Are you closed?
Yes, we are.
We just...
Akie?
It's been so long, Shiro-san.
What brings you here?
This bar was featured in a magazine article, no?
You look so much more mature with that mustache,
but you haven't changed at all.
You don't say.
What's wrong?
I'm just so happy. I finally got to see you again.
It's been 27 years.
I still remember the day we met.
That concert on a hot summer day, thirty years ago...
We met and fell in love.
We were both young then.
I went to the same school as you because I wanted to be with you.
We lived together...
You were a good student,
but I started slacking off.
I dropped out and took work as a live-in bartender.
So why didn't you break up with me?
Because I loved you. Why else?
So even on that day, I actually...
France?
Yes.
I want to go and learn about wine from the masters.
Akie, let's go together!
We can find our dream together.
I... got a job here.
I see...
Then you won't be needing this.
A plane ticket?
Take it.
You can throw it away if you don't want to come.
It was crazy to even ask, wasn't it?
A college dropout bartender wanted you to come to France with him.
I loved you, but...
I just couldn't do it.
Still, I never threw this away.
I got divorced, you know.
It was a normal, happy household.
But once our child moved out and it was just me and my husband,
we didn't have much to talk about.
The next thing I knew, he'd gotten a mistress and stopped coming home.
So we divorced.
And now I've got nothing left.
I'm totally empty.
You're amazing, Shiro.
You have this wonderful bar...
I wonder what your life's been like.
I haven't had the big success you're thinking.
I've had some girlfriends. We broke up. Now I'm alone.
Shiro...
But my dream came true.
Wine was my dream.
A life where I could experience and live alongside it.
Have another on the house, Akie.
It's delicious.
Mild and sweet, with a slight hint of bitterness and sadness.
But it's like something I used to know well...
It has a kindness that I want in my life forever.
A 2001 Château Puygueraud.
They took land that was once arid ground and spent thirty years
bringing it back to life by growing different crops there.
It took another seven years to finally plant grapes and make their first wine.
It took a long time, hmm?
It did.
But perhaps it was all just lengthy preparation for making the finest wine.
Like life, wouldn't you say?
Our fields have finally come together after a long, long period of preparation.
To our reunion after thirty years.
Cheers.
A reunion?
Some classmates of mine from middle school called me.
Twin brothers.
Their family has a wine business in the countryside.
They're organizing an event and I'll be helping,
so I was thinking we'd want some wine.
Yeah, of course.
So what kind do you think would be good?
For a reunion,
you want something you can drink lots of without worrying about the price.
But one of them is super rich now!
Their dad hit it big, and he transferred to this expensive private school...
What's he like?
He was kind and a little shy...
I'm transferring schools.
This isn't much, but please take it,
Shinohara-san.
Thank you.
I'll always treasure it.
Tch, then make him pay for the pricey stuff.
Everyone, looks like we got ourselves a big contract!
Really?
Conference Room
I'm Kanzaki of Taiyo Beer's wine division.
And I'm Shinohara Miyabi, a consultant.
Shinohara? Shinohara Miyabi from Asakusa Shitamachi Middle School?
T-Takasugi-kun?!
I knew it.
It's been a while.
You know him?
Y-Yeah.
He's who I was just talking about, the guy whose family made it rich.
What a surprise to see you here.
I'm glad I came.
Section Chief, show them the products on our wine list.
Division Chief Takasugi,
I thought the plan was for us to advise you on products to sell.
No, the new supermarket we're opening
will deal in only the finest food and drink.
Lafite, Margaux, Latour, Haut-Brion, Mouton...
We'll only sell the most famous, expensive wines from the five great chateaux.
So you needn't trouble yourselves.
We'd just like you to handle the import and delivery.
What the heck?
Division Chief Takasugi, if I may...
You don't seem particularly knowledgeable about wine.
What?
The famous, expensive wines that everyone knows aren't necessarily the best.
If the brand's famous and expensive, isn't that proof it's the best?
Price and fame don't automatically equal quality.
Shouldn't what decides the best wine be how beloved it is by consumers?
I'm sorry, but all wines are made with similar methods and similar grapes.
It's just alcohol.
But the idea that there's a best is what makes some of them
cost hundreds of thousands of yen.
Margaux is the most famous expensive wine
because of successful brand positioning.
Many people want to get their hands on it.
And I'm sure that's what will make our business successful.
So, Division Chief Kawarage,
please make the arrangements to deliver the wines on this list.
Sir, this isn't our division's job!
I know, but we can't miss out on such a big contract.
Division Chief Takasugi.
Why don't we do a taste test
between the wines we choose and the luxury wines you mentioned?
Try them for yourselves and decide if the famous wines are really the best.
Shinohara-san, I just said...
Please.
Okay. We're old friends, so I'll play along.
But it's not going to change my mind.
If you still insist...
That's fine.
Miyabi-chan...
Our grand opening is soon, though.
I don't know if we have time...
I'm aware.
We're on a tight schedule.
If you have something to rival Margaux, the ultimate luxury brand, I'll drink it.
However...
If I try the wine Shinohara-san proposes and it's nowhere near as good as Margaux,
I'd like Shinohara-san to be the wine consultant for our new store.
W-Wait, she's an important member of our team here.
If you're not willing to agree, then this isn't worth my time.
Of course, I'll make sure she's paid more than she is here.
It's a good deal, right?
But this is...
Very well.
Sir!
If you feel the wine we choose moves you more,
then you'll allow us to pick your wine list, yes?
So be it.
For a proper taste test, we'll ask you to do it blind,
that is, without knowing which brand you're drinking.
That's fine.
We'll hold the taste test in three days.
Wine Division
What's your plan, Kanzaki?
There aren't many comparable vintages that are superior to a Margaux.
I'm sorry. I should've kept my mouth shut.
What's gotten into you, Miyabi-chan?
You should've just ignored that guy.
Yeah! We don't need to go that far just to sell some wine!
But...
It made me sad.
He was my first love, you know?
He wasn't always like this...
Back when I gave him a present in return for what he gave me, it made him so happy.
I want him to know that wine isn't something you drink because of branding.
It's nothing so sad...
Welp, then we just gotta do this, right?
Thank you.
Now let's get to work!
But how did Takasugi-kun end up this way?
Wine Specialty Shop
This is the wine brothers' shop?
Yup. I think they'll be a big help to us.
Hey, Miyabi-chan!
Hello, Shinohara-san.
Sorry for calling you out of the blue.
You can count on me, Miyabi-chan!
I'm so happy you came to us!
What are you talking about, Kenya?
Shinohara-san came to talk to me. Isn't that right?
I'm the one who answered the phone.
There's nothing for you to do here, Junya.
What?
Now, now...
I need both of your help today!
I see. We know all about Margaux.
There're tons of wines cheaper and better-tasting than Margaux.
Only if you include stuff that hardcore winos drink.
From what you said, Takasugi doesn't seem like he knows that much about wine.
Yeah.
It's not like he's looking for something obscure.
He wants something so good that anybody who drinks it will love it.
Most Margaux vintages are excellent enough to satisfy people.
In terms of straightforward deliciousness, yeah.
If you want something better...
Um, so... what are the five great chateaux, anyway?
Kanzaki-san, don't tell me...
I mean, I've had Mouton.
I know the names, at least.
I'm amazed you told Takasugi that he didn't know much about wine.
Could you two give us a little sip of the five great chateaux?
Right now, I don't know anything but Mouton.
But some of them go for 50,000 yen a bottle!
Aw, come on.
Please.
I can explain things to him, but experiencing it is totally different.
We'll pay you back in installments.
W-Well, we can at least offer you wholesale prices.
But this won't be cheap.
I'll pay. How much are we talking?
You're going to foot the bill, Senpai?
I'm not doing it for you!
I just don't like the idea of losing to that jerk.
Incredible!
I've never seen such a fancy lineup!
S-Signorina, now's not the time to be getting excited.
Okay, I've finished decanting them all.
We'll start with the one you've already had, a Château Mouton Rothschild.
I've had the '82 and the 2000.
Both of them were incredible.
Yes, this powerful aroma is drawing me in...
This wine always reminds me of the grape fields in 1982.
Understand now, Kanzaki?
The five great chateaux transport you to the world of wine on the first sip.
And more than anything, they make you want another glass!
All to see what world it'll reveal!
Next up is Château Haut-Brion.
Get ready for it.
Next up, Château Latour.
Next, Château Lafite Rothschild.
Shizuku-san?
I'm speechless.
I had no idea wine like this existed.
There's still one more to go.
Château Margaux.
Exactly what Takasugi specified for the taste test.
This is one of the most popular wines in Japan.
Its quality is always amazing,
and it's always expensive and hard to come by.
Beautiful...
What secrets do you hold?
You're... Cleopatra?
The greatest of extravagance,
but still dignified and noble...
The height of elegance.
Jeez...
I can understand why Japan adores Château Margaux so much.
Is there really a cheaper wine to rival this?
Something that could change Takasugi's mind?
It's tough not being able to just enjoy such wonderful wine.
But I understand now...
This quality is more than worth the price.
I see.
Dad!
Mr. Ishikawa!
You doin' good, Miyabi-chan?
Yeah. This is my coworker Kanzaki Shizuku-san.
Thank you for having me. I'm Kanzaki with Taiyo Beer's wine division.
Kanzaki?
Shizuku-san is the son of wine critic Kanzaki Yutaka-sensei.
Oh, that explains it.
You're up to something interesting.
This wine has something beyond taste going for it.
Indeed. That's why Margaux has been considered top-quality wine
for a century and a half.
But that's not all!
Wine is created by heaven, earth, and man.
Here! This one's on the house.
This wine... is probably pretty old.
It's faint.
Like I've wandered into a castle that's been shut for a long time.
It's probably past its peak.
Wine from a rough vintage or that's stored improperly sometimes has nuance like this.
Then it's probably not that good.
This is...
This castle was once full of life.
But nobody lives here now.
No one visits.
Let me try it.
Yeah, this is past its peak.
Perhaps it was a cheap Bordeaux that wasn't meant to be kept for a long time.
Cheap?
No, that's not right.
What?
It may not be good, but it's still a castle.
D-Did I say something wrong?
The opposite, Kanzaki-kun!
You're an excellent taster.
A Lafite? Impossible!
A top-quality Lafite, past its peak after just twenty years?
Sure, 1984 was an "off" vintage because of the bad weather...
This wine was not graced by heaven,
nor by the wisdom and effort of man to overcome that lack.
So even though it's graced by the land of a great chateau,
it became a short-lived wine.
I see.
Are you suggesting that we chose an average off-vintage Margaux,
and then a quality wine from the same year?
No, if that's an off vintage, the other chateaux had bad weather too, right?
Would Takasugi be satisfied with that kind of quality?
That's true. If both wines are off, neither will be particularly good.
We might just be making him drink wine that isn't good at all.
It'll only make him more certain the high-priced ones are due to branding.
We need to make him understand how wonderful the wine itself can be.
Yes.
He won't change his mind unless we come up with something that will really
show him how wrong he is.
So we need a Margaux from a decent vintage
that's still lacking for heaven's, earth's, or man's influence,
as well as a success by a lesser-known chateau from the same year, right?
We'll have to sample a bunch of vintages to find a middling Margaux, too.
But is that even...
Hey, you said you know all about Margaux, right?
J-Just because I'm familiar with it doesn't mean I've had it all...
I know someone with both the knowledge and experience.
I'll go pay him a visit.
Wait, I'll come with you!
No, I'll go alone.
It's better that way.
I see.
I understand what you're trying to do.
But did you think I'd simply give you the answer about a great chateau
that had a great year that turned into a middling wine?
I had a feeling you wouldn't.
Of course.
Well, I figured it was a long-shot from the start.
See you.
Wait.
I'll bring us some wine.
Here you are.
These are both Château Margaux.
One is from 1970, the other 1978.
Both of them were great years.
If you sample them both and can answer my riddle,
I'll provide you with the Margaux you're looking for.