Romanée-Conti Winery produces what is considered the most expensive wine in the world, renowned for its richness, complexity, and aging potential.
Their wines are typically made using low-yield old vine grapes, with late harvesting, top-tier vineyards, and meticulous winemaking processes all contributing to their success. A single bottle often sells for hundreds of thousands of dollars, and the most expensive ones can even reach over a million!
The vineyards of Romanée-Conti follow natural farming principles with extremely strict management. Their annual output is only 1/50 of that of Château Lafite.
All these intricate procedures have shaped this legendary wine brand—one that represents the very art of winemaking and is hailed as a drink only billionaires can afford.
However, despite the excellence of their wines, the limited production has kept their fame slightly below that of Château Lafite, leaving them in its shadow.
This year, though, they had a real chance of claiming the number one spot.
So, when it was Romanée-Conti's turn to present, all eyes in the hall immediately turned toward the center.
Daniel, Chairman of Romanée-Conti, personally carried a bottle of red wine and stepped to the center of the hall, solemnly introducing it to the judges.
"This bottle represents the finest our winery has produced this year. The grapes used are from old vines, of which only 123 remain."
"They were handpicked by skilled workers, with each bunch rigorously selected before being sent for vinification. The barrels used for fermentation were crafted from Gairdaux oak, air-dried for three years. The wine was then stored at a constant 10°C for two months to produce the highest-quality red wine!"
Pride filled Daniel's voice. Among all the wineries, only Romanée-Conti pursued quality and craftsmanship to this level.
It was no exaggeration to say that this bottle alone could fetch over a million dollars on the market. But their unwavering dedication to craftsmanship justified the price.
The crowd murmured in admiration, gazing longingly at the bottle in his hands.
After his brief introduction, Daniel personally poured wine for each sommelier. A rich, intoxicating aroma slowly spread throughout the hall.
"Excellent—simply perfect!"
"This weight and depth of flavor… only Romanée-Conti can achieve that."
"I'm giving a full score!"
…
The sommeliers tasted carefully, their expressions full of satisfaction as they nodded and praised the wine.
Then, under the astonished gaze of everyone present, Daniel walked over to Ye Yun, handed him a glass, and smiled.
"I've long heard of Mr. Ye from Rose Estate. Please have a taste of the wine we've crafted."
The entire room was stunned. Daniel, as the chairman of Romanée-Conti, offering wine to Ye Yun himself—this was nothing short of recognition.
"Mr. Daniel, you flatter me," Ye Yun replied with a slight smile. He stood and naturally accepted the glass from Daniel before taking a sip.
As the wine touched his lips, a dense, full-bodied richness unfolded in his mouth. An indescribable flavor filled his senses, as if he were transported to an ancient manor nestled in the countryside, its weathered walls steeped in centuries of history.
Just one sip brought a blush to Ye Yun's cheeks. He opened his eyes, exhaled deeply, and exclaimed without hesitation, "As expected of Romanée-Conti—outstanding!"
His praise was heartfelt. Romanée-Conti's red wine clearly surpassed Lafite in flavor—although still not quite at the level of his own Rose Red Wine, it carried its own unique elegance and was truly extraordinary.
Ye Yun was even certain that had he not entered the competition, Romanée-Conti would undoubtedly take first place this year.
Daniel's smile deepened at the compliment, and the wrinkles on his face seemed to smooth out with pride.
Not far away, Arnold, Chairman of Château Lafite, witnessed this scene with a darkening expression.
"Damn that old bastard Daniel! Showing favor to that brat in front of everyone—he's slapping Lafite in the face!"
Arnold seethed internally, his anger surging. He took several deep breaths to suppress his fury.
But there was nothing he could do about it. All he could hope for now was that Lafite would outperform Rose Estate in the competition and wipe that smug smile off Romanée-Conti's face.
Romanée-Conti received overwhelmingly high scores—each judge giving no less than 95 points. The audience also had glowing reviews.
The competition continued, and it was finally Château Lafite's turn.
This year, Lafite submitted a wine from its "Duhart-Milon" series, known as the "Queen of Red Wines." It was their signature product and a staple in past competitions.
The tasting for Lafite was completed quickly. The judges gave it consistent scores of around 90, and the general feedback from the audience was also quite positive.
Arnold glanced at the judges' scores, then turned his gaze toward Ye Yun.
Now that Lafite had finished, next up was Ye Yun's Rose Estate.
Unlike long-established wineries like Romanée-Conti, Rose Estate's rise had been sudden and meteoric. Within just a few months, it had become the talk of the wine world, attracting widespread attention.
Among the many elites attending today's competition, many had come specifically for Rose Red Wine.
They were eager to witness firsthand whether this wine—praised by world-class sommelier Murray Brown and said to have bested Lafite—could truly perform like a dark horse and break into the top ten.
"Please, enjoy."
Ye Yun stepped onto the stage and personally poured wine for each judge, his gentle smile warm and composed.
With his refined appearance and elegant demeanor, he instantly captured the attention of many noblewomen and socialites in the hall.
Aside from Murray Brown and two other sommeliers who had already tasted Rose Red Wine, the rest of the judges had never tried it. Naturally, they were all curious and intrigued.
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