After achieving success in his career, Ding Aiguo had become a man of wealthy leisure.

He loved to eat, he loved tea, and he loved wine.

He had studied all sorts of alcoholic beverages.

In response to Li Xu’s question, he offered a very professional explanation:

"That’s actually a common misconception. The ’legs’ of a wine, also known as ’wine tears,’ don’t actually have a direct relationship with how good the wine tastes. However, whether or not a wine has legs has a great deal to do with its body and vintage."

He held up his glass, motioning for Li Xu to look. "You see, wines with no legs, or with legs that aren’t obvious, tend to be those that lack a full body. Ultimately, it means they have a high percentage of other additives and a low content of pure grape juice. A wine like that definitely can’t be considered a good one."

"But as for the bottle we’re drinking today,"

He pointed to the distinct and lingering tears on the side of the glass. "Look, it has prominent legs, and they stay for a long time. This indicates the wine is made from basically one hundred percent pure grape juice and was aged long enough in oak barrels. It’s a fine, aged wine."

"Wines with legs often have better quality, a higher price, and a longer shelf life. The mouthfeel is also richer and smoother. That’s why the basic theory circulating on the market is that a wine with legs is definitely better than one without."

He then brought up another topic related to wine—sediment.

"We Chinese are particularly sensitive to sediment in our alcohol. Whether it’s baijiu, yellow wine, or grape wine, as soon as we see a little sediment at the bottom of the bottle, we subconsciously wonder, ’Has this wine gone bad? Is there something unsanitary in it?’"

"This consumer mindset has also seriously affected alcohol producers. So, if you look at the alcohol on the market now, you’ll see that to cater to consumers, they basically use all sorts of filtration techniques to make the wine perfectly clear, without a trace of sediment."

"But in reality," he said, shaking his head regretfully, "for a truly fine vintage wine, having a small amount of fine sediment at the bottom of the bottle is actually a good thing.

If, when you drink it, you can even feel that extremely fine, dust-like residue in your mouth and on your tongue, then I must congratulate you.

You’ve surely gotten your hands on a truly excellent bottle of wine."

"In foreign wine rating systems, a wine with a small amount of sediment is often considered a fine aged vintage—a truly living, ’alive’ wine."

"I see."

After listening to Ding Aiguo’s profound yet simple explanation, both Li Xu and Song Sisi had a moment of realization. They nodded repeatedly, saying they had learned a lot.

Ding Aiguo then had his driver bring a food container from the car.

Opening the container revealed several types of cheese, cut into small pieces and wrapped in wax paper.

"Here, try this."

Ding Aiguo placed the cheese on the table.

Li Xu was a little confused.

’Red wine with cheese?’

’What’s the deal with this pairing?’

Ding Aiguo smiled and explained, "Many people think the best pairing for red wine is steak. That’s not actually the case. To true connoisseurs, the best pairing for red wine is—cheese."

"This is because the rich aroma and abundant protein in cheese make the wine feel sweeter and rounder in the mouth, effectively neutralizing any astringency. The wine, in turn, can suppress some of the gamy or musty flavors of the cheese, making it taste even more delicious."

"More importantly," he added, "the nutritional components of milk in cheese are concentrated to a tenth of their original volume. Moreover, the rich amino acids in cheese can effectively aid our liver function in breaking down alcohol, which is better for our health."

"I see."

Understanding dawned on Li Xu once again.

The situation was similar to certain pairings in traditional Chinese medicine.

Some medicinal herbs have only a mediocre effect when taken alone, and may even have toxic side effects.

However, when combined, they often produce surprisingly wonderful results.

The pairing of red wine and cheese was just like that.

He did as Ding Aiguo suggested, using a small fork to pick up a piece of cheese and place it in his mouth.

A rich, savory, milky flavor instantly filled his mouth.

He waited a moment, and before the cheese had completely melted, he raised his glass and slowly took a small sip of red wine.

In that instant,

An unprecedented, utterly complex, and wonderful storm of flavor erupted in his mouth.

The fruitiness of the wine, the savoriness of the cheese, the slight astringency of the tannins, the smoothness of the fat...

All the flavors combined perfectly at that moment.

It was like a magnificent symphony of taste sweeping over every single taste bud.

"Delicious, so delicious..."

Li Xu marveled.

After half a glass of fine wine and a piece of cheese, the group chatted contentedly.

In the kitchen, Elder Li’s dishes were also ready one after another.

The housekeeper brought out the exquisite dishes one by one.

The first to be served were several delicate cold appetizers.

On a red plate with a gold-painted base lay a few neatly arranged, golden-yellow strips of yuba.

There were only a few pieces, yet their fresh aroma filled the air, whetting everyone’s appetite.

"Come, first try my ’meat among vegetables’—chilled yuba salad."

Elder Li emerged from the kitchen with a smile.

Li Xu picked up a piece of yuba with his chopsticks and placed it in his mouth.

He never expected that this seemingly ordinary yuba would, the moment it entered his mouth... melt!

It wasn’t like regular yuba that required effort to chew.

Instead, it was as soft and delicate as the finest foie gras. With a gentle press of his tongue, it dissolved into a faint, soy-like fragrance that was both mouth-watering and left an endlessly satisfying aftertaste.

He picked up another piece and dipped it in the accompanying wasabi and special soy sauce.

The slightly sharp, spicy kick of the wasabi instantly added another layer of complexity to the yuba;

And the special soy sauce, not too salty but full of umami, was the perfect complement to the light-flavored yuba.

Li Xu couldn’t help but exclaim, "Elder Li, your skill is simply incredible. To take an ordinary dish like yuba and elevate it to such a sublime level, containing such rich complexity."

Ding Aiguo also chimed in with praise, "Indeed, Elder Li. This yuba must have been repeatedly simmered and soaked in chicken broth and stock, right? Otherwise, it would be impossible to achieve such a mellow and rich flavor."

Meanwhile, Song Sisi, at the side, couldn’t stop eating.

She picked up piece after piece with her chopsticks, her little mouth stuffed full like an adorable hamster.

She felt that coming here today was absolutely worth it. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Not only had she received a gift, but she also got to savor fine wine and exquisite food.

A simple cold appetizer was already this amazing.

It made everyone look forward to the upcoming "Battle of the Fish Kings" with endless anticipation.