beside them, but they were dumbfounded.Cole raised his chin towards Lu Li, and asked with his eyes, "Do you understand?"

Lu Li spread out his hands with a bachelor's face, his eyes rolled around, but his expression was so funny that Randy and Jessica who were standing beside him burst into laughter.

"Mark, is that a red fruit or a cherry?" However, Robinson was not affected at all, and still concentrated on tasting.

"I can't taste it now." Raymond shook his head, rolled his tongue lightly, and thought about it seriously, "I always think it's a bit like raspberry or blueberry, and it's okay to say it's vanilla. We still need to wait." For a while, it's too young now, and the tannins are too punchy to feel."

Robinson gave a rare nod in agreement, but he didn't say much, but turned to look at Mark.Not only Robinson, but also Raymond, cast a questioning look at Mark.

Mark was not in a hurry to speak, he picked up the cup again, took a sip, took a sip carefully and slowly, then closed his eyes, and said slowly, "You two are too lazy, your tongue has degenerated The smell of roasted almonds, haven’t you tasted it? This should be the smell of oak barrels. The barrels of this winery are of good age, and the smoke is very good.”

Lu Li and Cole exchanged glances. The wealth left by Liz and Jack is priceless.

"There is also a smell of wild birds, especially the kind of forest animals." Mark opened his eyes again, flashed a bright light, and said lightly, "Also, there are dried mushrooms."

"Dried mushrooms?" Both Robinson and Raymond showed dumbfounded expressions. At the same time, they picked up the wine glass again and began to taste it carefully again.

Not only Robinson and Raymond, but even Tony showed a surprised expression, "Dried mushrooms? Oriental spices?" Obviously, these are also flavors that Tony has not tasted.

Mark didn't continue to taste, but stopped and looked at Lu Li, "Aren't you going to taste it?"

"I'm observing, observing the situation in the rabbit hole." Lu Li's answer made Mark chuckle - this time, Mark understood the joke, the rabbit hole, it was in "Alice in Wonderland". Entrance.

Mark shrugged and raised his glass of wine with a smile, "This is what it looks like in the rabbit hole, and it's also the world you created."

"I built it? I'm not sure." Lu Li chuckled, "For example, dried mushrooms? Or, for example, raspberries? No, I'm not sure."

"But you can be sure that this is a wonderful world." Mark's answer made Lu Li's eyes light up. He liked this answer because it meant that they liked the bottle of wine.

Lu Li smiled and nodded, "Thank you."

"I'm just telling the truth." Mark was a little relaxed, completely different from the silence and calmness just now.His expression became lively, "This is an excellent bottle of aged wine, it reminds me of Burgundy in 1990, you know, the rain is right, the terroir is excellent, the flavor of the grapes is very strong, the brewing is perfect, the layers are very rich, On the palate fine and lingering. We couldn't ask for more from a bottle of wine."

"Wow." Lu Li couldn't help but exclaimed, "So, you mean, this is a top-notch wine?"

"No, I mean, it's an excellent bottle of wine." Mark corrected Lu Li's words, but the smile in his eyes did not retort firmly, "When was this bottle of wine made?"

"Two weeks ago." Lu Li said truthfully.

Mark suddenly realized, nodded lightly, then picked up the wine glass, ready to taste it again, but found that the glass was empty, so he stretched out the glass.

Hearing the sound of strings, Lu Li picked up the bottle and added another third of the wine for Mark. After exchanging glances, Lu Li was sure that Mark liked the bottle of wine.

"No wonder." It was Raymond who spoke, and he thought about it seriously, "Are you sure this bottle of wine was brewed in Texas? It really doesn't look like it. To be precise, it doesn't look like it at all."

“But it’s not like Burgundy either,” Robinson added, to which Raymond nodded affirmatively, “it’s more like a fusion of Burgundy and Napa Valley, plus the wildness of Texas. Plus, Mark is right, a little bit of the Orient. I don’t know where the hell that came from. But it does add more layers to the wine and makes it more interesting.”

"However, it's too young. It's conservatively estimated that it will take at least ten years to reach the best tasting period." Raymond also finished his cup, and he looked at Lu Li, so Lu Li once again cheered for Lei Mond poured a third.And Robinson.

"No, I think 15 years, to be precise, 12 to 15 years. After the tannins are gradually fermented, the stamina is very worth looking forward to." Robinson retorted, and then both of them looked at Mark.

Mark tasted his wine slowly, "25 years."

Without any explanation or instructions, he simply and directly threw out a set of numbers, which was decisive, but enough to make people hear his appreciation.

"Phew, I was still thinking that it would be better if it could bring in profits immediately like McDonald's. It seems that this is more difficult." Lu Li half-jokingly teased.

Mark smiled, "True lovers will know how to cherish it. Excuse me, do we have the honor to visit the winery where this bottle of wine is made?"

"Yes, I want to see it too." Raymond added. Although Robinson didn't speak, his expression was the same.Obviously, they are extremely curious about how such a wonderful wine can be brewed on the land of Texas.

Lu Li looked at Richard and said with a smile, "I'm planning to invite Richard to the ranch. If you don't mind, the ranch welcomes you with open arms."

"Don't worry, we will definitely visit." Richard expressed a strong affirmation, "However, we need to leave now. There is not much time left for work, and I'm not sure if we stay here, will we be able to put down our glasses .”

The group began to say goodbye lively, and then Mark solemnly extended his right hand to Lu Li.

Lu Li also held Mark's right hand politely, as a gesture of friendliness. Mark patted Lu Li's arm lightly, "I will recommend you to participate in the formal wine tasting program, or even a wine competition. This kind of wine will make everyone feel happy. The world is boiling."

This is definitely the highest evaluation that Lu Li did not expect - he was looking forward to brewing Romanée-Conti, but he did not expect it to be successful in the first year.After all, everything is just the beginning, and Tony is just getting started.

Watching Mark, Raymond, Robinson and others turn and leave, Richard trailed behind and said to Lu Li in a low voice, "Mark is the youngest son of the owner of the racecourse. The two are his friends. So..." Richard laughed meaningfully, "Congratulations."

(End of this chapter)