As if sensing Lu Li's surprise, Nicholas leaned over and explained in a low voice, "They must taste fifty to eighty kinds of wine in one day. ”

There are no follow-up words, but the meaning could not be more obvious. Lu Li immediately reacted, regardless of the amount of alcohol that everyone had, if they wanted to complete the tasting of so many different wines, the judges had to maintain the accuracy of their taste and the clarity of their brains. It's tasting, not enjoyment. So, the best thing to do is to spit it all out after you finish tasting.

The bald old man in his sight began to record on the notepad in his hand. When he was done, he put the glass back on the table, picked up a new one, and continued to taste the next wine.

It's a lot of fun to watch the experts taste the wines, sometimes they only need one tasting to make a judgment, and sometimes after three or four tastings, they still don't have an answer and have to ask for some wines again and repeat all the previous procedures.

Originally, Lu Li thought that if the tasting was completed at one time, it would definitely be terrible, and on the contrary, it would be of excellent quality.

But Nicholas disproved this statement, there are too many factors that affect the flavor of the wine, and the wine that can be tasted in one go may also be a wine that is clear to the heart, and there are not many new changes compared to the previous year, and they can even tell the name of the winery without even looking at the label.

In the same way, if you have tasted it many times, it does not mean that it is excellent. Maybe the judges' taste missed some details, maybe it was rich and diverse, but not more layers mean good, just like the top whisky, mellow aroma is one of the most important judging criteria. Therefore, they need more "evidence" to make the most accurate judgment.

Lu Li will not forget that the judges scored the wines, and the competition also scored the judges. This is a strict and rigorous authority. Whether it's the judges or the competition, no one will bet on their reputation.

At this time, Lu Li really realized the ability of these judges.

They may have tasted thousands of wines, and they don't just taste them, they know them all by heart. There is a clear and accurate understanding of every flavor, every aroma, every weather, every influence. This is the case with any kind of thing, continuous study, continuous deepening, and continuous exploration, and after quantitative change causes qualitative change, it will break through to a new realm.

This reminded Lu Li of the stages of study, bachelor's, master's, and doctorate. And those craftsmen in life, maybe they don't have a doctorate, but in their own field of specialization, they are doctors, or even more senior than doctors.

After this set of scores, the judges went around to the other side of the booth and began to taste another group of wines. The next group of judges was on their way over, and Nicholas leaned forward and said, "Number 1089." Two cups. The staff at the booth poured the wine into two small-bore glasses and handed it to Nicholas.

Fred and Tony, who were standing nearby, were seriously discussing what type of floral wine this glass of wine was. That serious appearance, as if he was a real professional, but Lu Li knew that Fred and his level were half a pound and eight taels, and they couldn't be compared with Tony at all. However, the two of them went back and forth, but they had a lot of trouble.

Lu Li turned his head, took the wine glass from Nicholas's hand, and couldn't help laughing, "Shouldn't we also show our expertise?" Nicholas didn't know why-he didn't have a clear understanding of Fred's tasting ability, so he naturally didn't understand the joke in Lu Li's words, Lu Li didn't say anything, but continued, "Come, tell me some technical terms, and then I'll follow your words." ”

The teasing tone suddenly became clear, and Nicholas laughed out loud, "Don't worry, you can express your opinions as much as you like." No one will care. ”

The two of them raised their cups and gestured briefly, and then Lu Li began to taste them. At least, he is now very proficient in the procedures and routines of tasting. After feeling the aroma of the wine blooming on the tip of his tongue, Lu Li's eyebrows couldn't help but raise slightly, which was much smoother than he imagined, because he glanced at it just now, all the wines in this booth were 2015, in other words, they were as young as Cloud Peak Ranch.

Nicholas just tasted it, then spit it out, put the glass down, and didn't taste it any more. He stood next to him and politely waited for Lu Li, who said hesitantly, "This is a New World wine, Argentina, Chile?" Not only is the tannins lighter and the taste smoother, but also the layers and finishes are lighter.

Now Lu Li could vaguely perceive the difference between the old and new worlds, but he wasn't sure, after all, he was still a layman.

"I guess it's Argentina. Nicholas shrugged, "They have a couple of wineries that have been doing really well in recent years. But the change is missing. ”

Although the word is "guess", Nicholas's tone is very affirmative. Lu Li pursed the corners of his lips, "It seems that my tasting is not so outrageous." ”

Subsequently, Lu Li tasted another wine, this time the tannins were a little heavier, but it did not reach the level of Yunding Winery. Now you can't tell the difference, you can't even tell the difference between the old and the new world, let alone a specific winery, but you can taste some levels, and in another six months or a year, the flavor will be even better.

With the accumulation of time, Lu Li gradually has his own understanding of the taste of wine, but after all, the foundation is still weak and his ability to identify is limited.

"Did you say before that now the old European wineries are starting to adapt to the changes of the times, introducing wines in small bottles with lighter tannins and shorter shelf life? Is that what you're talking about?" Lu Li said guessing, this was the most reliable guess in his mind.

"We're really trying to do that. Nicholas gave affirmation, without speaking, Lu Li knew that his judgment was wrong, and there must be a turning point behind. Sure enough, Nicholas then said, "But this is not the wine of the Old World, this is the wine of the New World, Napa Valley." ”

Lu Li suddenly realized that his wine knowledge was still too poor, and he actually forgot about his neighbors. Napa Valley is not a casual region, and it can even be considered a leading figure in New World wines.

It is often said that Napa Valley's wines are well-known in the New World, even if they are not inferior to those of the Old World, and more importantly, in terms of sales, Napa Valley's wines are catching up with European standards. When it comes to technological innovation, Napa Valley is truly at the top.

In terms of market share alone, Old World wines still dominate, but there is not much left of the lead. However, wines from the Old and New World can also be seen as a confrontation between the old and the innovative, and the arrogance in the bones is still an insurmountable barrier.

For Napa Valley, today, Lu Li finally has a relatively clear and three-dimensional understanding. By appellation, Texas is also classified as New World wines, which can be regarded as the comrades of the same front in Napa Valley. As for the contenders, Cloudtop Winery is not yet qualified to compete on the same level as Napa Valley.

"Actually, I like it. To tell you the truth, when he was still in the olive garden, he was impressed by the taste and approachability of New World wines.

He was about to raise his glass and sniff it again, when he vaguely noticed the scent of flowers just now, but then the movement stopped, "Are you sure?" A playful and teasing voice came from his ear, accompanied by a sporadic sneer, ringing lowly, interrupting the conversation between Lu Li and Nicholas.

The two men followed the sound and looked over, and then they saw three middle-aged men in their forties, of different shapes, but in uniform suits and leather shoes, neat hair, and the pride and ridicule on their faces were presented in an elegant way, condescendingly. Without any concealment, a simple sentence came to the face with a sense of sharpness.

"I'm not sure if you can understand my thoughts, at least a minute ago I confirmed that I'm not a controlled robot. Lu Li's rebuttal was hidden, neither humble nor arrogant, and even with a hint of humor, Nicholas, who was standing next to him, couldn't help but exchange a glance with Lu Li, and his eyes flashed with the light of "you know and I know".

It can be seen that the expressions of the three people in front of him are very similar, the corners of their mouths are raised, and a trace of disdain flashes. Doesn't seem to care about Lu Li's counterattack, as if adults are watching children mess around.

Then Nicholas took the initiative to introduce, "This is Jack, William, and Brian, and this is Fourteen." Under the introduction, Lu Li shook hands with everyone separately and expressed friendship. Nicholas then went further.

Brian and Jack are veteran wine tasters in Europe and have their own columns, Nicholas doesn't elaborate further on what type of columns are, bloggers also call columns, and Times columns are called columns, but they have very different weights. However, these two people have served as judges for three Brussels wine competitions on and off in previous years, and the estimated weight should not be underestimated.

William, on the other hand, is the owner of a small winery in the Aquitaine region of France, which is also a well-known wine-making region, even more famous than Burgundy. He is not here to participate, but to participate in it, because they have their own competition, the Bordeaux-Aquitaine Wine Competition, which only allows wineries in the region to participate, but the authority index is not weak at all, and even the first standard for countless French people to buy wine.

When Nicholas introduced Lu Li's identity, Jack's eyes flashed with an unknown light, and he asked further, "You mean, your winery is in Texas?"