On a mid-December morning, with winter rain falling,
the road in front of the Napa Valley Marriott Hotel was lined with black sedans. On every window, entry passes bearing winery logos gleamed, and the people stepping out of the cars tightened their thick coats around them as they headed for the convention hall.
“You’re not too nervous, are you?”
Dad laughed as he turned up the collar of his heavy gray coat.
“Your dad used to run a business. I don’t get nervous over things like this.”
“Hehe, all right.”
Above the entrance hung a banner with the words “Napa Valley Vintners Annual Meeting 2005” in gold lettering.
The lobby was already crowded. At each booth, where banners for the various wineries stood, bottles of wine were lined up, and people wearing name tags shook hands and chatted.
“Redwood Winery, Mr. Woody Choi and Mr. Brian Choi.”
The receptionist smiled as she handed over our badges.
“You’re the stars of this year’s Double Gold. Welcome.”
As we stepped into the hall, familiar names began to catch my eye one after another. Robert Mondavi, Joseph Phelps, Dan Duckhorn of Duckhorn, Chuck Wagner of Caymus... All the giants who represented Napa had gathered here. The sight of them laughing, shaking hands, and talking about wine was like seeing the history of this city assembled in one place.
“Whoa... Those are all incredible people, aren’t they?”
“Yeah. They’re people we’ve only known by name until now.”
Even before my regression, I had acknowledged those people. The wines they made were certainly worthy of recognition. Just then, Robert Mondavi approached us, leaning on his cane.
When Dad bowed first in greeting, Mondavi smiled.
“Good to see you. And we meet again, hm? We met at that alumni winery showcase, and this would be the second time?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“I was very grateful for the lesson you gave my granddaughter.”
“There’s no need to thank me.”
“There is. That child realized she had talent that could surprise the world outside of her family name. She’s now learning wine with great humility, so even thanking you would not be enough. And... Echelon and Sylphide. They were quite astonishing. Especially the completed Echelon...”
He stopped speaking midway and turned his head toward Dad beside me.
“It was extremely impressive.”
“Thank you. I have always had great respect for you, Mr. Mondavi.”
To be honest, Dad had said he hadn’t been interested in wine before coming to America. It hadn’t even been that long since he’d learned of Mondavi’s reputation, so saying he had always respected him was practically a lie, but his eyes sparkled like those of a fan meeting a star he had always wanted to see.
“Hoho, I’m just an old man who could die any day now. You’ve raised your son well. If I had more time and were in better health, I would have loved to talk at length with him about wine. It’s truly a shame. Since the leading figures of Napa have all gathered here today, it would be good for you to start getting to know them from now on. Though don’t get too close.”
He smiled an unreadable smile and walked away. In the distance, in the direction he headed, Joseph Phelps and Chuck Wagner of Caymus were talking while glancing this way.
“It feels like we’re drawing attention. This is the first time in my life this has happened, so I’m a little flustered.”
“It’s a first for me too. Let’s enjoy it.”
Dad nodded and proudly squared his shoulders.
Inside the convention hall, the round tables were filled. At the center of each table sat a nameplate engraved with the logo of each winery and one bottle of its representative wine.
The event began as NVV president Margaret Durie stepped up onto the stage.
“Everyone, you have completed another abundant harvest this year. 2005 was a difficult year due to drought and high temperatures, but in the end, it left us with an excellent vintage marked by complexity and deep body. Napa has proven our name once again this year.”
Quiet applause followed. Graphs and figures appeared on the slide screen. They showed things such as yield by AVA, average Brix levels, and quality evaluations by major varietal.
“This year began with a record drought, but thanks to the high temperatures in August and the gentle diurnal shifts in September, the balance between the grapes’ sugar and acidity stabilized. Because there was little rainfall in spring, yields decreased by an average of 9% compared to last year, but quality actually improved.”
The next slide showed maps and graphs of each region.
“The Cabernet Sauvignon from Rutherford and Oakville recorded an average Brix level of 25.8, 1.2 points higher than last year. Its tannin structure is firm and its acidity moderate, leading to assessments that it has become somewhat more favorable for long-term aging. On the other hand, Pinot Noir from the Stags Leap and Carneros regions saw yields decrease by 12%, but aromatic complexity reached its highest level in the past ten years.”
Sample photos by varietal continued across the screen. There were vivid clusters of Cabernet under the sunlight and Pinot Noir clusters in dusky shade.
“Chardonnay produced a successful vintage only in areas that avoided frost damage this spring, while in Mercado, the lowland region, production dropped sharply due to salinity stress. Therefore, the market supply of Chardonnay is expected to decrease next year.”
Near the lobby, several marketers were taking notes quickly. Then, as Margaret Durie pressed the remote, the slide changed.
“Now let us look at market trends. In 2005, wine consumption within the United States increased by 7.4% compared to last year. Among that, the average consumer price per bottle of Napa Valley wine rose by 18%. This means that ‘premium labels’ have established themselves more clearly in the eyes of consumers.”
The owners of the large wineries nodded calmly, while several owners of small and mid-sized wineries had a gleam in their eyes. It was probably because they believed that as the brand value of Napa Valley rose, more and more opportunities would come their way.
Margaret continued.
“However, this year’s export share has remained stagnant at 22%. The causes appear to be delayed tariff adjustments with Europe and saturation in the Japanese market. Accordingly, beginning next year, the NVV is considering expanding promotions in the Asian market, especially focusing on Korea and China.”
A slight stir ran through the hall. I, too, stopped my pen when I heard that. Even now, most people in the Asian market thought of France when they thought of wine. In particular, interest in wine had grown after the manga The Drops of God, but the focus was mainly on European wines, so I was a little doubtful whether exporting to the Asian market would really work.
Next, a TTB official came up to the stage. He opened a thick stack of documents and said,
“Beginning next year, labeling standards will become stricter. To use the phrase ‘Estate Bottled,’ the entire process of cultivation, winemaking, and bottling must take place within the same estate. In addition, the use of an AVA name must satisfy a minimum of 85% grape usage from that region, and in particular, when using the designation ‘Napa Valley,’ NVV registration certification will be mandatory.”
Several people let out exclamations.
“Then wine made through custom crush won’t be able to be labeled as Napa Valley wine anymore?”
“That is correct. Custom production may only be labeled as ‘California’ or ‘Sonoma County.’ However, we will provide a one-year grace period. Starting next year, you will need to draw up production plans without any mistakes.”
The TTB official spoke firmly, and the conference hall grew noisy.
“It was a good thing we expanded the winery this time.”
Dad whispered in my ear, and I nodded.
“Even if they change the regulations like this, it doesn’t affect us that much. Still, if this trend continues, things may get even tighter, so expansion will definitely help.”
That said, with this, it would be best to make Sylphide at Redwood to avoid any possible talk, and Cerasia would have no choice but to use custom crush due to the limitations of our tank capacity. Cerasia did not have a high unit price compared to its volume, so using custom crush would reduce profits, but there was nothing we could do.
After the TTB official in charge of market regulations stepped down, the NVV secretary general returned to the stage.
“Lastly, I would like to introduce one noteworthy winery among this year’s new NVV members. It is Redwood Winery, which won two Double Gold medals at this year’s San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.”
At that moment, the lights turned toward Dad and me.
“Cerasia 2005, a cherry wine, and the Double Gold-winning Echelon and Sylphide. Redwood is being evaluated as a representative example that proves Napa’s diversity and potential.”
The sound of applause filled the banquet hall, and someone even shouted, “Bravo.” Dad rose from his seat and gave a brief greeting.
“A great many things happened to Redwood this year. We were fortunate, and we also learned a lot. I hope next year will be a year in which we can share what we learned.”
After that brief introduction of Redwood Winery, it was time for the mid-session break.
Wine and finger food were placed on each table, and people gathered in groups of twos and threes while checking one another’s name tags. On the faces of those who had finished a year’s farming, both fatigue and satisfaction were visible.
I poured a little wine into my glass and looked toward the display stand in the corner of the hall, where each winery had set out its representative wine.
“Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve,”
“Joseph Phelps Insignia,”
“Duckhorn Merlot,”
And between them, in a small space, Echelon and Sylphide especially caught my eye. And the reason Redwood’s two wines stood out so much was probably not only because they were ours.
The other winery owners were laughing and chatting here and there, but they kept glancing at the two wines that had won Double Gold at the same time, and at us. An Asian winemaker who had suddenly appeared in Napa Valley like a comet. To some, he would be a fresh stimulus, but to others, he would be an uncomfortable presence.
Just then, someone approached where Dad and I were standing.
“Hello. You’re Woody Choi of Redwood, correct?”
At the unfamiliar voice, I turned my head and saw a middle-aged man holding a glass. He had silver mixed into his hair and a face deeply carved with heavy wrinkles, and there was a strange fatigue in his eyes.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“I’m David Hoffman of Ironwood Cellars.”
“Ah, yes. I know. Since your farm is nearby, I visited once before.”
Dad extended his hand and shook hands with him.
“I listened to your presentation today. It was very impressive. To be honest, I was quite envious.”
He glanced at Echelon and Sylphide on the display stand, then continued.
“The truth is, I have a lot on my mind these days. I’ve been in Napa Valley for fifteen years and tried just about everything, but I haven’t been able to produce any clear results. And yet some people win Double Gold medals after just one year...”
At his expression, which was bitter yet somehow seemed angry, Dad and I grew slightly wary. Whether he knew that or not, he gave a hollow shrug.
“What can you do? I’m just unlucky. Still, if there’s one fortunate thing, it’s that the most important thing in grape farming is the land, and that value hasn’t been lost. If there’s someone who likes our land, I can take a good price and leave. But I wonder if there’s anyone with that kind of guts. Someone willing to step up and spend millions of dollars competing against those enormous wineries here in Napa Valley?”
He spoke while staring fixedly at Dad, and I got a strange feeling from it. It was as if he were asking whether we had that kind of nerve, while at the same time desperately hoping we would buy his land.
Was he wandering between the inferiority complex an untalented person felt toward someone talented and the reality of wanting to break through this situation?
“Haha, I’m sure there’s someone out there.”
“Yes. Somewhere, I suppose. I’ll be looking forward to next year as well. Echelon, was it? Let’s see whether it lives up to its name.”
After he left, Dad asked me,
“What was that about? Why did he come over?”
“It seems like he’s conflicted inside. He’s struggling for money and jealous of us at the same time. But since we sold a lot of wine, he probably thinks we have money, so it feels like he wants us to buy his land...”
“He shows that so openly... He’s not someone good at negotiation.”
“Exactly. He doesn’t seem suited to sales or business.”
“But is that man’s land really that bad?”
I shook my head.
“No way... There’s no such land in Napa Valley. Ironwood Cellars is just a little north of our farm, isn’t it? It has good drainage, and the soil has a lot of iron, so the grapes have a deep color. The fact that he couldn’t make valuable wine with that isn’t the grapes’ fault. If they meet a good winemaker, they’re definitely grapes that could find their voice...”
Having read the desire in my eyes, Dad asked,
“Why? Are you going to buy it?”
“I’m thinking about it. It’s thirty acres as a single vineyard. And it’s close to Redwood. If we combine it with the Silver Oak site, we’d have a total of sixty acres of vineyard.”
“...... I’ll follow your opinion.”
Perhaps because I was his son, who was already selling out everything we made as soon as we made it, Dad seemed to think my opinion was the most important.
“Hmm... I wonder how much it’ll sell for...”
I began to think seriously.