"You mean, your winery is in Texas?"

Lu Li had heard the same words countless times, and Nicholas had said it when he learned about it, and the receptionist at the entrance just now had also said it. The reason is simple, Texas is a wine desert, this is the consensus of the whole world, it can be said to be prejudice, it can be said to be inertia, but it is an indisputable fact.

Lu Li couldn't help but think of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when the world had already completed its exploration, and human beings had already set foot in the North American continent, the African continent, the South American continent, and even the Antarctic and the North Pole.

However, when the explorers began to explore further in South America, the conservative minds of the people still refused to accept the mystery of the unknown, stubbornly believed that the world they knew was everything, denied the existence of Machu Picchu, denied the existence of the Mayan civilization, denied that there were different civilizations in the depths of the Amazon jungle, and regarded the indigenous inhabitants of South America and Africa as "barbarians", and divided different ethnic groups into three, six, nine and so on.

Those conservatives ridiculed the ignorance of the explorers, ridiculed the courage of the explorers, despised the spirit of the explorers, and even ridiculed the so-called "unknown advanced civilizations", believing that they were the center of the world, that they were the most advanced civilizations, and that they were superior beings.

However, time has proven the truth. Just as the geocentric theory was eventually replaced by the heliocentric theory, and the circle of heaven and earth was finally replaced by the earth as a ball, the mysterious civilization in the Amazon jungle was finally revealed, revealing the mysterious source of human development history.

In today's world, Texas wines are the Amazon jungle, and Texas wineries are the indigenous domain of barbarians.

It's just that different people have different visions and minds. The same words, Nicholas said expectation, the receptionist said curiosity, and Jack in front of him said mockery and contempt, like "sky/dynasty/up/country".

Lu Li is a reporter, and observing words and colors is one of the important skills, he can see the surprise in the other party's eyes, not the friendly kind, "Yes, Texas in the United States is really some distance from Napa Valley. However, I don't think anyone will admit it. ”

In the last teasing, Jack, Brian and William in front of him did not laugh, but Nicholas tasted the banter in Lu Li's words and couldn't help but laugh lowly. However, logically speaking, Nicholas is in the ranks of the old world, so naturally he can't dismantle the stage openly, so he pursed the corners of his mouth and controlled his smile, but the smile in his eyes was still not hidden.

Lu Li has really heard a lot about the contradictions and debates between the wines of the New World and the Old World, especially the lofty posture of the Old World. However, it was only a rumor, and all the friends Lu Li came into contact with were approachable and didn't care too much about the differences between the old and new worlds.

It seems that today he is going to see and see. He is a barbarian in the Amazon jungle, breaking into the civilized world and proclaiming the existence of a "mysterious civilization". A century ago, a century later, it seems that what is in the bones of human beings has not changed.

Really.

"Oh, hehe. Jack laughed, turned his head and exchanged glances with William and Brian, which was always condescending and haughty, "It's the era of globalization, whether it's urban or rural, people can reach any corner. It's just that I didn't expect that wine can now be made in any corner, and the times are advancing, but people feel like they are going backwards. ”

I can't hear any ambiguity in the words, but in essence, it still clearly distinguishes between "barbarians" and "civilized society".

"Jack, what a gentleman you are. William laughed too, "So subtle, so polite." Jack's words just now didn't contain a single dirty word, but the condescension in his bones was vividly displayed, "According to me, it's like a rose growing in the desert, its appearance is a miracle in itself, we can't ask for more." ”

Texas is a desert, and Cloudtop Winery is a rose. The roses that grow in the desert are like miracles, but they are synonymous with the anachronism, no matter how delicate, even if they are beautiful, even if they are amazing, they will eventually be swallowed up by the environment and completely withered.

Nicholas has long been accustomed to these arrogant remarks, not to mention that the French have always been unaccustomed to the Americans, which is something from the bottom of their bones. However, Nicholas was Lu Li's friend, and there was inevitably a little worry in his eyes, thinking about whether to take the initiative to speak. But Nicholas soon found that his worries were unwarranted.

"France is indeed a romantic country, and 'The Little Prince' is a French book. Roses in the desert, how romantic. Lu Li said with a smile, his eyes fell on William, "But it's a pity that I can't see such a masterpiece as 'The Little Prince' anymore, perhaps, in modern society, everyone has degenerated." The innocent heart that is willing to believe that roses will grow in the desert has long been gone, and only useless pride and arrogance remain, but they do not know that sooner or later, roses will bloom all over the desert. ”

That calm and unhurried, well-advanced and retreating demeanor, but with a young man's spirit, wanton, and aggressive, in comparison, the three middle-aged people in front of them were covered with a layer of dust, eclipsed and languishing. Lu Li didn't use any dirty words, but he didn't hide his sharp spirit of pointing at Sang and scolding Huai, and the faces of the three people in front of him suddenly turned black, like the bottom of a pot.

William chuckled twice and turned his head to look at Jack and Brian, "The younger generation nowadays is always like this, with a romantic mood, but living a vulgar and materialistic life, and the cultural heritage and precipitation have disappeared. After saying that, William shook his head lightly with a suffocating expression.

Brian took over, "Young man, it's always like this, uninhibited, unrestrained, arrogant, but it's like half a bottle of water, swaying, and the louder the voice, the more proud you become, and instead mocking the filled bottles, saying that you don't have a sound at all. In fact, whether there is real material or not, the bottom will be exposed with one mouth. You say, the same is true of the wines of the New World?"

From subtle and restrained hints, it gradually turned into blatant contempt.

"Huh. Lu Li not only didn't get angry, but laughed, but he didn't refute, just laughed, and then stood quietly in place. The sharp teeth and sharp mouth just now disappeared, but William and the others were puzzled, and even Nicholas became curious and looked at Lu Li one after another.

Lu Li smiled, raised his hands and skimmed them out, as if to say: Don't pay attention to me, you go on, vent as much as you want.

That comfortable and complacent posture has a kind of unassuming arrogance, as if ...... It's like an audience watching a circus performance. This made William and the three of them have a sense of depression lingering in their chests, and they feel like they are playing monkey plays, which feels too aggrieved.

Finally, William and the three of them looked at Nicholas in unison. The corners of Nicholas's mouth couldn't help but twitch, he was originally worried that Lu Li would be defeated by one enemy and three enemies, but now it seems that Lu Li has the upper hand.

Nicholas cleared his throat, and in order to maintain the apparent harmony, he had to go out himself. These old pedants of the Old World wineries have always been like this, setting up a shelf, staying away from the new, refusing to bow their heads and admit their mistakes, and even more refusing to compromise. The torrent of the times has pushed them on, and they are still dreaming of a proud shelf.

"Fourteen?" Nicholas merely asked, and the meaning was already there.

Lu Li didn't put on a show, and said, "The older generation is always like this. Holding on to history, holding on to the past, holding on to the heritage, refusing to accept new things, refusing to keep pace with the times. We are learning from history, learning from the advantages and experiences of the past, and at the same time innovating and progressing, creating our own strengths and characteristics. There is nothing in this book, social changes, and the change of the times, it is like this. ”

The plain words tell the facts, without referring to Sang scolding Huai, and there is no meaning, as if he is just stating this fact. But it was precisely such irrefutable facts that made the faces of William, Jack, and Brian begin to swell and redden, as if Lu Li had just slapped him.

Lu Li's words were not finished, and he continued, "But the interesting thing is that some people, while despising the arrogance and arrogance of the new generation, envy the vigor and vitality of the new generation. Is this jealousy? Or is it pride? ”

After speaking, Lu Li also turned his head to look at Nicholas, spread his hands, and had a helpless smile on his face, as if to say: Sorry, I scolded you together.

But Nicholas was still smiling, and his eyes flashed with excitement. Although he is a representative of the Romanée-Conti winery, in a way, he and Lu Li are the same representatives of the Young Zhuang faction. The last time Lu Li was at Romanée-Conti, the two of them discussed some ideas for innovation.

The two of them were exchanging glances, but Jack was already thunderous, his cheeks were swollen and red, his eyes were round, and he looked at Lu Li, who was too excited to speak, but William grabbed Jack and said comfortingly, "In terms of mouth, we can't compare to those young people, they all rely on one mouth to do things now, and in commercial sales, the same is true, always take advantage, and then they get up." But in terms of quality, it can't be compared at all. ”

William glanced at Lu Li contemptuously, there was a cover-up before, but now he has shown it unscrupulously and openly, "If you don't believe it, you will know the result of the game." What's the name of this Texas rose?"

Nicholas suddenly became tense when he saw the scene, and was about to dissuade him, but he heard Lu Li answer in a nonchalantly raised voice, "Cloud Peak Winery." That loud voice makes people admire.

Seeing Lu Li's dignified appearance, William and the others fell behind, so William also straightened his chest and said righteously, "Ducas Winery." "It's simple and clear, and that's it.