The tall man had wine sprayed all over his face.
He stood there completely stunned, never expecting that his attempt to intimidate would end in such a humiliating way.
It was an utter insult!
Lisa and her group were also left with their mouths agape, a mix of surprise and anger at Darnell’s audacity.
Before the group could erupt in fury, Darnell spat out the wine and ignored the tall man before him, angrily shouting, “Waiter, waiter, why did you put spoiled wine here?”
Darnell’s shout not only drew several waiters but also caught the curiosity of the nearby dignitaries who began to look over, with some organizers even approaching.
He instantly became the center of attention. The tall man, seeing this, had no choice but to loosen his fists. Starting a fight now would only lower his standing and make a fool of himself.
At this moment, a waiter approached and asked politely, “Sir, what can I help you?”
Darnell said, “The wine had gone bad.”
The tall man found an outlet for his frustration and wiped the wine off his face, saying, “Kid, do you even know how to drink wine? Do you understand wine?”
“You’re quick to claim the wine is spoiled. Can you really taste the difference? I bet you ten thousand dollars that it’s not the wine that has gone bad. It’s just that you don’t know how to taste wine.”
As Areli looked over and shook her head helplessly, Lisa stepped forward with her entourage in an aggressive manner.
“Exactly! This is such a high-class wine. You’ve drunk cheap beer. How can you possibly discern its quality? Do you think it’s bad just because it doesn’t taste like your cheap beer?”
With these words, Shawn and others around laughed mockingly, and even nearby guests showed amused smiles.
Many guests didn’t know Darnell’s background but could easily assess his attire-plain trousers and shirt.
Although Darnell was cleanly dressed, without any standout brand labels familiar to those who knew world brands well, the guests naturally categorized his outfit as something cheap from a garage sale.
This led them to doubt Darnell’s ability to taste wine.
Ignoring the gazes around him, Darnell grabbed a napkin to wipe his mouth and said calmly, “But it has gone bad.”
“Mr. Halford, good evening.”
At this moment, a figure approached from behind. David smiled as he came closer. “It’s nice to see you.”
He wore a white suit that seemed tailor-made for him, fitting perfectly and accentuating his physique. His hair was meticulously styled, and he wore a faint smile that exuded confidence.
David hid his animosity towards Darnell as he stepped forward and picked up the bottle of wine for a gentle shake.
“I am the organizer. I arranged for these wines and foods myself. I can assure you that though they’re not top-tier, they’re certainly not inferior.”
Honestly, David’s demeanor was quite impressive. Though the tall man accompanying Lisa was already striking enough, when he stood next to David, he was overshadowed by David’s striking charm.
Lisa and the tall man clearly recognized David and greeted him respectfully, “Hello Mr. Kemp.”
After nodding at them briefly, David turned his gaze back to Darnell with a smile.
“Mr. Halford, there is absolutely no issue with the wine. If you think it’s spoiled, perhaps it has something to do with your taste buds. With recent weather changes affecting tastes and moods alike, one might mistakenly consider good things as bad.”
He was implying that Darnell had poor judgment.
Lisa chimed in, “Just give him a beer instead.”
“Mr. Kemp, you’re both wealthy and knowledgeable. Why don’t you taste it yourself?” Darnell retorted bluntly.
“No need for tasting. I have confidence in my procurement.”
David gently swirled the bottle of wine, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. “And with so many guests here, who have drunk plenty without a single complaint about the wine, it seems you’re the only one insisting it’s bad.”
“Mr. Halford, are you here to cause trouble today or just to seek attention as usual?”
Polite yet brimming with confidence, David’s words drew the sympathy of many in the crowd, further painting Darnell as the unreasonable one.
The tall guy chimed in, “Mr. Kemp, this kid is just causing a scene. Let’s just throw him out.”
Lisa echoed, her expression icy as she glared at Darnell, “People like him shouldn’t even be at an event like this.”
Darnell shrugged, a helpless look on his face. “I really shouldn’t be here. This place is too small for me.”
At that, Lisa and the others rolled their eyes in disdain.
Just then, Areli approached, nodding slightly at David before leaning in to Darnell and whispering, “Darnell, stop stirring the pot.”
“Fine, I won’t cause any more trouble. I’ll just drink something else.”
Although the wine was indeed bad, Darnell had originally intended to tease the tall guy. Now that he had drawn attention away from him, he figured it was best to let it go. There was no need to dwell on a single bottle of wine anyway.
After all, he was just here to enjoy some free food, and if that bottle of wine wasn’t good, he would simply drink something else.
“Mr. Halford, it’s fine to drink something else,” David said, slowly shifting his gaze from Areli back to Darnell. Having endured losses to Darnell in the past, he wasn’t about to miss this chance to strike back. He flicked his wrist, showcasing his newly bought Rolex.
“However, by disparaging my wine, you’ve insulted my generosity. You really should apologize.”
“It isn’t too hard for you, right? You can also learn a lesson from it, not to speak out of turn in public again.”
Lisa and the tall guy exclaimed, “Apologize! Apologize!”
“Seriously? I drink bad wine and now I have to apologize?”
Darnell feigned innocence. “I’m not even holding it against you, and you’re still giving me a hard time?”
Lisa scoffed, “Still talking back? Do you even know what kind of wine you just drank?”
Her tone dripped with condescension. “Petrus-ever heard of it?”
“Petrus, known as Chateau Petrus in French.”
Unfazed by Lisa’s self-satisfied demeanor, Darnell shot back confidently, “It’s one of the top eight wineries in Bordeaux, renowned for producing the most expensive and limited quantity of red wine among them.”
At that moment, Darnell dropped the earlier nonchalance, shaking the remaining half glass of wine in a manner that exuded professionalism and sophistication.
“Thanks to its unique geological conditions, which are rich in minerals, Petrus wines are favored for both early drinking and aging.”
As the guests around them looked on in surprise at Darnell’s knowledge of Petrus, he added, “Typically, the name of the estate is prefixed with ‘Chateau’, which means ‘castle.'”
“Most estates have a beautiful mansion or castle, but among the top eight in Bordeaux, only Petrus does not carry the ‘Chateau’ title.”
“The estate has no grand house or castle, only a modest cottage, and the production of Petrus wine is painfully low.”
“Thus, its price is the highest among the eight wineries, and Petrus is made from 100% Merlot grapes.”
Lisa and the tall guy looked astonished. While they knew such wine knowledge didn’t mean much, hearing it from Darnell was still shocking.
The previously perceived simpleton suddenly seemed sophisticated, leaving them somewhat unsettled, while David’s smile faltered.
“During the winemaking process, Petrus is also unique.”
“Firstly, they only use brand new oak barrels. In the aging process of one to two years, they replace the barrels every three months to allow the wine to fully absorb the aromas of different types of oak.”
As Areli’s eyes sparkled with interest, Darnell continued without pause, “This cost-intensive approach is unmatched to this day.”
“The quality of Petrus is incredibly stable. In years with poor climate, they meticulously select the grapes for winemaking, resulting in reduced yield.”
“To uphold their prestigious reputation, they even skip production in certain bad years. For example, there was no Petrus wine in 1991.”
“The characteristics of Petrus include a deep color, rich aromatic profile, and a balanced, nuanced body.”
“It boasts flavors of ripe black currants, pears, chocolate, truffles, and various oak nuances, truly earning its title as the king of wines.”
“And the wine that Mr. Kemp purchased has no oak aroma whatsoever.”
Darnell shot a grin at David. “If it’s not spoiled, could it be a counterfeit?”
David stumbled slightly, nearly losing his balance.