The award-winning comic about wine that has been a hit not just all over Asia but also in France! Apple TV live-action drama series was recent winner of International Emmy Award! Now an Apple Original series The cult manga and basis for the International Emmy® Award-winning drama adaptation is now back in print! Learn about legendary vintages and affordable secrets while enjoying a page-turner that dives deep into the sensory worlds that await within wine bottles. When famed wine critic Kanzaki passes away, his will reveals that his fortune of a wine collection won’t simply be bequeathed to his only son, who in a snub to his father went to work sales at a beer company. To earn his inheritance, Shizuku must identify—in competition with a stellar young critic—twelve heaven-sent wines whose impressions the will describes in flowing terms… “Arguably the most influential wine publication for the past 20 years.” —Decanter Magazine
Yutaka Kanzaki, a wine critic whose reviews have enough clout to move the industry worldwide, has died—leaving behind a wine collection worth over two billion yen. Only the one who can name his favorite bottles, plus vintages, will inherit this dream of a cellar. It’s a battle between Yutaka’s biological son Shizuku and adopted child Issei to identify these “Twelve Apostles”—along with the very best wine in his collection, the so-called “Drops of God.”
The award-winning comic about wine that has been a hit not just all over Asia but also in France! Apple TV live-action drama series was recent winner of International Emmy Award! Yutaka Kanzaki, a wine critic whose reviews have enough clout to move the industry worldwide, has died—leaving behind a wine collection worth over two billion yen. Only the one who can name his favorite bottles, plus vintages, will inherit this dream of a cellar. It’s a battle between Yutaka’s biological son Shizuku and adopted child Issei to identify these “Twelve Apostles”—along with the very best wine in his collection, the so-called “Drops of God.”
Shizuku Kanzaki is blessed with superhuman wine tasting skills, along with the genius-level creativity to describe what he tastes. Now he’s on a quest to reach the loftiest peaks of his life’s work, but when Miyabi Shinohara, his friend and an apprentice sommelière, breaks a bottle of expensive wine, it’s up to him to find a replacement. The selection he finds teaches him all about the deep, powerful, and often star-crossed passions wine can hold inside…
Issei Tomine, up-and-coming wine critic and Shizuku’s bitter industry rival, has just trashed a French restaurant in his review—and Shizuku’s been asked to save the business from bankruptcy. With his assistant Miyabi, he tries to figure out why Tomine was so harsh on the place, only to rediscover the rich and beautiful harmonies wine and French cuisine can weave together!
The award-winning comic about wine that has been a hit not just all over Asia but also in France! Apple TV live-action drama series was recent winner of International Emmy Award! Yutaka Kanzaki, a wine critic whose reviews have enough clout to move the industry worldwide, has died—leaving behind a wine collection worth over two billion yen. Only the one who can name his favorite bottles, plus vintages, will inherit this dream of a cellar. It’s a battle between Yutaka’s biological son Shizuku and adopted child Issei to identify these “Twelve Apostles”—along with the very best wine in his collection, the so-called “Drops of God.”
The award-winning comic about wine that has been a hit not just all over Asia but also in France! Apple TV live-action drama series was recent winner of International Emmy Award! Now an Apple Original series Much-anticipated and now much-lauded stateside, the international bestseller continues as wine novice Shizuku takes on the scion of a retail chain, a mystery writer at odds with her difficult past, and last but not least, his arch-rival: genius taster Issei Tomine. “My favorite wine book of 2011… Pick up this first volume at your sleep’s peril. It’s a one-nighter, a wine tale that is equal parts coming-of-age, love and detective stories. Along its nervy way,it nonetheless plainly explains various wines, wine talk and the how-to of wine tasting. As a graphic novel, it gets across a lot more emotion and imagery than mere prose…You’ll be drunk with anticipation.” —The Chicago Tribune
Taiyo Beer, Shizuku’s employer, is debating whether to begin its expansion into wine distribution with French or Italian selections. The company holds an internal competition pitting Shizuku against his boss, Italian-wine diehard Honma, and soon he’s on a chase with Miyabi searching for French wine to compete against him. But on the day of the competition, the wines he selected with such confidence may lead him to an unexpected pitfall!
The competition between Shizuku Kanzaki and wine critic Issei Tomine begins, as they hear the description of the “First Apostle” left in Yutaka Kanzaki’s will. Issei already has an idea what this mystery wine could be, but Shizuku’s simply too inexperienced to venture a guess. Things start to look up when he comes across a painting at a gallery that seems to be a perfect match for the First Apostle description—but the artist unfortunately suffers from a severe case of amnesia…
The award-winning comic about wine that has been a hit not just all over Asia but also in France! Apple TV live-action drama series was recent winner of International Emmy Award! Yutaka Kanzaki, a wine critic whose reviews have enough clout to move the industry worldwide, has died—leaving behind a wine collection worth over two billion yen. Only the one who can name his favorite bottles, plus vintages, will inherit this dream of a cellar. It’s a battle between Yutaka’s biological son Shizuku and adopted child Issei to identify these "Twelve Apostles"—along with the very best wine in his collection, the so-called "Drops of God."
Chosuke Honma, the “Italian Monster,” first cultivated his love for the nation’s wine after his relationship with Frenchwoman Catherine Noella fell apart. Upon hearing of her marriage, Honma, burning as hot as the sun itself, distills three years’ worth of conflicted emotions into a single bottle of wine…
Taiyo Beer’s wine division has been asked to design the wine section for a new gourmet supermarket—but Takasugi, the manager, is interested in nothing but the very best (and very priciest) of wines. Shizuku, believing that wine’s meant to be more accessible than that, promises Takasugi that he’ll find some wallet-friendly wine that can outclass even the five greatest châteaux of France…but it proves to be like finding the proverbial needle in the haystack!
It’s the second round of Shizuku and Issei’s battle. Yutaka invoked the image of the Mona Lisa when describing the Second Apostle in his will, and the two of them have three weeks to identify the wine and its vintage. In order to cultivate his internal “thirst” for wine, Issei decides to go on a backpacking trip across the deserts of China—while Shizuku is asked by mystery writer Maiko Natsuyagi to investigate a label-less bottle of wine, sent to her with a threatening letter.
The wine division has a young new staffer--Ryusuke Kido, an avowed wine hater so prejudiced against the drink that he refuses to try it! How to get him to change his mind? In search of an answer, Shizuku travels to his father’s villa in Nagano, pursuing memories of his younger years. There, underneath the house, lies part of Yutaka Kanzaki’s two-billion-yen wine collection--memories of wine, and people, from the past...
The "Third Apostle," according to Yutaka Kanzaki’s will, has the power to evoke nostalgia for the past. Shizuku, sensing his decisive lack of wine experience, visits wine collector and film director Kurokawa in search of that kind of life-changing wine. He agrees to help, but only if Shizuku can convince film star Nanami Matsushita to see things his way... The third round begins with a deep look into the past!
After sampling a 1970 Château Pétrus, Shizuku feels that he’s enjoyed a taste of time itself—even as Issei recruits Loulan, a potentially powerful assistant, from the deserts of China. The two of them are confident in their picks for the Third Apostle—but Shizuku quickly realizes just how wrong he was! The competition reaches an unexpected conclusion as the two of them tackle their greatest challenge yet!
With the battle over the Third Apostle over, Shizuku Kanzaki and Issei Tomine return to their respective routines. One day, a Korean restaurateur asks Shizuku’s department for wines to match with his food -- but they discover that kimchi, the linchpin of Korean cuisine, clashes harshly with everything they throw at it. Believing in the infinite potential of wine, Shizuku is soon off to Seoul to discover the perfect mariage for these unfamiliar friends!
Taiyo Beer’s wine department has been asked to compose a wine list to pair with Korean cuisine -- and Shizuku Kanzaki, believing in wine’s potential, has traveled to Korea solo to search. The trail is cold at first, but after a very unexpected hint from his rival Issei Tomine, he soon finds a possible answer. But is there really a red wine out there that can hold up against the intense spice of Korean food?!
"The joys of life’s offerings / drinking up your love..." The Japanese poet Toson Shimazaki’s poem "First Love" provides the key to unlocking the Fourth Apostle, the latest stage in Shizuku’s battle. Coincidentally, he runs into an old acquaintance of his own -- and soon embarks on a quest for the wine that evokes a first love best of all. Meanwhile, Issei is on a lonely journey into his own past as well...
Right after the battle over the Fourth Apostle ends, Yutaka Kanzaki’s mansion in Karuizawa is victimized by theft.The stolen goods: Five bottles with a combined value of ten million yen! To get this irreplaceable wine back, Shizuku and Issei team up for the first time to solve the mystery. Who’s the culprit?!
The wine-aided detente between Shizuku and Issei doesn’t last long -- not when there’s a Fifth Apostle to fight over. This wine is themed after lofty mountains, and as Issei immediately risks his life to take action, Shizuku travels to Mt. Fuji for hints. There he meets Sayaka, a girl searching for the wine her close friend promised to share with her before vanishing on nearby Mt. Yari. Could this encounter lead Shizuku to the Fifth Apostle?
Before disappearing on Mt. Yari, a mountain photographer put his thoughts and feelings into a single bottle of wine -- one Shizuku feels could connect him to the Fifth Apostle. Confident, he bites the bullet and takes a trip to the Matterhorn in Europe...but Issei isn’t far behind him. What will the peak of this "demon mountain" reveal to the two of them?
At a chalet near Mt. Fuji, Shizuku and Issei square up for the final Fifth Apostle competition. Shizuku, guided by his friend and partner Andreas to the top of the Matterhorn, is convinced the wine he opened afterward is the Apostle. Issei, meanwhile, challenged the peak solo and vanished into a roaring blizzard. Will he or his rival manage to conquer this lofty challenge?
Taiyo Beer’s wine department has scored a booth at Tokyo’s massive Food & Wine Show. Shizuku and his co-workers opt to team up with a Chinese chain restaurant for the expo, and after a trial-and-error process, they decide Italian wines make for the best pairings. Spirits are running high, with a litany of exquisite mariages on offer for Day One of the event -- but the crowds seem less than impressed. Where did they go wrong? What are they missing?
In search of the Sixth Apostle -- compared in Yutaka’s will to a statue of the Maitreya Buddha -- Shizuku and Issei head for Japan’s old capital of Kyoto. Shizuku finds inspiration from Italian restauranteur Leonardo and a snippet of ancient poetry, while Issei contemplates Buddhist relics and his fractured relationship with his mother Honoka. But when the time comes to battle it out, which competitor will find true enlightenment?