Sommelière 2

Reserved for Trinity BAKumA. Do not use without my permission.

Page 1
le vin#2: Fool's Wine

Page 2
Kana: Yes, I got lost...
Kana: I'm wearing a white jacket and jeans.
Kana: So I should just wait by the side of the overpass?
Kana: Alright, I will do that.
SFX: *Place*
Guy: She says she doesn't have a cellphone.
Guy: What's the new part-timer like this time?

Page 3
Kana: ...So this is Tokyo.
Kana: Everyone seems so busy.
Kana: Wow~~~~ It's full of brand-name items.
Kana: One, ten, hundred... So~~~ expensive!
Kana: Who can afford things like that?
Kana: Wah! These ones here are really expensive too!
Eh!? These ones too!?

Page 4
Sign: Beaujolais Nouveau in stock!!
Kana: Wow--- They have liquor stores in big cities like this too.
I guess it's the season for Nouveau wines.
Kana: Eh!? Why do they have this here in Japan!?
Kana: With that price, even I can afford it!
Driver: What're you doing!?
Driver: Hurry up and move!
Kana: ...

Page 5
Kana: I...I'm sorry.
Driver: Don't space out in the middle of the road, retard!
Director: The moving truck finally came huh.
Man: Director,
Is it really ok to drink this wine?
Director: Yeah, it's a pain to have to move them around.
Give them to everyone as a special bonus.

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Man: But it must be nice, director.
Man: You're still single at 30, and the building for the main branch will be completed by next year.
That's pretty enviable.
Director: Idiot.
Director: It's because you say such things that you are taken so lightly by the IT Department.
Director(thought): As the son of the owner of an electrical parts company, I had to work to my bones.
Director(thought): Like I have any time for women!
Director: That one...
Man: Yes?
Director: Only that one bottle,
Director: Can you save it?

Page 7
Guy: Oi, part-timer!
Guy: What are you doing! I told you to wait at the side of the overpass, didn't I!?
Kana: Ah,
I'm really sorry for causing you trouble.
Kana: I'm Itsuki Kana.
The kanji of Itsuki is the same as "ju" from "jumoku". TN: Jumoku is a word for tree in Japanese.
Kenichi: Ah, I'm the apprentice sommelier at L'espoir, Kojima Kenichi.
Kenichi: Kojima as in a small island, Kenichi as from Kenkou ichiban... TN: Kenkou ichiban means health comes first.
Kenichi(thought): ...Wait, why do I have to bow to the part-timer?

Page 8
I'm sorry.
I found a really amazing wine at the liquor store over there.

Page 9
Kana: So this is it...
Yusuke: My client, John Smith, has a proposal for you.
Yusuke: He wants you to work in a restaurant in Tokyo.
Yusuke: If you accept, then he will continue to support this farm in the future.
Kana(thought): L'espoir.
Kana(thought): Hope... TN: Espoir is the word for "hope" in French.
Sign: Manager
Kenichi: I brought the new part-timer here.

Page 10
Monty Waldin's "Biodynamic Wines" mentioned in James Wilson's book "Terroir"...
What an amazing book on wine research.

Page 11
Kana: Are you...
Kana: Mr. John Smith?
Man: John Smith...
Man: Who's that?
I was simply contacted by the owner to hire one person for part-time work.
Kana: Then the owner of this restaurant is...
Man: I only know the accountant at the counter.
Apparently this place is the result of a joint investment.
Kana: Joint investment...

Page 12
He provides the money, but nothing else.
The owner has no determination, and so this place has neither dreams nor hope.
Only the name of the place is L'espoir (hope).
That aside,
I know you're here only part-time, but have you ever read Wilson?

Page 13
Kana: Y...yes.
Kana: I glanced through...
Jo: ...
Jo: I see...
Jo: I'm Katase Jo. Nice to meet you.
Box: Mr. John Smith...
Box: Why do you want me to work here...

Page 14
Box: Why---
Kenichi: Hey, you!
Kenichi: Why are you just standing around? Help us out!
Kenichi: Here are the menu and wine lists.
Kana: Can I take a look at these?
Kenichi: Can you even read them?

Page 15
Kana(thought): The balance of the grape farms and vintage wines makers is very good.
Kana: This is so nice. This restaurant really puts in a lot of effort into the wines.
Kenichi: We...we don't have everything on that list, so when people order, confirm with me first.
Kana: Do we have this?
Kenichi: ...No.
Kana: Then how about this?
Arnaud Ente, with their Bourgogne, is currently the maker who's getting the most attention, isn't it?
Kenichi: We don't have it now.

Page 16
Kana: Then this...
Kenichi: None.
Kana: Um...
Kenichi: It was sold.
Kenichi: Drank.
Kenichi: Out of stock.
Kenichi: Wh...what's with that face!
Kenichi: Mr. Katase is busy, so he can't go out to buy more or update the list.
Kenichi: People say that he used to be a gifted sommelier,
And that this restaurant was so great that the media was all over it.
Kenichi: Although this was before I came here two years ago...
Kana: It sounds like you really respect the manager.

Page 17
Kenichi: Be quiet!
Kenichi: Anyway, go and put up the "Open" sign!
Kana: Yes!
Text: The third Thursday of November,
Text: Release day for Beaujolais Nouveau wine.

Page 18
Text: One hour later---
Girl: *Yawn*
Kenichi: Hey, part-timer! You must think business is slow here.
Usually we're really busy!
Kana: ...Alright.
Kenichi: Welcome!

Page 19
Director: Hey Kojima, long time no see.
Director: It must be nice that this place is always empty without reservations.
Kenichi: ...To...
Kenichi: Today is special...
Director: ...Today,
Director: I want to open up this wine.
It's been 10 years, and I finally decided to do so.
Kenichi: Director Yanagida is a regular customer of ours, and he really likes wine.
Kenichi: That's why it must be a really amazing bottle...
Kenichi: Huh...

Page 20
Kenichi: You want to open this one!?
Kana(thought): Beaujolais Nouveau from 10 years ago.
Kenichi: But if you drink it now, it won't taste good. Ah, I mean...
Yanagida: That's right, it's already too late.
Yanagida: But I believe I must open it at some point.
Kenichi: This is practice.
Kenichi: With a wine like that, you can pour for him.

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Yanagida: ...10 years ago,
Yanagida: Now that I think about it, I've always sat over there.
Yanagida: Actually, 10 years ago on this day,
Yanagida: The release day of Beaujolais Nouveau, I was supposed to propose to my girlfriend.
Kana: Propose...
Yanagida: However,
Yanagida: In the end, I never showed up and made her wait here---
Yanagida: I reserved our usual table at L'espoir for next week.
I'll be there, so wait for me.

Page 22
Yanagida: My dad? Yeah, he's still opposed to our marriage.
Yanagida: When the time comes, I'll quit university and start working.
Box: She...
Works in a club in Ginza in order to pay for her education.
Box: Well, I guess it's not unreasonable that my dad objected.
Kana: Why did you not come here 10 years ago?
Yanagida: Dad collapsed that day.
I thought that if I see her or hear her voice, I wouldn't have the courage to go back.

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Yanagida: This is the wine that we were supposed to drink that day.
Yanagida: ...Yes.
Yanagida: ...But you know,
It's a lie.
Kana: A lie!?
Yanagida: Dad was close to death.
Yanagida: Someone had to take care of the employees.
I had responsibilities.
Yanagida: Those were all just excuses.
Yanagida: ...In order to...
Yanagida: Betray her.

Page 24
Yanagida: Rather than wine, this is more like water.
Yanagida: ...A very weak taste.
Kana: It sounds like you have been blaming yourself all this time.
Kana: If it's ok, I have a wine that I would like you to try.
Kana: I happened to come across it today.
Kenichi: H...hey!
Kenichi: What are you suddenly saying to the customer!?

Page 25
Kana: I thought that Tokyo was a city where people never look back to the past.
Kana: It felt as if everyone only looked ahead.
Kana: But...
Kana: Is it really that bad to be fixated on the past?
Kana: No need to pay for it.
Kana: I just really would like you to have a glass of the wine.
Yanagida: ...
Yanagida: Fine then.
If you want me to have some that much, I will gladly do so.
Kana: Do you know who drinks Beaujolais Nouveau the most in the world?

Page 26
Kana: It's supposedly the Japanese.
Kana: Even so, as soon as the Nouveau season is over, everyone forgets about wine from Beaujolais.
Yanagida: Well, Gamay grapes have been used to clean floors. TN: Gamay is used in the making of the wine.
Kana: But even when people don't pay attention to it, there are still some who are very interested in it.
Kana: ...Here you are.
Yanagida: This is...
Yanagida: Beaujolais!
Kana: ...It has a very ethnic fragrance and is completely different from Beaujolais.
A profound taste like those of Chateau Lafleur or L'Apparita wines...

Page 27
Kana: And its maker, Jean-Claude Lapalu,
Kana: Insists on making wine by using only hand-picking grapes from 95-year-old bushes and wild yeast.
Kana: So unlike Beaujolais, it tastes like *star anise and dark fruits.
*Star anise is the seed of the lily magnolia plant. It is a bit spicy, with a fragrance similar to daylily.
Kana: Its name is...
Kana: Cuvee des Fous (Fool's Wine).
Yanagida: Fool you say!
Girl: Papa, mama, hurry~~
Yanagida: !

Page 28
Girl: What a nice place~~~
Woman: !
Kenichi: She must be...
What a miracle.
Kana: ...
Yanagida: ...It's been a long time.
Are you well?
Yanagida(thought): I have...

Page 29
Yanagida(thought): Always loved you.
Woman: Yes. And you?
Yanagida: Me too.
Yanagida(thought): During these past 10 years, no matter who I see...
Yanagida(thought): You, your voice...your smile...I couldn't get them out of my mind.
Yanagida(thought): Even now---
Woman: Mr. Yanagida, did you marry?
Yanagida: Huh...!?
Yanagida: Ye..yes.
Yanagida: I'm also married now.

Page 30
Kenichi(thought): Wait, Mr. Yanagida is still...
Yanagida: Are you...
Happy right now?
Woman: Yes.
Yanagida: ...I'm glad.
Kana: Sir.
Kana: As for why that wine is named "Fool's Wine"...

Page 31
Yanagida: I'm also married now.
Yanagida: Even though I couldn't forget her for 10 years,
When I finally see her again, I tried to show off.
Kana: No.
Although it has the image of being a cheap wine, the maker insists on using Beaujolais lands and Gamay grapes.
Kana: It's because they want to make completely genuine wine.
Kana: Genuine to the extent of foolishness...
Yanagida: When you say that, it feels like the 10 years hasn't been a complete waste.

Page 32
Kana: That's right.
It's also the time given by the wine.
Kana: Maybe it is its gift to you.
Kenichi: She says she can't stay awake past midnight.
What's up with her?

Page 33
The first act of miracle by God,
Was turning water into wine.
And it took place...
In Galilee's...
Cana---- TN: Cana and Kana are written the same way.
They say.
Note:
It has a bit of a dark hue, a red that is somewhat purple. The fragrance is of Chinese spices like star anise, and cherries. Medium body, high concentration of alcohol, slightly low on acidic content. It has a complex taste, and reminds me more of Pomerol than Beaujolais.

Page 34
le vin #2
Brouilly Cuvee des Fous/Domaine Jean-Claude Lapalu

Like the name Cuvee des Fous (Wine of the Fool's) suggests, it is not a typical wine made by Beaujolais and Brouilly. Because the bottle used is not of Bourgogne but of Bordeaux wines, people speculate that it warns buyers with the message "don't buy this thinking that it's a Beaujolais".
Gamay grapes from 95-year-old bushes are used, and even three weeks before fermentation, the alcohol is soaked in a low temperature for an unusually long time. Because of those reasons, unlike other Brouilly wines, it takes the color of a deep purplish red.
As for the fragrance, it has the nuance of those typical to the highest grade of Pomerol, with Eastern spices like star anise.
During at least the next 10 years, it is said that in addition to the wine aging, its quality will improve as well.

(The photo is of the wine brewed in 2003, 750ml, imported by Village Cellars*. Sold for 3,700 yen in Japan)

TN: Village Cellars is a Japanese company that sells wines, mainly from Australia and New Zealand.