Richebourg scene in episode 1 starts at 2m. money shot of the long decant at ~3:50… but stick around for Miyabi’s facemelt.

But if the devil is in the details, God must be in the drops because the larger story is still a fun romp. I just wouldn’t use it as a sole text to study for the MW exam…

RobinC & Bill Sweat – Definitely worth picking up a copy.

Eric – Yes, thanks book 4 is available now too (just updated post to reflect this). Interesting they are skipping ahead to Napa.

Cass – Really? That exact frame of him decanting? Funny coincidence since their are thousands of frames in the series.

Thanks, Izandra.

JKinder – yes, it’s reminiscent of the Txakoli pour! Great of you to flag those comparative tasting notes, which were actually helpful. Sometimes I found their descriptions overly florid to the point of not being actually useful (e.g. your waterfall is my spring meadow!)

John – Yes, I think the series would be great for TV. Will have to look for the Japanese version on youtube.

In Japan, wine sellers grab copies of the magazine as soon as it comes out on Thursdays, quickly showcasing a featured wine in their stores or on their Web sites. According to Enoteca, a large chain, men in their 30s to 50s tend to ask for wines from the magazine, especially those priced around $30.

The comic’s impact has been perhaps greatest in South Korea, where the Mont Perat and other wines like Emmanuel Rouget sold out after earning praise in its pages. On their first visit to South Korea last year, the Kibayashis were stunned to be greeted like stars. Television crews filmed their arrival at the Seoul airport and they were introduced to candidates during the presidential election.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/22/dining/22comic.html?pagewanted=all

There is just one moment in the third book I want to flag for anyone on the fence about this series. Both the hero and villain have purchased (coincidentally) a bottle each of Talbot. The villain has bought a bottle from a good year, our hero bought one from a bad year. The bad year was described as a performance by a local theater group, full of energy and excitement but clumsy and unpolished. The good year was described as a professional theater troupe, a polished performance showing years of training. If that isn’t one of the best descriptions of how vintage can affect wine, I would love to see the better one.