The comicbook images that you see posted on THREE BUCK CHUCK are from THE DROPS OF THE GODS- a Japanese "manga series" that has become a major force in the wine markets of Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and urban China.
I first read about DROPS OF THE GODS in the New York Times (October 22, 2008) in an article written by NORIMITSU ONISHI.
The series, which has yet to be translated into English, tells the story of Shizuku who has rebelled against his father, a famous wine critic, by refusing to drink wine and working instead for a brewery. When Shizuku's father suddenly dies he leaves in his will a description of the 12 bottles of wine that he considers the greatest in all the world- (I think they are all French)--
Shizuku must drink, enjoy, and study wine, in order to find the 12 wines described in his father's will before his brother- who happens to be a sommelier- finds them. Whoever identifies the 12 bottles first will inherit father's legendary wine collection.
The comic appears every Thursday in Japan in a magazine called the "Weekly Morning" and has been compiled into 17 books so far- becoming a phenomenon in parts of Asia where people are just beginning to drink wine on a mass-cultural scale.
Onishi reports that Japanese and Korean wine sellers in stores and on websites monitor the comic and purchase their inventory according to the wines that Shizuku praises or criticizes- always showcasing the wines that Shizuku embraces. There is often a demand so large for a particular wine that it simply cannot be met.
One of the greatest things about the comic is how the hero describes wine and the illustrious images that accompany those descriptions. Onishi captures a description in the following:
"Sipping a 2001 Bordeaux from Chateau Mont Perat, a bead of sweat trickling down his left cheek, Shizuku Kanzaki is suddenly overwhelmed with images of turntable, guitars and Freddie Mercury..."
Here's a quote translated from the comic:
"It's powerful," he says of the wine, "but it also has a meltingly sweet taste, with an acidic aftertaste that catches you by surprise. It's like the voice of Queen's lead vocalist, sweet and husky, enveloped in thick guitar riffs and heavy drums."
The comicbook creators say that they are not interested in traditional sommelier jargon and claim to have no wine-tasting credentials- but rather say that they're INTERESTED IN DESCRIBING WINE FROM THE AVERAGE DRINKER'S PERSPECTIVE.
Also according to Onishi of The New York Times, "The series has evoked images as disparate as the painting 'The Angelus' by Jean-Francois Millet (to explain a wine's richness and a marsh north of Tokyo (to describe a difficult yet rewarding vintage)."
Though they may not be inclined to admit the Comic's influence- swarms of people in Korea, China, Japan, and Taiwan are talking about Terroir and how a bottle will pair with what for dinner- AND above all else they are buying and enjoying wine.
The creators of the comic are a middle aged brother and sister duo- Yuko Kibayashi, 49, and her brother Shin, 46 who write under the pseudonym Tadashi Agi. They came up with the idea for the series while collaborating on another comic. According to Onishi, "...during their work session, their spirits ran high as the wine flowed..." The brother and sister team have long been wine lovers who tend to a 3,000 plus bottle collection.
Unfortunately, the comic has not yet been translated into English. It has, however been translated into French where volumes of the comic are quite popular- Shizuku seems to believe that God's Drops only land in France- and not in the new world.
Onishi's quotes Yuko Kibayashi describing American wines in his NYTimes article as follows:
"They're too simple. Wines are like human beings. The first time you meet, instead of being all smiles and wanting to become friends right away, there has to be some formality, some conversation, before gradually becoming close.... WHEN YOU OPEN AN AMERICAN BOTTLE, IT'S ALL BIG SMILES..."
Here is a link to this very intersting article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/22/dining/22comic.html?_r=1&ref=dining&oref=slogin
Now back to sampling wine...
-Kurt
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2 comments:
I really appreciated reading your blogs. And love that you've stumbled upon and exposed readers to this JapanAnime about wine.
It is interesting you should bring up this article as I also saw this and was fascinated with them having such a cool means to deliver wine education through anime - a nexus by which the masses of Japanese express their culture. Thinking about American culture and wine, have we really developed a unique way of expressing our interest and education in wine? It seems as though there is much to be developed in this realm outside the normal province of standard wine classes, tastings, etc...What do you think Kurt?
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