Drops of God (2023) s01e02 Episode Script
Sky, Earth, Humans
1
Camille, sweetie.
Keep your eyes open, Camille!
Camille, keep your eyes open.
Slowly lift her up.
You let her drink
wine? Your own daughter!
Camille!
- Wait. Hey.
- Get out of here!
Excuse me.
We have arrived.
- Thank you. Bye.
- Have a good stay. Bye.
Hello.
Camille Léger.
Are you Philippe Chassangre?
You don't remember me?
You spent all your summers
here until you were ten.
Yes, I know. But, uh, I have
very few memories of that period.
Mm-hmm.
Thank you for hosting me.
It can't be convenient for you,
with all the things you have to do.
"Things." It's called harvesting.
And indeed, it's not a good time.
Actually it's the worst possible moment.
I don't have time to take care of you.
Okay, so then who will?
My son, Thomas. He's
a professor of enology.
Thomas? Yes, I remember. He was older.
Make up your mind.
Do you remember or not? Huh?
Anyway, I'll show you to your room.
This was your bedroom
when you were little.
My bedroom in Japan was really small.
I remember this being really
big and in fact, it's not.
It's funny how people's memory can
Okay.
Thank you.
Camille, your father is waiting.
Okay, I'm coming.
- What are you guys gonna do?
- None of your business.
Camille. Camille!
It's none of your business!
Camille?
You okay?
- Thomas.
- Huh?
Ah, yes!
Sorry. Uh, it must be the jet lag.
Oh, yeah, yeah. It's been a while.
- Yes.
- But I think I would have recognized you.
Everything all right? My
father wasn't too unpleasant?
He was
charming.
Charming?
- No.
- Y Yeah.
- Come, I'll give you a tour.
- Mm-hmm.
Well, these are the lands
of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
And right over there is Gigondas.
And even further out, Vinsobres.
What?
- You know, I remember you very well.
- Oh, yeah?
I had to watch over you, but
you were always shooing me off.
For example, you would go to
the vineyards every morning.
And then you would taste a
grape, make a serious face
and tell us if they were
ready for harvesting.
You guessed everything correctly:
guava, hazelnut, elderberry, fennel.
You couldn't get enough. You
could play this game for hours.
In fact, you never stopped.
Because you could also
Wait! Stop, please!
I know why, uh, I don't
remember this period of my life.
It's because I was a pain in the ass!
I don't want to hear
it. It's so embarrassing.
Don't be.
It was fascinating.
I thought you had superpowers.
And this is the fermentation cellar.
It's where the magic happens.
The first aromas emerge here.
For example, if I tell you, um,
raspberry, cherry, prune,
tonka beans, and raw beets,
you would say, "Merlot." Of course.
People think that guessing
a wine is like magic,
but there's no magic in it.
It's just work. A lot of work.
The palate is a muscle.
Once it's trained,
it is able to identify
all the clues the wine gives it.
But you already knew that
because you have a gift.
Uh,
I'm afraid of disappointing you.
I'm sure you won't.
Come.
Before bottling the wine,
we store it for ten to 20
months in these oak barrels.
It depends on the vintage.
This was my mom's favorite place.
I didn't know.
That's life.
I'm really sorry about your dad.
That's life.
Well, it's time to show
you the torture room.
- The "torture room"? Okay.
- Mm-hmm.
Here we have everything you
need to work on the theory
but also the practical.
In three weeks, you will
have to know by heart
the grape varieties, the
domaines, the vintages,
and also how to taste wine.
- Okay?
- Mmm.
What about that first test in Tokyo?
Can you describe the wine you tasted?
Uh, it was red wine.
Okay. Well, it's a start.
Anything else?
That's it.
And I'm being serious.
Look, I have to tell you.
My relationship with
wine is very complicated.
Of course it's complicated,
with the dad you had.
But Camille, don't put
yourself under pressure. Hmm?
No one's asking you to take over for him
or follow in his footsteps. No one.
And what do you mean by "complicated"?
One month ago,
your dad called me to
say he was going to die.
He asked for a favor.
He was like a brother to
me, so I could not refuse.
He asked me to polish up your knowledge.
Polish up.
So I asked him about
your level of knowledge,
and he told me that
it's probably very good.
Now what am I going to do with you?
Papa
Mr. Chassangre.
I totally understand your frustration,
but it's nowhere near as strong as mine.
I have been eating rice and green
beans at every meal for 20 years.
Otherwise, I get sick.
I cannot drink a single drop
of alcohol without passing out,
and it's all his fault.
He left me a message
saying he believes in me.
That I am capable of doing this.
I don't even know why I believed him.
And now the question is:
can you help me or not?
Mr. Tomine, you're late.
Sorry.
Let's not waste time.
As you know, we are looking
for a consultant enologist
who will guide and advise us for our
international cooperative company.
We have read the report with your
suggestions with great interest.
We were really impressed.
Not to forget that you
are highly recommended
by Alexandre Léger himself.
His passing is a great loss
for the world of enology.
Yes.
My condolences.
However,
we are a little worried
that you may lack
the experience needed for the job.
It seems you don't have yet any
clients who we could refer to.
I just started my own company,
so you can be my first
client if you like.
Sure.
But you should know that the
members of our cooperative
would be much more comfortable
with a senior consultant.
Is there a test, or should I leave
just 'cause I'm not old enough?
- There is a test, yes, but
- Then give me the test, please.
Thank you.
We'd like you to identify
this wine as best as you can.
This is an Old World wine. A Bordeaux.
Majority of Merlot?
Yes, and about 15, 20%
of Cabernet Sauvignon.
Le Puy. 2014.
No, 2017.
Cuvée.
Barthélemy.
So, Côtes de Franc, Château
Le Puy, Cuvée Barthélemy, 2017.
That is correct.
But you did not describe the wine.
You didn't ask me to.
Oh.
You called my mom. Can I ask why?
He wouldn't have needed to if
you had answered my messages.
Ah, yes, but you would
have kept nagging me.
She has the right to
know what you're doing.
You owe her that at least. No?
So you've decided to help me then?
Yes.
But on one condition.
Anyone want coffee?
Yes.
Mm-hmm.
Are you seeing someone?
No.
- And you?
- No.
I'm happy being on my own.
I didn't expect this, but
I'm glad to see you again.
Me too.
It's awful what he's making her do.
Camille lacks self-confidence.
This will destroy her.
No, Marianne.
I know you cannot understand
him, but he loved his daughter.
You call that love?
All he thought about
was himself and his wine.
You still think of him that way?
Still mad at him. It
must be exhausting. But
Alexandre is dead, Marianne.
He's dead.
This is the brain of an average patient.
And you see this red area right here?
It's the amygdala, the seat of emotions.
In this case, the
patient is apprehensive
about the MRI scan and is nervous,
which is quite normal.
So I asked him to eat
a piece of chocolate.
There are two zones that become active.
The first one is the hippocampus,
which is the memory center.
It identifies the taste, then sends
the information to the amygdala,
which associates
chocolate with pleasure.
And now, here is Camille's brain MRI.
I also gave her chocolate.
But I noticed two things.
The first one is that
your memory records
an unusually high amount of activity.
The number of synaptic connections made
when your taste function
is activated is exceptional.
I've never seen anything like this.
It's fantastic!
And now, what is less fantastic, um,
is this.
Do you see this red and purple area?
It's disgust mixed with fear.
You recognized the chocolate and
sent the information to the amygdala,
but it was violently rejected.
I tried again with several
other strong-flavored foods,
and the results were exactly the same.
I even gave you a slightly
alcoholic solution,
and then
I'm sorry, but what does
this all mean exactly?
More specifically, it means
your brain reacts this way
because you suffered a
trauma when you were younger.
A trauma linked to taste.
And most likely to alcohol.
Does this Does this all make sense?
Does this make sense?
Camille's father
Let's say, Camille was hospitalized.
I see.
Uh, I will continue my research.
But what I can tell
you already, Camille,
is that even if your
condition is psychosomatic,
it can really put your health at risk.
Unfortunately, as long as the
trauma hasn't been treated
I recommend that you
stop your wine training.
I'm sorry.
Clement, also the inside.
- We have to leave early tomorrow morning.
- Hmm.
I wanted to say goodbye.
Okay. Goodbye!
What's your problem?
It sucks. All those millions
slipping through your fingers.
You ungrateful little brat.
With all due respect, fuck you.
What do you know about me? Huh?
I know enough.
Alexandre was my friend!
Yeah, sure.
He didn't know me, okay? And
he didn't give a shit about me.
No, your father adored you.
He was devastated when you two left!
I didn't hear from him in 20
years, but he was devastated, yeah!
Yes, he tried to reach you several
times, but Marianne stopped him!
When I was a little
girl, okay. But after?
He could have found my
phone number, my email.
I wrote a book. He
could have found a way.
And you? You sent him
an email ten years ago.
Your father made me read it!
What email?
Voilà.
"From Camille Léger to Alexandre
Léger. September 6th, 2010, Paris.
It took me a while to write to you.
My mind is clear, and my
heart is in the right place,
and I am not speaking
from anger or resentment.
I'm fine, I will be turning 18 soon."
I didn't write this.
It's not even my email
address. I don't understand.
"I've spent over half
my life without you,
and I realize I don't miss you.
One day you'll probably try
to get in touch with me.
You'll say you want to make
up for all that lost time
and that it's not too late.
But I'll tell you this:
Lost time can never be made up.
I never want to hear from you again.
I won't take any of your phone
calls or answer any of your letters.
As far as I'm concerned, I no
longer have a father. Camille."
I read the email you sent Alexandre.
To my father. The email you sent
him just before my 18th birthday.
- Camille.
- Mom.
You're leaving here tomorrow.
Alone. Without me.
How are you feeling?
Somewhere between
betrayed and devastated.
I understand.
I'm not gonna stop.
No way.
If you don't want to
go on, I'll understand.
I'll be in deep shit,
but I'll understand.
Camille, of course I'm gonna help you.
But if you can't taste alcohol,
how are we gonna make it work?
I have been thinking about
it all night. I got a plan B.
I read that humans have
almost 400 sensors in the nose,
capable of detecting more
than 100,000 different smells.
100,000!
We underestimate our sense of smell,
but once we smell something,
we never forget the odor.
So if I can't go through the
door, I will go through the window.
THE NOSE OF WINE
In this box, there are 54 aromas.
You can find all of them in wine.
The fruity aroma, the
floral, the herbal,
the toasted note, and even animal notes.
- Animal notes?
- Mmm.
Like, wet dog?
No, more like wild
game, leather, or musk.
Okay.
Ready?
Is that necessary?
To go through the window,
you have to use the blindfold.
Don't worry, it doesn't hurt.
Ready?
Pear?
No.
Apple.
N-No.
- Is it even a fruit?
- Still no.
- Oh, fuck.
- Camille.
It's already stored in your memory.
All you need is to make a connection.
Stored.
I want you to organize things.
In here.
First, you ask yourself,
"Is it a fruit? A flower? A plant?
A spice? Woody? Toasted?
Is it a mineral?"
I want you to create
categories, then subcategories,
and even sub-subcategories
if necessary.
Once you've stored
everything away tidily,
it will be easy to find it again.
Do you understand?
Yes, Daddy.
Camille? You okay?
I want to smell it again.
Ask yourself the right questions.
Is it sweet?
Salty?
Bitter?
Umami?
Sour?
Or a combination?
It's sweet,
but at the same time,
I don't like it.
It's dry and rough. It's harsh.
It's bitter.
That's it. It's bitter.
It's bittersweet. There is sugar.
It's not a fruit but a plant.
Licorice.
- Licorice?
- That's it.
Again.
Quince?
Yep.
Almond?
Jasmine?
- Yes.
- Black currant.
Saffron.
Honey.
Hazelnut. Toasted.
Leather. Cut hay.
Toasted bread.
Dark chocolate.
Pine.
And the last one.
Green pepper?
- Bravo. Whoa!
- Whoo-hoo! Whoo-hoo! Ah!
I did it!
It's our wedding anniversary in a month.
I would like to take you to
a good restaurant. Just us.
I wanted it to be a surprise for you.
But your schedule is always full.
Also, you don't like being surprised.
I'll add it to my schedule.
See you this evening.
Your father wishes to see you.
How do you think this makes us look?
If Issei goes chasing the
fortune of a foreigner,
what will happen
THE BIGGEST SUCCESSION
BATTLE OF THE CENTURY
to our reputation?
There's no heir after
you, apart from Issei.
I'll talk to him.
No.
I will do it.
Well! Now the serious stuff begins.
This contains the equivalent
of a glass of wine.
It's like a bottle sample.
The taste and olfactory
characteristics are the same, of course.
And that'll be fantastic for us.
You're going to be able to
smell all kinds of wines.
And it's all thanks to her.
Camille, this is Juliette.
- Nice to meet you.
- Oh Nice to meet you.
On her trip to China,
she took the opportunity
to go to SIAL in Shanghai.
The wine producers got together
and gave you How many?
400 samples.
Thomas made me a list
of everything he needed.
I got everything you asked for.
I was supposed to go with Juliette,
but we will find more
opportunities to go there.
Of course.
Juliette is our sales director.
She exports our wine worldwide.
She speaks seven languages including
Mandarin and Cantonese. So it's
Seven languages. It's practical.
He's exaggerating.
I speak six languages pretty well.
Uh, and then Russian, I can get by.
So, is it going well?
Thomas says you have an incredible nose.
Uh
Well, you can't really say.
He's exaggerating, huh?
It's like Russian for you, I can get by.
No, no, no. She has got a real talent.
Her nose is incredible. Really.
I can't wait to see that.
Can I?
- Uh
- Cool!
We'll start with the simplest.
A varietal wine.
Thank you.
First, you evaluate the wine by sight.
You put it in front of a white
surface, like this napkin.
You look at the color, which
will give you an idea of its age.
If you have shades ranging
from mauve to purple,
that means the wine is young.
If it's garnet or cherry
with a slightly carroty sheen,
the wine is at its peak.
When it's pumpkin or cocoa colored,
the wine is old. Maybe too old.
So?
Purple or cherry red.
Purple?
So, a young wine?
Mm-hmm.
Now ask yourself about
the intensity of the color.
If it's faint, that points
to a light, delicate wine
from a cool climate
with a short maceration.
But if the color is very
intense, it's a full-bodied wine
grown under the sun or
aged for a long time.
Not a very intense color.
A light wine?
Mmm.
If I may step in.
The advantage with a varietal wine
is that it represents the virtually
pure expression of the terroir.
With a single variety of grape,
smelling the specific
characteristics of the vintage
is more straightforward.
It's easier to pinpoint its geographic
location. It's more up-front.
Yep. Exactly. Thank you, Juliette.
Yes, thank you, Juliette.
And now, the nose.
We'll do this in three stages.
One, the first nose.
You capture the aromas
of the wine at rest.
Two, you let it breathe.
You wake it up so it
can release its aromas.
Three, you smell it again.
And it hits you.
Aromas jump out at you that
you never suspected were there.
Go ahead.
Camille!
You okay?
You didn't move for almost a minute
with your eyes closed
and didn't respond.
You okay?
Yep.
Did you see something?
Nothing, absolutely nothing.
Sorry.
Okay, that's enough for today.
So?
I'll never make it.
Nothing comes through. I don't
know if it's the alcohol vapors
- or what, but
- The alcohol vapors?
Mm-hmm.
A very long time ago, the
Rhône ran through here.
It was so powerful that it swept
chunks of rock down from the Alps
and displaced them on the plain.
Then the rocks were polished by
the current, and this is the result.
Here. Touch it underneath.
- It's hot.
- Of course.
The rocks soak up the
heat of the sun all day
and redistribute it at the
foot of the vines at night.
It's thanks to these rounded
pebbles that our wine is what it is.
Wine makes you sick because
of your childhood experience.
But you need to see behind
the alcohol, Camille.
Wine, it's
it's the earth, it's
the sky, it's the humans.
Wine is nature, Camille.
Nature.
Are you coming?
- To do what?
- Going for a spin.
Uh, you can drop that.
Where to?
You'll see.
Oh! Ah!
Seriously?
Alexandre wanted to know your limits.
You started to have headaches,
nosebleeds, memory loss.
Besides, at the time, things were
not good between your parents.
Marianne insisted that he stop
what he was doing with you
but your father had his revenge
to take against the world.
Did you know about this?
That he made me drink?
No, no, no, no. Nobody knew.
Except you and him. He never
mentioned anything to me.
All I know is that your dad
would have never hurt you.
- Never.
- Hmm.
I can't remember anything.
This wine is from those vineyards.
This is the soil that saw it grow.
Smell.
Did you find the dominant aroma?
Mm-mmm.
No?
It's not a big deal.
It will come.
Something will click.
Now, go walk through the vines.
Uh, breathe, taste, and enjoy.
Go, walk through the vines.
Go on.
This wine was made from the
grapes you tasted last night.
Try to recognize at
least one of the aromas.
The dominant aroma is peach.
Thomas, tell me what you smell.
Peach, marzipan, hazelnut,
hawthorn, mushrooms, moss.
- Fern.
- Fern.
Fuck, I've got one.
The wine I tasted in
Tokyo. This was in it.
Fern.
Are you sure?
MY CAT IS SICK NEED TO GO TO THE VET
BERANGER INTERNATIONAL
CALLED YOU. IT DIDN'T WORK.
A PARCEL HAS ARRIVED.
The Casablanca Valley is swept
by the morning breeze
from the Pacific Ocean.
I can also smell eggshell.
The subsoil out there
is full of limestone.
Grandfather.
What is this?
The soil of the vineyards
around the world.
A friend of mine who's
traveling sent them
to me.
Mmm.
Issei,
we've given you time to roam around,
but this shack is the reflection
of your pathetic ambitions.
I want you to make a public announcement
saying that you're pulling
out of that "competition."
And shut all this down.
Then we'll talk about your future.
Yes, Grandfather.
A surprise test?
It's a bit early.
Thomas told me you have
made incredible progress.
I'm curious to see if you
can recognize a wine terroir,
using only smell.
Want to try?
Okay.
Okay.
The color is dark and
intense, almost opaque.
Significant changes.
Approximately 20 years old.
The drops of wine are heavy and slow.
It's a sunny vintage.
From the south, or a
very sunny year, anyway.
A warm and rich wine.
First nose.
Ripe red fruits.
Licorice.
Cacao.
Aerating.
Sorry about thinking aloud.
Second smell.
Raspberry and blackberry.
Tobacco, too.
Dead leaves and something mineral.
Clay.
Hot, heavy, powerful.
Rioja?
- No.
- No?
No.
But, listen.
What you managed to do in
just three weeks is a miracle.
I'm speechless.
With your sense of smell alone,
you are better than
99% of the population.
But it's not enough.
A good sommelier is able to
distinguish between two wines
that are separated only by a fence.
You will never get there this way.
Never.
Can I try again?
Uh,
sure.
Got it?
Burgundy?
You tell me.
Ready?
Don't swallow it, right?
Spit and rinse.
What did you see?
I felt
It was like chalk.
And it was very cold.
Well then,
is it a Burgundy or not?
Yes, it's a lot like the
Burgundy from the other day.
Which one?
Hmm.
The Beaune Clos des
Mouches, Maison Drouhin, '95.
- Hmm.
- That's it, right?
No.
It's not a Côte de Beaune.
It's a Hautes-Côtes de Beaune.
Domaine Jayer-Gilles.
Look at me when I speak.
It's a shame.
You almost had it.
But as I've told you before,
"almost" is a word for losers.
Daddy,
when will I be able to drink?
For real?
One day.
But not quite yet.
Another round?
I can't believe it. I knew
it! That's not possible!
Wait here. I'll be right back.
I told you not to come here
when we're in a work session.
"Work session"? What is this bullshit?
What? What's the problem?
- She is only eight, Alexandre.
- So?
It gives her headaches and nosebleeds.
How do you know it's connected?
Of course it's connected!
It wasn't his fault.
All these years, it was all me.
Only me.
No.
Damn, it's so good!
Camille, sweetie.
Keep your eyes open, Camille!
Camille, keep your eyes open.
Slowly lift her up.
You let her drink
wine? Your own daughter!
Camille!
- Wait. Hey.
- Get out of here!
Excuse me.
We have arrived.
- Thank you. Bye.
- Have a good stay. Bye.
Hello.
Camille Léger.
Are you Philippe Chassangre?
You don't remember me?
You spent all your summers
here until you were ten.
Yes, I know. But, uh, I have
very few memories of that period.
Mm-hmm.
Thank you for hosting me.
It can't be convenient for you,
with all the things you have to do.
"Things." It's called harvesting.
And indeed, it's not a good time.
Actually it's the worst possible moment.
I don't have time to take care of you.
Okay, so then who will?
My son, Thomas. He's
a professor of enology.
Thomas? Yes, I remember. He was older.
Make up your mind.
Do you remember or not? Huh?
Anyway, I'll show you to your room.
This was your bedroom
when you were little.
My bedroom in Japan was really small.
I remember this being really
big and in fact, it's not.
It's funny how people's memory can
Okay.
Thank you.
Camille, your father is waiting.
Okay, I'm coming.
- What are you guys gonna do?
- None of your business.
Camille. Camille!
It's none of your business!
Camille?
You okay?
- Thomas.
- Huh?
Ah, yes!
Sorry. Uh, it must be the jet lag.
Oh, yeah, yeah. It's been a while.
- Yes.
- But I think I would have recognized you.
Everything all right? My
father wasn't too unpleasant?
He was
charming.
Charming?
- No.
- Y Yeah.
- Come, I'll give you a tour.
- Mm-hmm.
Well, these are the lands
of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
And right over there is Gigondas.
And even further out, Vinsobres.
What?
- You know, I remember you very well.
- Oh, yeah?
I had to watch over you, but
you were always shooing me off.
For example, you would go to
the vineyards every morning.
And then you would taste a
grape, make a serious face
and tell us if they were
ready for harvesting.
You guessed everything correctly:
guava, hazelnut, elderberry, fennel.
You couldn't get enough. You
could play this game for hours.
In fact, you never stopped.
Because you could also
Wait! Stop, please!
I know why, uh, I don't
remember this period of my life.
It's because I was a pain in the ass!
I don't want to hear
it. It's so embarrassing.
Don't be.
It was fascinating.
I thought you had superpowers.
And this is the fermentation cellar.
It's where the magic happens.
The first aromas emerge here.
For example, if I tell you, um,
raspberry, cherry, prune,
tonka beans, and raw beets,
you would say, "Merlot." Of course.
People think that guessing
a wine is like magic,
but there's no magic in it.
It's just work. A lot of work.
The palate is a muscle.
Once it's trained,
it is able to identify
all the clues the wine gives it.
But you already knew that
because you have a gift.
Uh,
I'm afraid of disappointing you.
I'm sure you won't.
Come.
Before bottling the wine,
we store it for ten to 20
months in these oak barrels.
It depends on the vintage.
This was my mom's favorite place.
I didn't know.
That's life.
I'm really sorry about your dad.
That's life.
Well, it's time to show
you the torture room.
- The "torture room"? Okay.
- Mm-hmm.
Here we have everything you
need to work on the theory
but also the practical.
In three weeks, you will
have to know by heart
the grape varieties, the
domaines, the vintages,
and also how to taste wine.
- Okay?
- Mmm.
What about that first test in Tokyo?
Can you describe the wine you tasted?
Uh, it was red wine.
Okay. Well, it's a start.
Anything else?
That's it.
And I'm being serious.
Look, I have to tell you.
My relationship with
wine is very complicated.
Of course it's complicated,
with the dad you had.
But Camille, don't put
yourself under pressure. Hmm?
No one's asking you to take over for him
or follow in his footsteps. No one.
And what do you mean by "complicated"?
One month ago,
your dad called me to
say he was going to die.
He asked for a favor.
He was like a brother to
me, so I could not refuse.
He asked me to polish up your knowledge.
Polish up.
So I asked him about
your level of knowledge,
and he told me that
it's probably very good.
Now what am I going to do with you?
Papa
Mr. Chassangre.
I totally understand your frustration,
but it's nowhere near as strong as mine.
I have been eating rice and green
beans at every meal for 20 years.
Otherwise, I get sick.
I cannot drink a single drop
of alcohol without passing out,
and it's all his fault.
He left me a message
saying he believes in me.
That I am capable of doing this.
I don't even know why I believed him.
And now the question is:
can you help me or not?
Mr. Tomine, you're late.
Sorry.
Let's not waste time.
As you know, we are looking
for a consultant enologist
who will guide and advise us for our
international cooperative company.
We have read the report with your
suggestions with great interest.
We were really impressed.
Not to forget that you
are highly recommended
by Alexandre Léger himself.
His passing is a great loss
for the world of enology.
Yes.
My condolences.
However,
we are a little worried
that you may lack
the experience needed for the job.
It seems you don't have yet any
clients who we could refer to.
I just started my own company,
so you can be my first
client if you like.
Sure.
But you should know that the
members of our cooperative
would be much more comfortable
with a senior consultant.
Is there a test, or should I leave
just 'cause I'm not old enough?
- There is a test, yes, but
- Then give me the test, please.
Thank you.
We'd like you to identify
this wine as best as you can.
This is an Old World wine. A Bordeaux.
Majority of Merlot?
Yes, and about 15, 20%
of Cabernet Sauvignon.
Le Puy. 2014.
No, 2017.
Cuvée.
Barthélemy.
So, Côtes de Franc, Château
Le Puy, Cuvée Barthélemy, 2017.
That is correct.
But you did not describe the wine.
You didn't ask me to.
Oh.
You called my mom. Can I ask why?
He wouldn't have needed to if
you had answered my messages.
Ah, yes, but you would
have kept nagging me.
She has the right to
know what you're doing.
You owe her that at least. No?
So you've decided to help me then?
Yes.
But on one condition.
Anyone want coffee?
Yes.
Mm-hmm.
Are you seeing someone?
No.
- And you?
- No.
I'm happy being on my own.
I didn't expect this, but
I'm glad to see you again.
Me too.
It's awful what he's making her do.
Camille lacks self-confidence.
This will destroy her.
No, Marianne.
I know you cannot understand
him, but he loved his daughter.
You call that love?
All he thought about
was himself and his wine.
You still think of him that way?
Still mad at him. It
must be exhausting. But
Alexandre is dead, Marianne.
He's dead.
This is the brain of an average patient.
And you see this red area right here?
It's the amygdala, the seat of emotions.
In this case, the
patient is apprehensive
about the MRI scan and is nervous,
which is quite normal.
So I asked him to eat
a piece of chocolate.
There are two zones that become active.
The first one is the hippocampus,
which is the memory center.
It identifies the taste, then sends
the information to the amygdala,
which associates
chocolate with pleasure.
And now, here is Camille's brain MRI.
I also gave her chocolate.
But I noticed two things.
The first one is that
your memory records
an unusually high amount of activity.
The number of synaptic connections made
when your taste function
is activated is exceptional.
I've never seen anything like this.
It's fantastic!
And now, what is less fantastic, um,
is this.
Do you see this red and purple area?
It's disgust mixed with fear.
You recognized the chocolate and
sent the information to the amygdala,
but it was violently rejected.
I tried again with several
other strong-flavored foods,
and the results were exactly the same.
I even gave you a slightly
alcoholic solution,
and then
I'm sorry, but what does
this all mean exactly?
More specifically, it means
your brain reacts this way
because you suffered a
trauma when you were younger.
A trauma linked to taste.
And most likely to alcohol.
Does this Does this all make sense?
Does this make sense?
Camille's father
Let's say, Camille was hospitalized.
I see.
Uh, I will continue my research.
But what I can tell
you already, Camille,
is that even if your
condition is psychosomatic,
it can really put your health at risk.
Unfortunately, as long as the
trauma hasn't been treated
I recommend that you
stop your wine training.
I'm sorry.
Clement, also the inside.
- We have to leave early tomorrow morning.
- Hmm.
I wanted to say goodbye.
Okay. Goodbye!
What's your problem?
It sucks. All those millions
slipping through your fingers.
You ungrateful little brat.
With all due respect, fuck you.
What do you know about me? Huh?
I know enough.
Alexandre was my friend!
Yeah, sure.
He didn't know me, okay? And
he didn't give a shit about me.
No, your father adored you.
He was devastated when you two left!
I didn't hear from him in 20
years, but he was devastated, yeah!
Yes, he tried to reach you several
times, but Marianne stopped him!
When I was a little
girl, okay. But after?
He could have found my
phone number, my email.
I wrote a book. He
could have found a way.
And you? You sent him
an email ten years ago.
Your father made me read it!
What email?
Voilà.
"From Camille Léger to Alexandre
Léger. September 6th, 2010, Paris.
It took me a while to write to you.
My mind is clear, and my
heart is in the right place,
and I am not speaking
from anger or resentment.
I'm fine, I will be turning 18 soon."
I didn't write this.
It's not even my email
address. I don't understand.
"I've spent over half
my life without you,
and I realize I don't miss you.
One day you'll probably try
to get in touch with me.
You'll say you want to make
up for all that lost time
and that it's not too late.
But I'll tell you this:
Lost time can never be made up.
I never want to hear from you again.
I won't take any of your phone
calls or answer any of your letters.
As far as I'm concerned, I no
longer have a father. Camille."
I read the email you sent Alexandre.
To my father. The email you sent
him just before my 18th birthday.
- Camille.
- Mom.
You're leaving here tomorrow.
Alone. Without me.
How are you feeling?
Somewhere between
betrayed and devastated.
I understand.
I'm not gonna stop.
No way.
If you don't want to
go on, I'll understand.
I'll be in deep shit,
but I'll understand.
Camille, of course I'm gonna help you.
But if you can't taste alcohol,
how are we gonna make it work?
I have been thinking about
it all night. I got a plan B.
I read that humans have
almost 400 sensors in the nose,
capable of detecting more
than 100,000 different smells.
100,000!
We underestimate our sense of smell,
but once we smell something,
we never forget the odor.
So if I can't go through the
door, I will go through the window.
THE NOSE OF WINE
In this box, there are 54 aromas.
You can find all of them in wine.
The fruity aroma, the
floral, the herbal,
the toasted note, and even animal notes.
- Animal notes?
- Mmm.
Like, wet dog?
No, more like wild
game, leather, or musk.
Okay.
Ready?
Is that necessary?
To go through the window,
you have to use the blindfold.
Don't worry, it doesn't hurt.
Ready?
Pear?
No.
Apple.
N-No.
- Is it even a fruit?
- Still no.
- Oh, fuck.
- Camille.
It's already stored in your memory.
All you need is to make a connection.
Stored.
I want you to organize things.
In here.
First, you ask yourself,
"Is it a fruit? A flower? A plant?
A spice? Woody? Toasted?
Is it a mineral?"
I want you to create
categories, then subcategories,
and even sub-subcategories
if necessary.
Once you've stored
everything away tidily,
it will be easy to find it again.
Do you understand?
Yes, Daddy.
Camille? You okay?
I want to smell it again.
Ask yourself the right questions.
Is it sweet?
Salty?
Bitter?
Umami?
Sour?
Or a combination?
It's sweet,
but at the same time,
I don't like it.
It's dry and rough. It's harsh.
It's bitter.
That's it. It's bitter.
It's bittersweet. There is sugar.
It's not a fruit but a plant.
Licorice.
- Licorice?
- That's it.
Again.
Quince?
Yep.
Almond?
Jasmine?
- Yes.
- Black currant.
Saffron.
Honey.
Hazelnut. Toasted.
Leather. Cut hay.
Toasted bread.
Dark chocolate.
Pine.
And the last one.
Green pepper?
- Bravo. Whoa!
- Whoo-hoo! Whoo-hoo! Ah!
I did it!
It's our wedding anniversary in a month.
I would like to take you to
a good restaurant. Just us.
I wanted it to be a surprise for you.
But your schedule is always full.
Also, you don't like being surprised.
I'll add it to my schedule.
See you this evening.
Your father wishes to see you.
How do you think this makes us look?
If Issei goes chasing the
fortune of a foreigner,
what will happen
THE BIGGEST SUCCESSION
BATTLE OF THE CENTURY
to our reputation?
There's no heir after
you, apart from Issei.
I'll talk to him.
No.
I will do it.
Well! Now the serious stuff begins.
This contains the equivalent
of a glass of wine.
It's like a bottle sample.
The taste and olfactory
characteristics are the same, of course.
And that'll be fantastic for us.
You're going to be able to
smell all kinds of wines.
And it's all thanks to her.
Camille, this is Juliette.
- Nice to meet you.
- Oh Nice to meet you.
On her trip to China,
she took the opportunity
to go to SIAL in Shanghai.
The wine producers got together
and gave you How many?
400 samples.
Thomas made me a list
of everything he needed.
I got everything you asked for.
I was supposed to go with Juliette,
but we will find more
opportunities to go there.
Of course.
Juliette is our sales director.
She exports our wine worldwide.
She speaks seven languages including
Mandarin and Cantonese. So it's
Seven languages. It's practical.
He's exaggerating.
I speak six languages pretty well.
Uh, and then Russian, I can get by.
So, is it going well?
Thomas says you have an incredible nose.
Uh
Well, you can't really say.
He's exaggerating, huh?
It's like Russian for you, I can get by.
No, no, no. She has got a real talent.
Her nose is incredible. Really.
I can't wait to see that.
Can I?
- Uh
- Cool!
We'll start with the simplest.
A varietal wine.
Thank you.
First, you evaluate the wine by sight.
You put it in front of a white
surface, like this napkin.
You look at the color, which
will give you an idea of its age.
If you have shades ranging
from mauve to purple,
that means the wine is young.
If it's garnet or cherry
with a slightly carroty sheen,
the wine is at its peak.
When it's pumpkin or cocoa colored,
the wine is old. Maybe too old.
So?
Purple or cherry red.
Purple?
So, a young wine?
Mm-hmm.
Now ask yourself about
the intensity of the color.
If it's faint, that points
to a light, delicate wine
from a cool climate
with a short maceration.
But if the color is very
intense, it's a full-bodied wine
grown under the sun or
aged for a long time.
Not a very intense color.
A light wine?
Mmm.
If I may step in.
The advantage with a varietal wine
is that it represents the virtually
pure expression of the terroir.
With a single variety of grape,
smelling the specific
characteristics of the vintage
is more straightforward.
It's easier to pinpoint its geographic
location. It's more up-front.
Yep. Exactly. Thank you, Juliette.
Yes, thank you, Juliette.
And now, the nose.
We'll do this in three stages.
One, the first nose.
You capture the aromas
of the wine at rest.
Two, you let it breathe.
You wake it up so it
can release its aromas.
Three, you smell it again.
And it hits you.
Aromas jump out at you that
you never suspected were there.
Go ahead.
Camille!
You okay?
You didn't move for almost a minute
with your eyes closed
and didn't respond.
You okay?
Yep.
Did you see something?
Nothing, absolutely nothing.
Sorry.
Okay, that's enough for today.
So?
I'll never make it.
Nothing comes through. I don't
know if it's the alcohol vapors
- or what, but
- The alcohol vapors?
Mm-hmm.
A very long time ago, the
Rhône ran through here.
It was so powerful that it swept
chunks of rock down from the Alps
and displaced them on the plain.
Then the rocks were polished by
the current, and this is the result.
Here. Touch it underneath.
- It's hot.
- Of course.
The rocks soak up the
heat of the sun all day
and redistribute it at the
foot of the vines at night.
It's thanks to these rounded
pebbles that our wine is what it is.
Wine makes you sick because
of your childhood experience.
But you need to see behind
the alcohol, Camille.
Wine, it's
it's the earth, it's
the sky, it's the humans.
Wine is nature, Camille.
Nature.
Are you coming?
- To do what?
- Going for a spin.
Uh, you can drop that.
Where to?
You'll see.
Oh! Ah!
Seriously?
Alexandre wanted to know your limits.
You started to have headaches,
nosebleeds, memory loss.
Besides, at the time, things were
not good between your parents.
Marianne insisted that he stop
what he was doing with you
but your father had his revenge
to take against the world.
Did you know about this?
That he made me drink?
No, no, no, no. Nobody knew.
Except you and him. He never
mentioned anything to me.
All I know is that your dad
would have never hurt you.
- Never.
- Hmm.
I can't remember anything.
This wine is from those vineyards.
This is the soil that saw it grow.
Smell.
Did you find the dominant aroma?
Mm-mmm.
No?
It's not a big deal.
It will come.
Something will click.
Now, go walk through the vines.
Uh, breathe, taste, and enjoy.
Go, walk through the vines.
Go on.
This wine was made from the
grapes you tasted last night.
Try to recognize at
least one of the aromas.
The dominant aroma is peach.
Thomas, tell me what you smell.
Peach, marzipan, hazelnut,
hawthorn, mushrooms, moss.
- Fern.
- Fern.
Fuck, I've got one.
The wine I tasted in
Tokyo. This was in it.
Fern.
Are you sure?
MY CAT IS SICK NEED TO GO TO THE VET
BERANGER INTERNATIONAL
CALLED YOU. IT DIDN'T WORK.
A PARCEL HAS ARRIVED.
The Casablanca Valley is swept
by the morning breeze
from the Pacific Ocean.
I can also smell eggshell.
The subsoil out there
is full of limestone.
Grandfather.
What is this?
The soil of the vineyards
around the world.
A friend of mine who's
traveling sent them
to me.
Mmm.
Issei,
we've given you time to roam around,
but this shack is the reflection
of your pathetic ambitions.
I want you to make a public announcement
saying that you're pulling
out of that "competition."
And shut all this down.
Then we'll talk about your future.
Yes, Grandfather.
A surprise test?
It's a bit early.
Thomas told me you have
made incredible progress.
I'm curious to see if you
can recognize a wine terroir,
using only smell.
Want to try?
Okay.
Okay.
The color is dark and
intense, almost opaque.
Significant changes.
Approximately 20 years old.
The drops of wine are heavy and slow.
It's a sunny vintage.
From the south, or a
very sunny year, anyway.
A warm and rich wine.
First nose.
Ripe red fruits.
Licorice.
Cacao.
Aerating.
Sorry about thinking aloud.
Second smell.
Raspberry and blackberry.
Tobacco, too.
Dead leaves and something mineral.
Clay.
Hot, heavy, powerful.
Rioja?
- No.
- No?
No.
But, listen.
What you managed to do in
just three weeks is a miracle.
I'm speechless.
With your sense of smell alone,
you are better than
99% of the population.
But it's not enough.
A good sommelier is able to
distinguish between two wines
that are separated only by a fence.
You will never get there this way.
Never.
Can I try again?
Uh,
sure.
Got it?
Burgundy?
You tell me.
Ready?
Don't swallow it, right?
Spit and rinse.
What did you see?
I felt
It was like chalk.
And it was very cold.
Well then,
is it a Burgundy or not?
Yes, it's a lot like the
Burgundy from the other day.
Which one?
Hmm.
The Beaune Clos des
Mouches, Maison Drouhin, '95.
- Hmm.
- That's it, right?
No.
It's not a Côte de Beaune.
It's a Hautes-Côtes de Beaune.
Domaine Jayer-Gilles.
Look at me when I speak.
It's a shame.
You almost had it.
But as I've told you before,
"almost" is a word for losers.
Daddy,
when will I be able to drink?
For real?
One day.
But not quite yet.
Another round?
I can't believe it. I knew
it! That's not possible!
Wait here. I'll be right back.
I told you not to come here
when we're in a work session.
"Work session"? What is this bullshit?
What? What's the problem?
- She is only eight, Alexandre.
- So?
It gives her headaches and nosebleeds.
How do you know it's connected?
Of course it's connected!
It wasn't his fault.
All these years, it was all me.
Only me.
No.
Damn, it's so good!