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You haven’t tasted true fine wine yet.
"Problems need to be solved one by one," Hedy confirmed the sealing performance of the oak barrels and then went to grab a list. She began writing down everything she knew.
Glass bottles were common, and cork stoppers were easy enoughto make. The key was that the corkscrew needed to remove the stopper hadn’t been invented yet.
She took a charcoal pencil and sketched the spring-loaded metal hook with a lever system, then took the drawing to the craftsmen.
"—How is this supposed to work? What is this?"
This design was too intricate; a more intuitive diagram was needed.
"Where is Mr. da Vinci? Please ask him to come here."
Cosimo found him in the outdoor theater, where da Vinci was using a paintbrush to touch up the stars on a large backdrop.
Da Vinci was quick to agree when he heard the invitation.
He brought paper and pen over, listening to her explanation while continuously adjusting his composition.
Compared to the complex and lively designs of the human body, mechanical designs were certainly easier for him to grasp.
"Why the curved hook?"
Hedy explained the role of the cork stopper and how to seal and open a bottle of wine.
Da Vinci paused, his expression a mix of surprise and delight. "You’re a genius—how did you come up with this idea!"
No... actually, I didn’t invent it...
Hedy didn’t want to explain further, so she simply described how twisting the handle could make the hook penetrate the cork, and how pressing the levers on both sides would extract the stopper.
Da Vinci quickly adjusted the design on the drawing, continually confirming various details with her, and by the end of the day, asked the blacksmith to create a rough version of the tool.
They brought in a glass wine bottle and used it to compare the size of a cork made from oak.
"It doesn’t seem to fit very well... it’s either too loose or too tight." Da Vinci studied the cork for a while, questioning hisjudgment on the diameter. "Should we shave it down a bit more?"
Hedy borrowed some paraffin from a nearby craftsman and used it to seal the area around the cork, successfully pressing the stopper into the bottle. The clarified water swished around inside, but not a single drop leaked out.
This would prevent air and bacteria from entering, allowing the wine to be preserved for a much longer time.
Looking over at the women working nearby, Hedy saw that the new wine had been brewed and was now ready to be poured into the wooden barrels.
She quickly called for a carpenter to make an oak barrel, reinforced with two metal bands, and created a hole in the middle to serve as a stopper.
Da Vinci watched curiously, asking, "Why must it be oak?"
Hedy explained, "Because the tannins and lignans in the wood dissolve into the wine, making the taste smoother and the aroma richer."
Once the newly made oak barrel was cleaned, Hedy placed two pieces of charcoal inside, setting them alight.
Cosimo, who had been about to ask something, couldn’t help but inhale deeply.
It smelled wonderful—
A strange scent of acorns and honey filled the air, even though it was just the wood being smoked.
Hedy had used only a small amount of charcoal, and after smoking the barrel, she wiped it clean and poured in a large jar of wine.
