Drops of God

What It’s About:

This French/Japanese drama follows a woman who, after her absentee father passes away, finds out she is set to inherit his multi-million dollar wine collection. The only catch? She must compete with her father’s star enology pupil to claim the inheritance in a winner-takes-all sommelier test.

Why You Should Watch:

Full disclosure: I don’t like wine. I could have three martinis and be more clear-eyed in the morning than after one glass of vino. So I resisted when I first heard about Apple’s new show centered on the Fruit of the Vine. Three episodes in, I’m happy to say I was wrong. Drops of God lives up to the capital D drama its title suggests, somehow finding a way for wine tasting to seem both extreme and high-stakes. It is also unexpectedly loyal to the Japanese manga on which it’s based, leaning into the visual spectacle and bursts of color native to the genre (but rarely seen on television) to depict the very personal experience of sipping a full-bodied cabernet. Drops of God is a win for streaming services increasingly leaning on international shows for growth and for US audiences looking for something a little outside the box. That’s something we can all raise a glass to (sorry).

Who’s In It, and Where You Probably Know Them From

Probably no one you recognize unless you’re a sommelier-in-training or studying abroad in Paris.

Who Made It, and What Else Have They Done:

Quoc Dang Tran created the show. He’s also behind the excellent French show-biz dramedy Call My Agent!

Where You Can Watch:

AppleTV+

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