When the Scottish novelist Robert Louis Stevenson spent a summer honeymoon in the Napa Valley — that is renowned for its winemaking — he expressed that just like a good poem that reveals nuances each time you read it, once you open a good bottle of wine the longer it decants the more its flavor unleashes its full potential. This concept is cinematically represented in the Apple Tv Series Drops of God, created by Quoc Dang Tran and directed by Oded Ruskin.
Now in its second season, Drops of God follows once again the siblings Camille (Fleur Geffrier) and Issei (Tomoshia Yamashita). They face a nearly impossible challenge from their late father, and have to track down the origin of the world’s most sensational wine, a secret that even Alexandre Léger failed to unlock. If Season One focused on a rivalry between a brother and sister trying to follow in the footsteps of an imperious father figure, this Second Season is more about healing childhood traumas and facing the consequences of one’s actions.
Issei will confront his fear of the dark, connected to a troubled relationship with his mother, whereas Camille’s ambition will be blinded by the wish to be the talent-scout of a wine that gives you visions. However, the woman’s noble intentions will lead her not to play by the rules, also harming her loved ones and having to bear with everyone’s reactions. She fully conveys the theme of enfranchisement from an influential parent, whilst continuing his legacy. As Fleur Geffrier revealed in our Exclusive Interview: “it’s very hard for Camille to emancipate herself from her father, but his presence is still very strong.”
If Succession, was the main series to focus on family feuds, this second season of Drops of God creates a parallel storyline to the one of Issei and Camille. This time the irreconcilable siblings are the Georgian producers of the exquisite wine that impressed the Légers. The pressure of time keeps the narrative in suspense, since this nectar that brings you close to paradise is in danger of disappearing. In all of this, there is also a shady Italian businessman who is ready to interfere with Camille’s mission and a monastery of monks that can preserve the secrecy of the wine. All these elements contribute to providing a touch of heist movie to the entire series.
This French-American-Japanese television series is based on the manga series of the same name written by Tadashi Agi and illustrated by Shu Okimoto. Several elements of its inspirer were honoured, as producer Klaus Zimmermann revealed in our Exclusive Interview: “in the adaptation we wanted to keep the characters as superheroes, at the same we wanted to make it realistic, and open up the story to something that was originally set in Japan to something that was set between Europe and Japan.” The globalisation of the story proves to be a successful choice, as all the themes that are part of the narrative are universal notwithstanding cultural backgrounds. Family, ambition, the art of fine living, belong to Eastern and Western countries alike.
Also the the science dedicated to the study and knowledge of wines, that is intrinsic to the manga series, has been tackled with great care by the makers of Drops of God. Consequently, there is a thorough representation of the strict traditions of consumption and appreciation connected to wine. Furthermore, oenology is fully celebrated as a form of art: it is the outcome of a creative process that involves many elements that have been brought together at a slow pace, which is essential for them to coalesce and bring to life a wondrous experience. Thusly, wine becomes the metaphor for living, as actor Tomoshia Yamashita revealed in our Exclusive Interview: “humans are made up of many things that are intricately intertwined and very complicated.”
Wine turns out to be the third character in the show. If the Latin expression by Pliny the Elder, in vino veritas claimed that “in wine, there is truth” (suggesting a person under the influence of alcohol is more likely to speak their hidden thoughts and desires), in Drops of God the pursuit of a special wine becomes the means to get to the true nature of all the characters. Above all, as producer Klaus Zimmermann revealed in our Exclusive Interview: “the wine carries the true nature of the humans and nature” that have made it. This concept is beautifully explained at one point by the character of Camille, and truly represents how the minute you sip some wine, you are tasting the story of its making.
Photos are courtesy of Apple
Final Grade: B+