Adapted from Tadashi Agi and Shu Okimoto’s manga of the same name, Apple TV+’s “Drops of God” offers a beautiful, meditative exploration of family ties, questions of legacy, emotional bonds, and the essence of life itself through the unique art and science behind oenology, aka wine tasting. Interestingly enough, the story itself, which has narrative elements that inculcate the uniquely exaggerated competitive eccentricities of mainstream manga and anime, has been created with a grounded approach that works remarkably well in the context of the series. With the second season of the TV series soon to premiere, let’s take a brief look at the events and key characters to catch up with the story so far.
Spoilers Ahead
Camille’s Journey to Seek Alexandre’s Legacy
In the final moments of his life, Tokyo-based legendary oenologist Alexandre Leger reaches out to his estranged daughter, Camille, an established author living with her mother, Marianne, in Paris. He requests her to meet him, but Camille harbors deep resentment towards her father for abandoning their family nearly a decade ago. A traumatic incident from her childhood further complicates her feelings. Alexandre recognized Camille’s near-supernatural ability to identify and memorize myriad scents and complex tastes, attempting to introduce her to his passion for wine-tasting. However, a severe reaction to alcohol consumption left her unable to taste or smell it without a violent response. Marianne, fearing Alexandre’s intentions, advises Camille against visiting him. Yet, driven by a desire to understand her father’s abandonment, Camille travels to Tokyo on a private jet sent by Alexandre.
Unfortunately, by the time Camille arrives, Alexandre has passed away. His friend, Luca Inglese, an influential hotelier, welcomes her, while François Talion, Alexandre’s lawyer, reveals that according to his last wish, she must compete with his protégé, the talented oenologist Issei Tomini, for the inheritance of his nearly $150 million private wine collection. The first round of the competition requires Camille and Issei to taste a wine and identify its brand, grape, and vintage within a month. However, during the tasting, Camille suffers a strong reaction, leading her to consider abandoning the competition. With the media swarming to learn about the successor of the legendary wine taster, Camille feels humiliated and contemplates returning to Paris, leaving the inheritance to Issei. Following Alexandre’s last wishes, his cremation is conducted according to Buddhist rituals, and Luca reveals a heartfelt message from Alexandre, lamenting his inability to be the father Camille deserved. Motivated to reconnect with her father, Camille decides to stay and learn about wine at Philippe Chassangre’s domaine in France.
Upon reaching the domaine, Camille is flooded with nostalgia, recalling her childhood spent in the wine cellar with her father. Philippe, though reserved, and his son, Thomas, warmly welcome her. An MRI scan reveals that Camille’s psychosomatic condition is rooted in childhood trauma, stemming from the incident where she drank wine unsupervised. An argument with Philippe reveals that Marianne had sent a fake email to Alexandre, posing as Camille, to keep him out of their lives. Feeling betrayed, Camille asks her mother to return to Paris. With the help of Thomas and his fiancée, Juliette, Camille begins to taste wine using non-alcoholic samplers. Philippe encourages her to connect with nature, stripping away technicalities. Eventually, Camille overcomes her psychological block, realizing that Alexandre never forced her to drink wine. She successfully identifies a vintage wine, Lingnage, and returns to Tokyo to face the first test.
Issei’s Struggle With His Family Heritage
While Camille seeks to reconnect with her father, Issei’s journey revolves around reconciling with his family heritage. His grandfather, Noboru Tomine, a successful diamond magnate, believes Issei’s competition for a Gaijin’s inheritance would tarnish their family’s reputation. Under pressure from his mother, Honoka, Issei initially considers abandoning his passion for winemaking. Noboru’s toxic influence leads to a confrontation where Issei angrily calls out his father, Hirokazu, for his cowardice in standing up to Honoka. This conflict culminates in Hirokazu leaving the family, feeling defeated.
On the day of the first round test, Issei wins by correctly identifying the brand and vintage of the sample wine, while Camille comes close but makes a last-minute mistake. The second round requires them to match the right wine with a 17th-century Italian Baroque painting. As Camille grows closer to Thomas, he remains loyal to his partner, Juliette, despite his feelings for her. Meanwhile, Luca’s true intentions behind endorsing Camille come to light, revealing his desire to control the Leger guide through her. Issei, concerned for his father, searches for him with the help of journalist Yurika, and their bond deepens.
Flashbacks reveal Alexandre’s past, detailing his move to Japan after clashing with French wine culture. He had a secret affair with Honoka, resulting in Issei’s birth, while Camille was born to Marianne. As Issei uncovers the truth about his parentage, he confronts Honoka, who evicts him and Yurika from her apartment, finally freeing him from his family’s control.
Camille travels to Italy with Lorenzo, following ingredient cues from the artwork. An art professor reveals the painting’s true significance, helping Camille understand Alexandre’s selection. After struggling to convince villagers to let her taste their wine, she learns about a batch created with her late father that was never cataloged. This revelation allows her to connect with the question of legacy, leading her to win the second test. Issei, having guessed the right variety, chooses to withdraw his entry, acknowledging Camille’s growth. Their relationship deepens as Thomas breaks up with Juliette and returns to support Camille.
The Question of Inheritance
In the final round of the competition, Camille and Issei face off at Philippe’s domaine, tasked with recreating Alexandre’s concoction. Issei clarifies his earlier decision to pass on winning the second round, emphasizing the importance of fairness. As they submit their blend identification, Issei invites everyone to celebrate togetherness through a meal. That night, he confesses to Camille about his parentage, prompting her to reveal her realization that the tests were Alexandre’s way of bringing them closer.
When the results are announced, Camille and Issei tie, much to their relief. However, François reveals a tiebreaker question from Alexandre, leading them to search for the ideal wine from his collection. As they drink together, Issei’s knowledge and Camille’s childhood memories help them uncover the answer: rain.
Camille inherits Alexandre’s $150 million wine collection but suggests Issei prove his parentage to court so they can share the inheritance. Issei, however, chooses to respect Hirokazu’s role in his life and forgoes the opportunity. Camille assigns Miyabi and Lorenzo as the controllers of the Leger Guide and auctions off some of Alexandre’s collection. The season concludes with Camille sending Issei a batch of rare wine, acknowledging him as her brother.
