雪中品「龙谕」
Qi Guorui
One
At noon on December 20, 2023, the heavy snow fell on the land of Jiaodong like crazy, and the snow was no longer falling piece by piece, but thrown into the world in clumps and lumps, like a torrential rain and a tsunami hitting the shore. This heavy snowfall, which has not been seen for decades, is like a thick quilt, covering every inch of land tightly. The dense cars on the roadside and in the parking lot are covered in snow, like rows of white steamed buns that have just come out of the pot. The pine and bamboo, which were alive a few days ago, were covered in heavy snow, and the land, houses, roads, forests, grass, mountains, ravines, and high-rise buildings were covered in heavy snow...... Everything is connected by the white jade-like snow, but the white expanse is boundless, which is the heroic and spectacular scene of "thousands of miles of ice, thousands of miles of snow drifting, mountain dancing silver snake, original Chi wax elephant".
I hesitated and wanted to put down the interview, but suddenly it occurred to me that snow and wine have been good friends since ancient times, and that snow and wine might add a different kind of pride to the wine. Isn't Bai Juyi a poem: "Green ants make new wine, red clay small stoves, and when you want snow in the evening, you can drink a cup of nothing"? That realm is desirable.
Moreover, I have deep respect for the people of Changyu. I have visited Changyu's wine cellar many times. Whenever I step on the granite staircase that is not more than a meter long to go down to the underground wine cellar, I always feel like walking into the tunnel of history, into the moving scenes of Changyu's initial founding. The neat rows of oak barrels are reminiscent of those warriors who pioneered and expanded territory in the Chinese wine industry. The three five or six meters tall oak barrel kings of the world are aircraft carriers that they built with their own hands to cut through the waves in the sea of wine. From these oak barrels, which have stood for more than 100 years, it seems that you can see Zhang Bishi wearing a high hat, a suit, and a cane, and you can hear his high-spirited and fierce voice at the Panama International Exposition: "The Tang people are remarkable, as long as they are indignant and strong, and come from behind, the products of the ancestral family will become world famous brands." "This voice is really majestic and moving. It is Zhang Gongchao's spirit and courage that have allowed the wine industry to take root in Yantai and China, and also given it an extraordinary soul.
This visit in the snow is probably driven by emotion and respect.
Two
The headquarters of Changyu, which is close to the sea, is also covered in silver at this time. The quiet snow in the precincts resembles a thick carpet that creaks and creaks when stepped on, leaving a deep foot socket with every step. Wu Xiaoxia, the company's head of publicity, accompanied me to the "1892 Art Center" at the southern end of the courtyard, where Ms. Zhu Runzhi, the wife of Changyu's first general manager, Zhang Bishi, also a great entrepreneur, worked. It is now an art center open to the public. This is a two-story small building made of blue bricks, the heavy snow can not hide its handsome face, dignified Chinese silhouette, elegant Western-style doors and windows, showing the owner's Chinese and Western compatible bearing and mind.
Dr. Li Jiming, Changyu's chief winemaker, was already waiting in the living room on the second floor. Changyu's chief winemaker has been a brilliant and mysterious figure for generations, a dazzling star. Standing in front of me was the famous head winemaker, who was not very tall, but he was unusually shrewd and capable, and his two bright eyes radiated with wisdom. It is he and his team of winemakers who never forget the original intention of the founder of "working hard and striving to be strong, and then catching up", endure loneliness, devote themselves to it, continue to innovate, benchmark the world, lead the winemaker team, grasp the core of continuous improvement of quality, and win more than 200 gold medals and gold medals every year, standing on the peak of the world's wine.
As soon as I sat down, I saw a bottle of wine in the center of the table: about a foot high, black all over, the lower part of the bottle is cylindrical, and gradually converges upwards into a thin bottleneck, typical of traditional Chinese shape. The middle of the bottle is a trademark, the black background is the two words "dragon oracle" with gilding, and the lower part is a flying golden dragon, which looks atmospheric and solemn, like a rather personable general.
I took it in my hand and looked at it carefully, and the respect and love were born in my heart. Li Jiming couldn't help but stand up and said to me excitedly, "This is the wine that the national leader praised me." He also reproduced the scene with deep affection: in 2020, when the state leader went to Ningxia to inspect the work, and after tasting the wine produced by Changyu in the wine industrial park at the foot of Helan Mountain, the state leader said happily: "I used Changyu's wine to entertain foreign guests, but I didn't expect Changyu to produce such a good wine in Ningxia." After excitedly recounting this unforgettable moment, Lee Kee Ming continued: "This is the flagship product of our winery, which has won more than 150 awards and is sold in more than 50 countries. Jesses Robinson, one of the world's top three wine critics, gave the world's second-highest score to the Dragon's Message in a blind evaluation of king-quality wines from all over the world. Our wines are already on par with the world. Since the beginning of the new era, the wine we have produced has been presented at state banquets 53 times, and has been drunk and appreciated by many heads of state and international friends. ”
His remarks reminded me of Changyu's innovative moves in recent years. Changyu is the first wine company in China and the pioneer of the wine production model of Chinese wineries. In 2002, China's first professional winery, Changyu Castel Winery, opened. The winery is built on the 37th parallel of the golden parallel, which is considered the most suitable for the production of wine grapes in the world, and the terrain is flat and faces the sea. One day in the late summer, I accompanied a delegation from a neighbouring country to visit. Under the blue sky, on the shore of the Bohai Sea, in the open and endless sandy land, rows of lush grapes bloom into a sea of green. In the rippling green sea is a European-style building, with white walls and high European-style roofs, which together with the blue sky, blue sea and beach constitute a Western picture. After visiting the grand spectacle of the rows of oak barrels in the brand-new underground cellar, the guests took their seats on the second floor, where the host filled their glasses with dry red wine straight from the barrels. The guests had never drunk this wine straight from the barrels, and they were intoxicated by the rich fruity, oaky and mellow aromas of the wine. In the pleasant sound of the wine glasses clashing, they sang and danced passionately, and for a long time, until finally the host had to keep the meal. Growing grapes, making wine, tasting fine wine, enjoying the beautiful scenery, and eating delicious food should be a major feature and charm of the winery.
Since then, Changyu has successively built 14 wineries at home and abroad, and these wineries of different styles are like shining pearls in the northern and southern hemispheres. Under the leadership of Changyu, more than 60 wineries have sprung up in Yantai. The world's most famous French Lafite group has also built a Longdai winery in the valley of Penglai. These scenic and exotic wineries have also become popular tourist destinations. From the coast to the valley, from Zhifu to Penglai, 200,000 acres of grape base have greened the countryside, greened Yantai, and drunk Yantai, giving the name of Yantai Wine City a more abundant connotation. These wineries produce wines that sparkle with jewel luster and exude a tangy aroma that has drunk China and the world. The "dragon oracle" in front of me is the product of the culture of Changyu Winery, and it is the shining crown of the winery wine they produce.
Three
"Come, let's have a taste of this bar. "A word from the winemaker brought me back from my memories.
As he spoke, Minister Wu had gently poured the wine into the high-legged and big-bellied wine cup, only to see that the wine in the cup was purple-red, radiating a purple-red brilliance, like a bright purple ruby. According to the demonstration of Chief Winemaker Li, I pinched the handle of the cup and gently shook it clockwise, and the wine in the cup rippled, like a flower slowly opening. At first, the aroma of black fruits such as blackberries and cherries is followed by the aroma of a faint oak barrel. With a gentle shake, the wine gradually awakens with a complex aroma of violets and spices. Before the wine is eaten, the aroma makes people a little drunk. I can't help but sip in my mouth, first there is a slight astringency, then a mellow and sweet feeling, and then a delicate, firm tannin. The most rare thing is that the long aftertaste that remains in the mouth continues to linger and enter the heart, which reminds me of the allusion of Confucius who heard Shaole "I don't know the taste of meat in March". It's truly the best wine I've tasted so far.
Seeing my intoxicated appearance, Minister Wu said emotionally: "'Let the ancestral products become world famous brands' is the belief of Changyu people from generation to generation. To produce high-quality wine, it is necessary to have good grapes. Our growers spend the day in the vineyards, pruning, fertilizing, preventing diseases, and tending to the seedlings like their own children. After 17 years of terroir exploration, 25 A-grade vineyards were selected for the production of Longyu wines. In order to maintain a keen sense of smell, the winemakers do not eat irritating foods for many years, and taste thousands of kinds of wines every year, and it is not easy to find the best ratio among the best!"
Yes, every drop and bottle of wine of Changyu is the declaration of Changyu people's belief and the crystallization of hard work. They have inherited the vicissitudes of more than 100 years of history, absorbed the essence of heaven, earth, mountains and seas, and integrated the painstaking efforts of Changyu people, so that they have been praised by national leaders and made Yantai a stable "wine city" It is also Changyu's wine, which is inseparable from the life of the people of Hong Kong, so that the life of Yantai people is moist and delicious, it goes to the luxurious banquet, it goes to the table of ordinary people, it poetizes people's hearts and sweetens the life of the people of Hong Kong; it is also Changyu's wine, like a well-known golden signboard, so that Yantai is famous all over the country; such as a graceful cultural messenger, let Yantai go to the world.
Thinking like this, I only feel that the wine in my mouth is a little more mellow and aromatic, a little more imaginative and comfortable.
Four
Looking out the window, the snow is still falling all the time, the sound of our clinking glasses is crisp and pleasant, and the aftersound is like coming from the sky, as if it is in the beat of the snow, to carry out Bai Juyi's poetry of "wanting snow in the evening, you can drink a cup of nothing" to the end, which makes me happy and excited. This "dragon oracle" in the snow is full of poetry, full of affection, the national spirit, the spirit of the times, the thick history, the rich culture, the historical inspiration and taste, and the pride and pride.
This wine, it has inherited the vicissitudes of more than 100 years of history, absorbed the essence of heaven, earth, mountains and seas, and stirred the soul of the immortal spirit.
However, I can't drink anymore, and I will also go to meet Zhou Hongjiang, the current helmsman and chairman of Changyu.
I interviewed him more than 10 years ago when he was managing director and I was impressed by his shrewdness and ambition. He said that Changyu has the responsibility to carry the banner of China's wine industry.
At this moment when the snow was falling, the ice was condensing and the snow was accumulating, and the jade tree was gathering branches, I saw him again. He is still heroic, still radiant, his tall figure is firm, his bright eyes show fearless brilliance, he is a helmsman with goals, vision, mind and responsibility, and he is confidently driving the giant ship of Changyu to ride the wind and waves and move forward bravely.
But he is always low-key, unpretentious in speech, never exaggerated, when I asked about the future vision, he replied softly: "Our goal is always the original intention of Changyu when it was founded, 'to be angry and strong, and then to come first, the products of the ancestors will become world famous brands', although we are now a world famous brand, but we also have to compete for the rank in the famous brand, forever in the forefront, live up to the ancestors, live up to the motherland, live up to Yantai." “
I highly praise the quality of "Dragon Message", he said, this is just the high standard of this stage, we must keep pace with the times, according to the times and consumer needs, to create more world-class products.
The heavy snow in Jiaodong is still falling in a hurry, one after another, endlessly, but these words are like rumbling spring thunder through the snow, resounding across the earth. I also finally understood that after more than 130 years, Changyu's grape wine has finally stood on top of the world, and has been praised by the leaders because of their original intention and actions.
January 10, 2024
Qi Guorui, editor and senior reporter. Former director of the Chinese Prose Literature Association. At present, he is the honorary president of Yantai Prose Literature Association, vice president of Jiaodong History and Culture Research Association, director of China Administrative Management Society, member of China Writers Association, and editor-in-chief of Yantai Prose and its micro-journal. He has been engaged in amateur literary creation and historical research for a long time. He is the author of 8 books, including the essay collection "The Days of Living by the Sea" and "The History of Laizhou". He is the editor of "Yantai History and Culture Series" and "Laizhou History and Culture Series". In recent years, many essays have been published in famous newspapers and periodicals such as "People's Daily", "Haiyan Urban Beauty", "100 Essays", "Selected Essays", and "China Culture Daily". Among them, the essay collection "The Days of Living by the Sea" won the first prize of the 9th Yantai Literary and Artistic Creation Award in 2006, the "Laizhou History and Culture Series" won the "Yantai Literary and Art Project Elite Award" in Yantai City in 2009, "The Lost Ancient City" won the 2006-2008 "Lu Yi Cup" Shandong Province Outstanding Prose Honor Award, and the 2010 essay "The Female Governor's Gaze" won the first prize of the first "Starlight Cup" National Outstanding Literary Works Essay Competition. In 2010, "The Light of the Heart" won the National Contemporary Prose Award. "The Legend of the Phoenix Pavilion" won the Bing Xin Prose Award.