Scan barcode
tenderedge's review
5.0
This graphic novel completely hit the spot. Charming, instructive, poetic, and with a nice little plot. A famous wine critic dies and his prodigal son is instructed to taste and identify twelve wines in order to inherit the critic's legendary, exquisitely curated collection of rare vino. If he fails, he loses everything to a mercenary infante terrible of the wine world. In this volume, the young man tries wine for the first time, and the tasting returns to him potent lost childhood memories of his dead mother... he can sense the the moment the grapes were picked and exactly where through his sensitive nose and tongue but does not know the vocabulary of wine at all. He and his rival "brother" compete in their first battle with their palates. The reader learns about wine and its powers and nuances together with this prodigal genius as he comes home to his fatherland, the world of wine.
*After reading, I bought this entire series for my parents... they have a small vineyard and love to make--- and taste--- wine.
*After reading, I bought this entire series for my parents... they have a small vineyard and love to make--- and taste--- wine.
dikmax's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
heidenkind's review
4.0
The Drops of God, brought to you by: wine decanters. Wine decanters, you'll want to buy one after reading this book. Guaranteed!
kenlaan's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty fun read!
Shinzuku Kanzaki is the son of a recently-deceased renowned wine critic, who forcefully trained Shinzuku as a boy to develop his senses of taste and smell in order to be a perfect wine critic himself. Shinzuku rejected the path and has never tasted wine before (working instead as a salesman selling beer for an alcohol company) and was estranged from his father, but his father's will requires that he win a wine-tasting competition with his father's apprentice, Issei Tomine, a young respected wine critic in his own right. Shinzuku initially rejects the idea, but is pulled into the contest nonetheless.
This is painstakingly researched - all the wines, winemakers, labels, etc. are real - and surprisingly interesting, even for someone who doesn't care much for wine.
I am being mercilessly reductive in comparing the two, but I would describe this like a restrained, staid, Food Wars, where instead of food orgasms and people's clothes exploding, the wine gives Shinzuku lovely visions that reflect the wine's taste.
I read this on Comixology Unlimited.
Shinzuku Kanzaki is the son of a recently-deceased renowned wine critic, who forcefully trained Shinzuku as a boy to develop his senses of taste and smell in order to be a perfect wine critic himself. Shinzuku rejected the path and has never tasted wine before (working instead as a salesman selling beer for an alcohol company) and was estranged from his father, but his father's will requires that he win a wine-tasting competition with his father's apprentice, Issei Tomine, a young respected wine critic in his own right. Shinzuku initially rejects the idea, but is pulled into the contest nonetheless.
This is painstakingly researched - all the wines, winemakers, labels, etc. are real - and surprisingly interesting, even for someone who doesn't care much for wine.
I am being mercilessly reductive in comparing the two, but I would describe this like a restrained, staid, Food Wars, where instead of food orgasms and people's clothes exploding, the wine gives Shinzuku lovely visions that reflect the wine's taste.
I read this on Comixology Unlimited.
coldprintcoffee's review
4.0
I would never have known what an amazing manga this is if I had not picked up the book on a quick trip to the library - it was on a whim. So far there are not too many unmanageable characters, I enjoy the juxtaposition of Tanazaki and his rival with a few hark-backs to classic archetypes, and the wine snobbery is delicious to gnaw on. On top of that, I want to read it again if only for the valuable wine knowledge within this story. Simply put, fantastic.
katieg4's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
siriuslysirius's review
4.0
What a fun manga. This also confirms to me that there’s a manga for literally everything - any job, any hobby, game, sport. Everything. Haha
This book also did a great job describing terms used by the wine and whisk(e)y industry (I’m a whisk(e)y geek and casual wine fan), such as ‘terroir’. I understand the term, but this book explained it in a fun and easily understandable way.
This book also did a great job describing terms used by the wine and whisk(e)y industry (I’m a whisk(e)y geek and casual wine fan), such as ‘terroir’. I understand the term, but this book explained it in a fun and easily understandable way.