"Next, do you have any plans for Cloud Peak Winery?" After talking and laughing, Jones finally got to the point, but Lu Li didn't react at the first time, the scope of this sentence is really too wide, fortunately, Jones took the initiative to continue," I don't know if you have any plans to do a tour of Europe so that wine lovers can come together, taste alcohol, exchange ideas, express opinions, if you have such ideas, please let me know, I am the first to sign up, and I am sure that my friends will also be very willing to participate. ”

"I've only heard of reading clubs, but I didn't expect that there are also wine tastings?" This is indeed a new world for Lu Li, and it is very unexpected.

"People are always curious about the new wines. Especially in Brussels, where the wines won the first place. Jones blinked slyly, causing Lu Li to chuckle, "At the end of the day, wine is a work of art, just like books, paintings, and music. ”

"Trust me, I'll be the first to let you know if there's a plan. "Lu Li is serious, a buyer like Jones has a wide range of connections, far better than Nicholas and Mark, if Yunding Winery wants to become famous, one Jones is definitely not enough, but if there are more than a dozen Jones, then sit back and relax.

"I just heard Mark mention that he can pick up the goods directly from Cloud Top Winery?" Jones said further, you can feel that her purpose is very strong, but it will not be repulsive, intimate with sassiness, crisp and neat, but will make people appreciate her uprightness.

"It was just a friendship deal. Lu Li glanced at Mark, and saw Mark slowly turn his head, looking in other directions, pretending not to notice Lu Li's deep meaning, "Yunding Winery has not officially priced yet, this is just our first year's product." Brussels is just the first step, and there is still a lot of work to be done. ”

Jones suddenly realized, and didn't need Lu Li's further explanation, so he nodded and understood, "The first year of making a Grand Gold Medal level wine, the future of Yunding Winery is promising." Who knows, we're witnessing the rise of another century-old winery?"

"Centennial Winery? I look forward to the day when I will have to see it with my own eyes. Lu Li said seriously.

Jones was stunned in puzzlement, and then saw Mark laughing, she thought about it carefully, and then reacted, Lu Li's sentence is a pun: one is for the winery, the other is for longevity, no matter how old Lu Li is now, a hundred years later, this may be the age that breaks the record of the oldest person in history.

Couldn't help but laugh dumbly, the more he thought about it, the funnier it became, and he laughed out loud with Mark.

After that, Jones stayed and talked for a while, and then turned to leave, leaving Lu Li and Mark behind, and finally got a moment of peace.

"Jones and I met in a wine lover's club, and I was a beginner, but she was a very good veteran. Mark said thoughtlessly, but this simple sentence can show Mark's admiration for Jones, and it also shows Jones's ability.

"Thank you. Lu Li knew that Mark was matching him, even if he was a friend, this thank you was essential.

Mark nodded, which was considered an acceptance of the thanks, "My wine." Meaning, it's his thank-you gift.

Lu Li smiled dumbly, "Don't worry, I won't forget it." When I got back, the first thing I did, I called the ranch and asked them to get ready. ”

Mark then took his chin contentedly, "What about pricing, do you need my help contacting Robert Parker?"

Wine pricing, it's a very complicated process, why are different wines made at the same winery at different prices? Why are some wines worth as much as $1,000 and others only cost $5? Why do the same wines have different prices for different vintages?

Unlike kale, wine pricing isn't that simple.

There are many factors that affect the price of a bottle of wine, the simplest being the winery. Romanée Conti's wines are bound to be sold at a different price than those of Château de la Clouds, and the wines of the New World are not the same as those of the Old World. In the world of wine, because of the influence of soil, sunlight, rain, climate, variety and other factors, the region and the winery are crucial, and the accumulation of brands is invaluable. This is one of the core reasons why the wineries of the Old and New Worlds are so at odds with each other.

But despite the differences in wineries, even the same winery has different prices. The vintage, the quality of the grapes, the winemaking process, the grade of the wine, and the type of wine all have an impact.

The so-called vintage refers to the year in which the wine is made, and the weather conditions of that year are crucial. Generally speaking, Old World wineries are more susceptible to the effects of the weather, while New World wineries are less affected, which also leads to a lot of differences in the quality of Old World wineries from year to year, which is one of the joys of choosing artworks for experienced wine tasters, while New World wineries with relatively stable average quality each year are much simpler and more convenient for ordinary wine drinkers.

For example, in 2008, Lafite wines averaged just over 800 euros per bottle, while in 2010 they cost more than 1,000 euros. The reason for this is simple: 2010 was a very rare vintage in France, with wines from all regions of France being of excellent quality.

The quality of the grapes, in addition to the climate of the vintage, has a lot to do with the terroir of the vineyard, the cultivation and harvesting methods of the winery, and whether and what kind of selection they have undergone. In Burgundy, for example, the terroir of the Coffe is of the highest quality, and the wines produced are of a higher grade than those of other regions.

In addition, the cultivation, pruning, harvesting, and selection of the vineyard all have an impact. It can be simply attributed to the labor force and the experience of the labor, which is reflected in the quality of the wine, if the winery invests a lot of human and material costs in the management and control of the grapes. Naturally, the price of wine has also risen.

In addition to the winemaker's technique, the most important thing in the so-called winemaking process is the use of oak barrels and the length of maturation time. Some wineries use oak barrels in different ratios for different wines, or some wines pass through oak barrels, while others do not. Buying oak barrels is a very important cost component for wineries, and expensive barrels can be as high as $4,000 or more.

Not only that, but the cost of maturation time is also extraordinarily expensive, costing six to seven dollars more per bottle of wine for an additional year.

The so-called wine grades, this is very simple, the seven vineyards under the Romanée Conti family, each with different grades and different inputs, and in addition, the wines produced are bound to be scored by professionals, either in competitions such as Brussels or by professional tasters.

The so-called type of wine, in general, under the same conditions and in the same winery, red wine will be more expensive than white wine.

Like Château Clouds, which was vinified in 2015 using the most expensive oak barrels, but matured for less than a year, the Brussels International Wine Competition scored 98.5 points, it can be said that this is a bottle of wine with great potential, showing the posture of becoming a top wine, but due to the short age and the immaturity of the winery, the final price is still not too high.

Now, Lu Li needs to hire a professional to evaluate the terroir of the winery, then rate the winery, and then taste the wine again, refer to the rating of the Brussels competition, and finally give a suggested price.

This suggested price, in the name of the tasting association or the taster, will not be directly priced to the industry, but will be publicly rated. However, the recommended price is not a hard and fast rule, and the final price is set by the winery itself, and if you are confident, you can also make a name for yourself through an auction and then set the price.

But what is certain is that the success of the Brussels International Wine Competition has given Château Clouds an advantageous position. In this way, the ratings in international competitions are full of weight and authoritative enough. Even if the price is not too expensive, it is not too cheap, and more importantly, the collectible value is highly recognized.

That's why Jones can't wait to come to the door.

Robert Parker, this is now one of the most authoritative tasters in the industry. If he is the most authoritative, then many people may not be convinced, but he is the most successful in business and the most recognized by the public, and after the team he leads gives a rating, it often becomes a direct reference standard for the general public.

As for veteran wine lovers, they naturally don't look at other people's scores, but look for the right wine according to their own taste.

It can be said that from the perspective of tasting, Robert Parker's score does not have much reference value, and everyone has their own preferences, but from the perspective of the market, Robert Parker's opinion has great market potential and commercial value, and can often add points when marketing.

"No, I've already emailed their team to ask about it. "These tastings have a strict process and are expensive, not only Robert Parker, but Lu Li has also contacted other tasting agencies to arrange a time for the grading of Winery at the top of the clouds. For the new winery, the Brussels International Wine Competition is just the beginning, and the next step is to go through layers of trials and assessments.

The world of wine is so complicated and so difficult. It is not easy for a new winery to open up the situation.

"The first batch of wines, I'm not going to open wholesale completely. Lu Li said his thoughts, now it is just a rough idea, not mature, but the direction is correct, "After all, the ripening time of our wine is still too short, and it still needs time to settle slowly." What's more, I'm still waiting for them to appreciate. ”

Mark smiled and nodded, "Anyway, you've already promised my twelve boxes." ”