How to Survive in the Roanoke Colony

And so, the French merchants began an unexpected wine trade.

On one side, loading various artworks and building materials ordered from Virginia.

On the other side, loading wine produced in Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Provence.

And.

...

...

...

"This has gone bad. Can't buy it. Why did they suddenly bring so much wine?"

It was all disposed of.

==

Let me say it again.

The beginning of long-term wine preservation is divided into two main developments.

First, the emergence of fortified wine, which increases alcohol content by adding spirits.

These wines have a much higher alcohol content than regular wines, making them much more advantageous for preservation.

Second, the emergence of a method that prevents wine from turning into vinegar by adding sulfites.

Sulfites prevent bacteria growth in wine containers, keeping wine fresh for extended periods.

And these preservation methods developed from the 17th century when Europeans began to venture outside Europe in earnest. The addition of sulfites only became widespread in the 20th century.

So what does that mean...

"Ptui, ptui, this tastes spoiled. To think they really believed we would buy such things."

It means that wine from this era mostly turns into vinegar after a short time.

If they had used clippers, maybe, but this is wine that came across the water in the conventional way, taking 2-3 months. There's no way it could still be in good condition.

"Well, don't be too harsh, Eleanor. If we didn't have our own wine, we would have had to buy and drink this."

Anyway.

Wine is an inseparable element of Christian life.

Just before Jesus was arrested, he shared the 'Last Supper' with his disciples, declaring bread and wine to be his body and blood before being crucified.

Since then, Christians regardless of denomination have performed the Eucharist or communion ceremony with bread and wine at least once, reflecting on the meaning of Jesus's suffering and death.

Among them, in Catholicism only the priest drinks the wine used in the Eucharist, while Protestants share the wine among all believers...

"It's terrible... If we held communion with this, the Lord would be angry."

"...Is it that bad?"

"Would you like to try it?"

"Then... ugh."

It has to taste good, doesn't it?

We all share and drink this together.

These French people who served this kind of wine to us as wine have therefore committed blasphemy against the Lord and should be rightfully condemned...!

Phew, I had many strange thoughts.

"Walter, please tell the merchants waiting over there that we can't pay full price for this. It's a shame to throw it away, so we'll use it as vinegar, but it has no value beyond that."

"I understand. Well, it's natural for wine to spoil while crossing the Atlantic."

"...But our wine doesn't do that, does it?"

"Mrs. Dare, that's because we're using Nemo's mysterious technology. They couldn't possibly replicate it."

That's right. For them to replicate our wine, they would have to wait more than 300 years.

Of course, fortified wine will come out soon, so they'll soon be able to export wine across the Atlantic, but not yet...

"...Wait a moment, Walter."

"What is it?"

Raleigh stops as he was about to move on my order. I take out Virginia-made wine that I had brought for comparison and hand it to him.

"Let them taste this."

"Pardon?"

"Let them try it. Then something incredible will happen."

"Ah... I understand."

Looking bewildered, Raleigh takes the wine I handed to him and leaves.

It is said that wine is 90% terroir (soil) and 10% production technique. In that sense, wine made in Virginia is thoroughly beaten by France from the start.

But this wine, this 'Chesapeake wine' is different.

...Yes. Just by the name, it sounds really insignificant. In fact, by 21st century wine industry standards, it is very insignificant.

But now is different.

Because...

"My God! How, how can it be this intense!"

"How can wine be this sweet? What, what technique did they use!"

This is the world's first fortified wine.

The primitive 17th century French people did backflips over 'American' wine.

==

Gulp. Gulp.

"Yo-Your Majesty... if you drink it down like that...!"

"Cough! Im-impossible...! Is this wine really from across the Atlantic!"

"Y-yes! Look here, doesn't it say 'Chesapeake'?"

'Chesapeake Scuppernong 1592, Imjin War Edition'.

...Imjin War (Guerre d'Imjin)? What's that?

Anyway.

Henri, his face slightly flushed, stared intensely at the wine from that distant new world, in shock.

That wine could maintain this quality even after crossing the Atlantic was shocking enough, but...

It had a taste he had never thought to experience in wine.

Sweet, with a very high alcohol content.

He had never even heard of such wine before.

'...How is this possible?'

Did the English teach them winemaking?

That can't be. How could people who struggle even with grape cultivation, let alone winemaking, teach anyone?

If they knew how to make such a product, would the English have any reason to import large quantities of wine from France every year?

Then, how did such a product come about?

And 1592 is... already 10 years ago, isn't it? Does this mean that it was made with grapes harvested 10 years ago and is still fine?

"..."

"Your Majesty? Are you alright? Is it perhaps poisoned...!"

"Maxime, you try it too."

"What? Just a moment... Wh-wh-what!"

10 years ago.

Wasn't that when the English Virginia colony wasn't this large yet, just a few hundred people?

They made wine with the help of the English at that time? How could that be possible?

"Th-they... already knew how to make wine..."

Henri's words fail him.

The fact that they already knew how to make such wine 10 years ago means they had already had contact with Europe before, or at least knew how to brew wine.

And the fact that, 10 years ago, their wine production and preservation technology was superior to France's.

"They... have known Christianity longer than we thought...!"

There's no other explanation. For what purpose and how would they make wine if not for Christian purposes?

Only then do numerous pieces of information fit together in Henri's mind.

Europeans didn't know the identity of this 'Christian empire' all this time. A Christian civilization that had developed metallurgy, jewel crafting, farming methods, and winemaking techniques superior to Europe's had been invisible to their eyes until then.

And only about 10 years ago, it suddenly appeared to the world, majestically displaying its power.

Making Spain and England tremble at its might.

Their intentions... their identity...

Henri couldn't even guess.

...

...

...More than anything, what does 'Imjin War Edition (Édition de guerre d'Imjin)' mean?

He would never know.