Chapter 4, Romanée-Conti

A hint of disappointment appeared on the girl's face; after bowing once more, she turned and left

The young girl said without hesitation: "This is the wine king Romanée-Conti. It is also the king of the Burgundy region in France. Burgundy takes pride in it; a sommelier once stated that Burgundy, with just one Romanée-Conti, can surpass the eight great estates of Bordeaux. During the Yuan Dynasty, it was already the most expensive red wine in the world"

Lanjue said earnestly: "I am not a casual person"

Give it back to me! The sommelier took a step forward and snatched the wine from Lan Jue's hand

The gourmet spoke up: "Jeweler, considering the bottle of wine you hold in your hand, I will support you this time"

The sommelier frowned

Lán Jué, with a dignified demeanor, said: "One should leave a line when dealing with others; I certainly do not wish to be placed on the blacklist of the sommelier"

The sommelier waved his hand dismissively and said, "I only serve Romanée-Conti to friends"

Lan Jue smiled and said, "Go ahead and tell me."

I apologize for being late

The gourmet smiled and said: "Don't be upset, enjoying fine food and wine requires a good mood. Moreover, a single ham can be enjoyed many times. Eva, please bring the whole ham here, and also get a larger platter, along with twenty candles; I will take care of it."

Upon hearing the girl's words, Lan Jue, the sommelier, and the gourmet all displayed expressions of surprise.

The sommelier let out a hum, picked up the Romanée-Conti, with his thumb pressing into the indentation at the bottom of the bottle, while his index, middle, and ring fingers supported the side of the bottle, lifting it with one hand

The sommelier said fiercely: "Our ancestors brought a total of nineteen over the years, and currently, there are only fourteen left. This was originally reserved for my own enjoyment. You are fortunate to have it."

Lan Jue and the gourmet exchanged a smile, almost in unison saying: "A drinking companion is hard to come by"

The gourmet's gaze sharpened, "Then why don't you take it? Although 2005 is a top vintage, 1990 is the legendary year of Château Latour!"

Lan Jue looked at the cup in front of him and said, "I see there is still one from 1990."

However, at this moment, this young girl appeared somewhat constrained. With her head lowered, her fair face and swan-like neck were slightly flushed, and her long eyelashes trembled slightly, filled with an expression of deep apology.

Lan Juedao: "We young people all have a heart that loves beauty; why not, for my sake, give her a chance"

The girl nodded vigorously

Eva looked at the sommelier, who nodded at her. It was unclear whether he had taken the gourmet's advice to heart, but the angry expression on his face gradually faded away

Several attendants presented four glasses of Pinot Noir, a plate of white bread slices, four cups of warm water, and a gigantic ham measuring one meter in length and approximately thirty centimeters in diameter at its thickest point. A square white porcelain plate.

The sommelier said irritably: "What do I owe you?"

"Wait a moment." The gourmet called out to Eva, standing up and looking at the sommelier, who was tightly gripping the wine bottle, with a half-smile. "So you actually have this exquisite 72-month-old black Iberian ham, which you usually don't bring out."

The sommelier looked coldly at Lan Jue and said, "I will never let you assist me in assessments again"

Yes, my lord

The sommelier instinctively turned his head to look at Lan Jue, and when his gaze landed on the wine bottle in Lan Jue's hand, he could no longer look away

The gourmet smiled and said: "She is a tasteful young lady, it seems the jeweler was right again"

Thank you. The young girl bowed again, hesitating for a moment as if summoning her courage to ask: "If I obtain the Heavenly Fire Badge in the future, may I come here to purchase Romanée-Conti from you?"

The barista in a white suit said, "He said we are old." He wore a smile on his face, as if to say, I am not the one stirring up trouble

At this moment, the girl in the white dress also raised her head and saw the bottle of wine, her pair of aquamarine eyes filled with sparkling brilliance

The sommelier's breathing appeared somewhat labored; after a few heavy breaths, he snatched the silver metal piece from Lan Jue's other hand, saying, "Eva, warm water, white bread slices. Seventy-two months of Spanish Iberico ham, sliced."

The girl's eyes instantly revealed a look of enchantment, "It is a flavor that can penetrate the taste buds and gums, as if it can drill into every cell of the human body. The rich and lasting aroma is exquisite and full-bodied, with delicate yet powerful tannins, balanced and concentrated, and a velvety texture that is smooth and elegant, almost embodying all the virtues of the finest Pinot Noir grapes. It is an irreplaceable and dreamlike wine. After entering the New Era, due to environmental changes and past destruction, the mother planet has not produced any genuine Romanée-Conti since the year 2025 of the Upper Yuan period." The rich and lasting aroma is exquisite and full-bodied, with delicate yet powerful tannins, balanced and concentrated, and a velvety texture that is smooth and elegant, almost embodying all the virtues of the finest Pinot Noir grapes. It is an irreplaceable and dreamlike wine. After entering the New Era, due to environmental changes and past destruction, the mother planet has not produced any genuine Romanée-Conti since the year 2025 of the Upper Yuan period.

She appears to be around eighteen or nineteen years old, with skin as fair as jade, elegantly styled long wine-red hair in large waves, and a white French romantic gown adorned with exquisite floral lace embroidery that perfectly accentuates her figure

The young girl performed a deep bow and said, "Yes."

The sommelier said: "Have you tasted it?"

The gourmet arranged twenty candles with a smile that seemed to be both genuine and ironic, saying, "Don't worry, others might, but we certainly will not."

"Profanity is an unforgivable mistake for a noble." Lan Jue shook the wooden cork in his hand

Lan absolutely did not evade; the wine reached the sommelier's hands, yet in his grasp was a complete cork, exuding a faint aroma of wine

The sommelier looked seriously at the girl standing by the table and said softly, "You may leave. Being late is an unforgivable mistake"

Lan Jue smiled faintly and said, "As a sommelier, one must learn to be tolerant. Good things are meant to be shared with everyone for enjoyment"

Blue Absolute: "Describe its flavor"

Lan Jue and Tu Shu looked at the sommelier, who nodded and said: "For the sake of Romanée-Conti, I will consider your assessment passed. Remember, in the future, no matter the circumstances, as a noble, you must never be late, regardless of your reasons"

The sommelier sits still, "Being late signifies a lack of respect"

The sommelier said: "You may go. Eva will take care of the formalities for you"

The always composed and serious sommelier suddenly stood up, his lips and the finger pointing towards Lan Jue trembling almost simultaneously. "I just asked you to casually pick a bottle!" he said through clenched teeth.

Looking at the label on the bottle, he murmured: "The 2005 Romanee-Conti, you are quite something!"

The young girl shyly nodded and said, "I was once fortunate enough to taste a glass of Romanée-Conti from 1981. Although it was not its best vintage, the flavor has been etched into my soul."

"Why not give her a chance?" Lan Jue's voice rang out

Lan Jue returned to his seat and looked at the girl who was quietly swallowing her saliva, saying: "Do you recognize this bottle of wine?"

"Bastard, you actually opened it!" the sommelier exclaimed in exasperation