Have you heard of the Japanese comic book about wine called "The Drops of God" ? If so, would you agree that the wines mentioned are exceptional ? If not, is there some recreational literature about wine that you would recommend?
Answer From Expert Roger Bohmrich MW
Yes, I certainly know of the Japanese comic book called "The Drops of God." It is an impressive intertwining of pictorial illustration and storytelling, which the Japanese have elevated to a distinctive art form, and their appreciation of fine wine (French in particular). My understanding is that the series started in 2004 and ended in 2014. The essence of the story involves the amazing natural talents of a few individuals with exceptional gifts of smell and taste who must identify wines blind - that is, without knowing their identities. The wines which are named by the characters in this blind-tasting saga are mainly French, with two from Italy and one from California. They do indeed include some exceptional examples such as a superb Burgundy, G. Roumier Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses; Château Palmer, a sought-after Bordeaux from Margaux; Château Lafleur, one of the finest and most consistent properties of Pomerol (even in lesser vintages cited in the story); and a Brunello di Montalcino from the outstanding Poggio di Sotto estate. If you are looking for literature in which wine is a theme - but not books about specific vineyards or winemaking - I would recommend Patrick E. McGovern's "Ancient Wine: The Search for the Origins of Viniculture"; "Wine and War" by Donald Kladstrup, the extraordinary account of the Nazi's close involvement with French wine regions during WW II; and an illustrated book by Etienne Davodeau, "The Initiates: A Comic Artist and a Wine Artisan Exchange Jobs." Happy reading!
