Oak or Ash

Writers: Suzee, Jelena
Date Posted: 30th October 2014

Characters: Rayan, Clovente, Carstel
Description: The new Hallmaster audits a class.
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 9, day 23 of Turn 7

~*~
Rayan closed the door behind him loudly enough to alert all inside to
his presence. The hustle and bustle of activity ceased for a moment,
as everyone looked up to see him enter and then they quickly returned
to their work. Rayan quickly spotted Master Clovente and came up on
his side.

"Everything running smoothly?" he asked with a faint smile as he
observed the activity in the cellar.

Clovente straightened with a smile and climbed down the step ladder from
the huge vat he'd been testing. Wiping his hands on the towel at his
waist he held it out to the new Hallmaster.

"Good to see you Master Rayan." He looked around the room and the
various stages of their process. "We're progressing," he nodded
looking around at the class he'd been teaching. "I think we have a
good vintage in the making this Turn."

"I agree," Rayan nodded, smiling slightly to himself as he saw the
apprentices were trying very hard to look serious in his presence.
"How are they doing?" he asked, nodding in their direction.

"Learning," Clovente grinned. "We're educating their palates today.
Would you like to join us?"

"That sounds like fun," Rayan smiled. "I have a candlemark before my
next appointment. Let's make it count, eh?"

"Let's," Clovente smiled and returned to instructing the apprentices
in his class. Then when he'd finished and the apprentices and stopped
sniggering and poking each other, he handed out small dippers to each
of them. Finally he gave one to the new Hallmaster.

"Now, you're each going to climb that ladder and scoop with your
dippers. Do not reach inside the barrel or touch anything with your
hands or you may ruin the wine." He pointed at one of the younger
boys.

Rayan smiled to himself as he took the dipper from Clovente. He
remembered these moments so well, the tastings as an apprentice. It
was exciting in a way only real Vintners could appreciate. "And don't
fall in to the barrel," he added with a grin. He'd seen it happen
once.

Clovente smothered a laugh as the first adventurous lad went up the
short ladder to scoop up a mouthful with his dipper and carry it
carefully back down.

"Don't taste them yet," he instructed but wait until all five of you
are back down here."

One after another the apprentices climbed up and then back down.
"Now," said the master winemaker, "Lets get a good smell of the wine.
What do you smell? Carstel?"

"Uh.." Young Carstel looked absolutely dumb-struck, terrified at being
asked to speak up in front of his classmates. "Alcohol?"

Behind him, Rayan hid a smile behind his dipper as he sniffed it himself.

Clovente stifled a smile. "Yes, that is one thing but what we call the
boquet of the wine is complex and your nose should smell many
different things." Clovente demonstrated by smelling and closing his
eyes. "I smell the grapes and alcohol of course but there is a
blackberry fragrance as well and... anyone?"

Carstel followed the Master's example, as did the other apprentices,
and realised that yes, he did smell something. But what was it? Ooh!
Just as he looked back up nervously, wondering if he should come out
with his answer, one of his fellow apprentices piped up. "Cherry, Sir!"

"Very good," Clovente smiled at the bright student. "Now I want you to
smell again and see if you get a whiff of the wood of this cask and can
tell me what it's made of."

This time, Carstel was determined to get the answer right before
anyone else got a chance and he instantly called out. "Ash!" But that
was more judging from the look of the barrel.

"Actually," Clovented started to say when another hand shot up. He
nodded at the other apprentice with a smile.

"Sir," the young man said. "I thought wine barrels were all made of oak."

Clovente pointed at him and smiled. "And so they are," he nodded.
"For those of you thinking about specialization at such an early age
it's an important part of our craft to have the right barrels in which
our wine is fermented." He wasn't about to go into all the things an
oak barrel did for the flavor or longevity of a wine but he did have
something else to add.

"All these things are good to learn now while you are at the
beginning. Some of you will have a fine ability to discern the subtle
differences in grapes and their resulting wines. Others will learn to
brew beer or distill spirits. We rely on woodsmiths to provide us with
good stout oak barrels for our wines."

"Oh," Carstel turned a bright, beet-red. He'd been so sure it had been
ash. But in hindsight it was a ridiculous answer, of course. He should
have known. Hunching slightly, he tried to hide away behind his peers.
How long would it be before they'd send him home? He was a total
failure.

Rayan noticed the brightly brushing boy and made a mental note to talk
to Clovente about him later.

"Alright then boys," Clovente smiled at them all impartially. "Go over
the next chapter in your study materials and we'll discuss
fermentation next week. Good work all," he watched indulgently as the
boys trooped out tossing their scoops into the waiting pan. "Fine
group of boys," he said to the new Hallmaster.

"They are," Rayan nodded. "A fine group indeed. What do you think of
that Carstel lad, hm?"

Clovente's absentminded and jolly manner dropped like the mask it was
and a keen intellect shone through his eyes. "That lad is as sharp as
they come," he nodded. "But it does him no good to realize that and a
good lesson in humility now and then will do him good." He turned to
walk next to the new Hallmaster. "He has to realize that we do have
things to teach and he doesn't know it all." Clovente grinned and
slapped the hallmaster on his shoulder. "Rather like you did at that
age."

Rayan grinned with good humor. "He's got a fine teacher in you then,
Clovente." And he was certain of that. Clovente had to be one of the
most perceptive teachers in the Hall. Rayan was glad the man had his
back.

~*~

Last updated on the November 4th 2014

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Oak or Ash