▻ Drops of God
Elin McCoy in conversation with Sebastien Pradal, wine consultant on Drops of God
Episode Summary:-
Elin McCoy talks to Sebastien Pradal, the wine consultant to Apple TV’s “Drops of God,” which is based on a popular Japanese manga, Kami no Shizuku by Tadashi Agi. The plot follows Camille Léger and wine expert Issei Tomine competing to inherit a massive, priceless wine collection. Camille’s father pits his estranged daughter (Camille) against his protégé (Issei) to compete for the collection. This is the second series of the show, and Sebastien Pradal was asked by its producer to be its wine consultant.
Sebastien started his career as a sommelier and then went on to become an agent for several high-profile wineries, as well as opening his own restaurant in Paris, La Petite Régalade. The film’s director, Klaus Zimmerman, asked him to join his team seven years ago, when he had raised the money to produce “Drops of God.”
He describes how a friend introduced him to Zimmerman, as the director didn’t have a clue about wine and needed to find a consultant for the series. Sebastien collaborated on the script with the team, ensuring all the facts and details of the wines were correct. He discusses how he worked with the stars of the show, even showing them how to swirl the wines in a glass. The decision on which wines to show was his, and for Series One, he chose classic wines. “No wine in the series paid to be in it,” Sebastien tells Elin – they were wines he knew and loved, and were often served in his restaurants.
In the second series, he introduced some real issues in the wine world, including bio-dynamism and the issue of water shortages. He also expanded the range of wines in the series, choosing wines which were not as well-known. The locations were all chosen by him, except Georgia, which he believes was a brilliant choice. Elin and Sebastien discuss synesthesia, the neurological phenomenon where stimulation of the sense triggers automatic, involuntary experiences in a second, unrelated sense. It is Camille’s “super-power” in the series.
Sebastien believes the biggest compliment he can receive when people watch the series is to want to have a glass of wine. “It is an honourable beverage” he concludes.
Wines Featured in Drops of God Season Two:
France: Champagne Billecart-Salmon
|France: Champagne Pol Roger
Giorgia: Marani Ruispiri Giorgi Aladashvini
France: Sauternes Chateau d'Yquem
Mexico: Baja California, Dominio de las Abejas
Corsica: Clos Venturi “Chiesa Nera”
France: Hermitage Domaine Jean Louis Chave
France: Bourgogne, Domaine Marquis d'Angerville
France: Terrasse du Larzac Mas Jullien
France: Bourgogne, Domaine Roulot
Italy: Amarone Azienda Agricola Giuseppe Quintarelli
Italy: Cortona Azienda Agricola Stefano Amerighi
France: Saint-Joseph, Domaine Merlin
France: IGP Aveyron Domaine Montrozier «Calibre 12»
Greece: Tinos Island T-Oinos Winery
Argentina: Mendoza, Monasterio «PerSe»
France: Bourgogne, Domaine des Comtes Lafon
France: Volnay, Domaine Y. Clerget
England: Gusbourne Estate «Brut Sparkling»
USA: California, Santa Rita Hills Racine
France: Crozes Domaine Emmanuel Darnaud
New Zealand: Marlborough, Fromm Winery
France: Champagne, Jacques Selosse
France: Château Grillet
France: Bourgogne, Clos des Tart (cases seen)
France: Bourgogne, Domaine d’Eugenie (cases seen)
Running Order:-
-
0.00 – 22.45
“No wine paid to be in the series.” ”
– Sebastien Pradal’s career in wine.
– Meeting Klaus Zimmerman, the director.
– Working on Season One of “Drops of God”. -
22.46 – 01.00
– Working with the actors.
– The difference in choosing the wines for Season One and Season Two.
– Discussing synesthesia, Camille’s super-power.
Jane Anson discusses the extraordinary relationship between the USA and Bordeaux as the US begins to celebrate its 250th anniversary of independence.