The Swedish royal court in November.
On the thick mahogany table lay materials on the so-called “Unity (L’Unite) 2008,” said to have been made through a top-secret blending by Bordeaux’s five great châteaux.
The man presiding over the meeting was Count Magnus von Engström, the Swedish royal court’s master of ceremonies and one of the king’s closest aides. In a stiffly starched wing-collar shirt and a silver tie, he exuded an arrogance that seemed to speak for centuries of history.
Count Engström waved the letter sent from Bordeaux and opened his mouth.
“Now, it is time to coordinate the views of the Nobel Committee and the royal court. Astonishingly, the five great châteaux have joined their family crests in a prayer for the peace of mankind. If you know the history of those houses, you will understand how unbelievable that is. Believing that we cannot fail to honor that meaning, the Swedish royal court has no objection to selecting this ‘Unity’ as the official wine for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize banquet.”
No one dared to refute his opinion. In terms of justification and newsworthiness alike, his view was entirely reasonable. However, Gustav of the Nobel Committee, who owed a debt to Viktor Karlov, cautiously adjusted his glasses and stepped forward.
“Count, the cause is beyond reproach. But the momentum of ‘Aether’ from Napa Valley this year is formidable. Robert Parker gave it 100 points, and reports say that in blind tastings it overwhelmed even the five great châteaux…”
Count Engström’s brow furrowed.
“Gustav! We are not choosing a circus troupe here. The Nobel Prize is a seat that symbolizes the tradition and authority of mankind. I acknowledge that the Napa Valley wine, this Aether or whatever it is, is of good quality. But do you truly think it makes sense to choose a wine with such a short history—one whose vintage is barely a year old—over a wine dedicated by the five great châteaux after setting aside centuries of enmity?”
“That is…”
“If the five great châteaux’s Unity did not exist, we might consider it… but as long as it does, I cannot think of any wine other than Unity.”
At that moment, Erik, a young member of the committee staff, mustered his courage and raised his hand.
“Count, even so, should we not conduct at least a minimal blind tasting? If the grapes of the five great châteaux were forcibly mixed, we cannot ignore the possibility that the balance may have collapsed. Serving a wine whose quality has not been guaranteed might instead harm the reputation of the Nobel Prize…”
The blue eyes of Count Engström, immediately offended, fixed on Erik as if to pierce him through. A cold sneer lingered at the corner of his mouth.
“Mr. Erik, are you saying you doubt the quality when the essences of the five great châteaux have been combined? That is arrogance that denies three hundred years of French wine history. The Swedish royal court places great value on the symbolism of peace possessed by ‘Unity.’ Select it.”
At his firm declaration, the meeting could go no further. Thus, the star of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize banquet was confirmed as Bordeaux’s “Unity.”
---
The Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square, New York.
In contrast to the heavy atmosphere of the meeting in Stockholm, the night in New York was burning hot. The gala dinner—the highlight of the “New York Wine Experience,” called the Olympics for wine lovers around the world—was underway.
The vast banquet hall was nearly blinding with the light pouring from thousands of crystal lamps. Gentlemen in tuxedos and ladies in splendid evening dresses were tilting wineglasses worth thousands of dollars, reaching the pinnacle of high society.
“Brian, tonight is seriously incredible.”
Chloe, who had linked her arm through mine, whispered. She was wearing a deep navy silk dress tonight, and in it she looked as elegant as moonlight reflected on a night sea.
“So are you. Today, the most beautiful owner in Napa Valley is unquestionably you.”
“Well… it’s not exactly wrong.”
At my compliment, Chloe smiled radiantly and played along with a shameless air. The moment we entered the venue, people’s gazes poured toward us all at once. The protagonist behind “Aether 2008,” which had received an unprecedented 100 points from Robert Parker. Heavyweights flocked to see Brian Choi, the new emperor rising in Napa Valley.
“Oh, Brian! We finally meet!”
The first to approach was Bernard Arnault, chairman of Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH). He looked me over with his distinctive sharp gaze and offered his hand.
“I tasted Aether. It was remarkable. Since Bordeaux’s Château d’Yquem, this is the first wine to shock me like that.”
“You flatter me, Chairman.”
Then people I had seen in Forbes, and even the legendary critic Jancis Robinson, came over to greet me. The value of Aether was already soaring. At auction, a single bottle of Aether was fetching more than five times its release price.
When the event reached its height, someone shouted.
“I hear the Bordeaux five great châteaux’s joint cuvée, ‘Unity,’ has been selected as the wine for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize banquet?”
In an instant, the hall stirred. Even in the wine world, the joint cuvée of Bordeaux’s five great châteaux had unquestionably risen to the center of attention.
“What on earth happened? They hated each other so much.”
“Isn’t it obvious? The French government must have pressured them.”
“They announced it had nothing to do with the French government, didn’t they?”
“You believe that? If not, why would they suddenly join hands and make a joint cuvée?”
“…Who knows.”
“I wonder what kind of wine Unity is.”
“I’m so curious. Why on earth aren’t they selling Unity?”
It was while people were showing such interest in Unity 2008, made together by the five great châteaux, that someone approached where Chloe and I were standing.
“It’s been a while.”
Wondering who it was, I turned my head and saw Stan Kroenke standing there. The owner of Arsenal FC and the LA Rams, and the owner of “Screaming Eagle,” the pride of Napa Valley, was looking at me with a strange gaze.
“Mr. Kroenke, it has been a while.”
As we shook hands, he spoke in a languid tone.
“When Redwood’s wine received 100 points, I was as happy as if it were my own. But the fact that your wine was not selected for the Nobel banquet… that must certainly be upsetting.”
For a moment, Chloe and I were startled. There were very few people who knew that Aether had been one of the leading candidates for the Nobel banquet wine.
“What are you talking about? I never even imagined it.”
Just in case, I tried denying it completely, but Stan Kroenke chuckled.
“Others may not know, but I do. I’m talking about the bet you made with Bordeaux’s five great châteaux.”
I was so genuinely surprised that my mouth fell open. Had those proud owners of the five great châteaux really wagged their tongues to Stan Kroenke? If this rumor got out and they lost, what would they do? Why would they have told someone outside? Were they that confident?
All sorts of thoughts flashed through my mind, but Stan Kroenke laughed heartily and patted my shoulder.
“Hahaha! Don’t be so surprised… When you reach my level, all sorts of news in the world come to you while you’re sitting still.”
“…Still, it’s surprising. I thought no one would know.”
“Don’t worry. There are probably fewer than three people here who know it.”
“The fact that there could be as many as three is the surprising part.”
He shook his head.
“No. What’s truly surprising is that you made such a huge bet with the owners of Bordeaux’s five great châteaux. What’s so special about knowing a bit of information?”
“……”
“An American winery becomes a player and goes head-to-head with Bordeaux’s five great châteaux? If I had been there, I would have found some way—any way—to reveal it to the outside and make it a sensation.”
“If you had, the owners of the five great châteaux would have refused, even if it killed them.”
“Well… I suppose they would have. But how could they try to keep a bet like this only among themselves? That, too, is greed.”
The ruthless businessman nicknamed Silent Stan narrowed his eyes and showed a rather affable smile. But I did not fall for that smile.
After the owners of the five great châteaux, the person who would be happiest about the news today that Unity had been selected for the Nobel banquet was obviously the owner of Screaming Eagle. If Redwood had defeated even Bordeaux and entered the Nobel banquet, the hierarchy of Napa Valley would have been completely overturned.
Would that prideful Kroenke ever be pleased to see his Screaming Eagle pushed down to second place? I could bet my entire fortune that he would never be.
He lightly swirled his wineglass and revealed his true colors.
“Brian, you are a genius. You are in the process of raising the American wine world to the very top globally. But as for those helping you… do you perhaps think Viktor Karlov is enough?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never thought about it.”
“I know. I know that Viktor worked quite hard behind the scenes to have Aether put forward as the banquet wine for this Nobel dinner.”
This man knew everything.
“You truly know a great deal.”
“Hmph. There are no secrets in the wine world that I don’t know. In any case, looking at the result, what happened? In the end, that Russian friend who was strutting around flaunting his money got shut out. All that money was useless.”
“And?”
“If it had been me, that would not have happened.”
Where did that confidence come from?
“You don’t believe me? But it’s true. If I had owned a portion of Redwood’s shares, the wine at this year’s Nobel banquet would have been Aether.”
“Would that have been possible?”
“You may think it impossible, but if you consider the network and influence I possess, it would not be that difficult. All I would have needed to do was prevent those five great châteaux from joining forces.”
“……”
At this point, Chloe, who had been holding tightly to my arm, boldly cut in.
“So in the end, you’re saying you want to buy a stake in Redwood?”
Unless one was a fool, his proposal was clear. He would put up a protective barrier, so hand over shares.
Stan smiled at Chloe, who had suddenly intervened, then answered leisurely.
“Wouldn’t it be stranger for me to step forward for a winery that has absolutely nothing to do with me?”
Since that was also true, Chloe merely pouted. I stroked the back of her hand with a smile, then said to Stan.
“Mr. Stan, thank you for the generous offer. But I’m not particularly saddened by today’s news.”
“Not saddened? You lost the bet, so starting next year, you’ll have to write a congratulatory message for Bordeaux’s five great châteaux on your low-priced wine.”
“I’ll write it, then. For me, the fact that I made a bet with the five great châteaux was itself an enjoyable experience. Well, then…”
When I bowed my head slightly to him and moved away, Chloe also gave him a coy smile and followed after me, holding my arm.
“Ha…”
Stan Kroenke watched the two of them walk away with a hollow expression.
---
On December 10, the eyes of the entire world turned to Stockholm, Sweden. Amid the reverberation of a majestic pipe organ, Nobel Prize laureates, heads of state from various nations, and members of the royal family filled the seats. On the tables where some 1,300 distinguished guests sat, crystal glasses containing tonight’s star, “Unity (L’Unite) 2008,” shone brilliantly.
Count Magnus von Engström, who had presided over the meeting, smiled in satisfaction with one hand in the pocket of his tuxedo. He was deeply moved by the fact that, for a banquet such as this, Bordeaux’s five great châteaux had specially overcome their mutual antagonism and joined forces to make a wine solely for this event.
“Now, for the unity and peace of mankind!”
At the toast from the King of Sweden, more than a thousand glasses embroidered the air at once. Count Engström, too, raised his glass with a reverent heart. A wine that combined the essences of the five First Growths of Bordeaux. Expecting that perfect harmony, he took a sip of the wine.
But at that moment, the count’s eyebrows trembled faintly.
‘…What is this?’
The sensation touching the tip of his tongue was not the heavenly harmony he had expected. Latour’s strength was pressing down on Margaux’s delicacy, while Lafite’s elegance clashed with Mouton’s flamboyance, creating a bizarre dissonance.
Of course, the quality of the wine itself was by no means poor. If he had discovered this wine in some wine shop, he would certainly have thought it an exceptionally fine wine. But because he knew where this wine had come from, he was far too bewildered.
Flustered, the count looked around. Sure enough, the expressions of several distinguished guests with a discerning knowledge of wine had subtly stiffened. Out of courtesy, they were emptying their glasses, but nowhere could he hear any exclamations of admiration. It was certainly an excellent wine, but when considering the tremendous expectations carried by the phrase “joint cuvée of the five great châteaux,” there was no helping the considerable sense of deficiency.
At that moment, young Erik’s warning flashed through the count’s mind.
‘If the grapes of the five great châteaux were forcibly mixed, we cannot ignore the possibility that the balance may have collapsed.’
His face began to stiffen more and more.