The Drops of God authors reveal their dream wine

The Drops of God authors Shin and Yuko Kibayashi are credited with creating a culture of fine wine appreciation among the young in East Asia – but what label started their love of wine?

Yuko and Shin Kibayashi

During an interview with the drinks business at Vinexpo Hong Kong in May, the Kibayashis said that it was red Burgundy that instigated their passion for wine, after years of drinking saké and beer.

And the exact bottle that started it all was… a 1985 Echézeaux from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, which they drank together at the end of the 90s.

Shin Kibyashi told db: “When I was writing I used to drink different types of saké and beer, and sometimes Japanese wine, but it was only when I tried this wine [the DRC Echézeaux] that I felt a big impact.”

Continuing, he said, “It was like opening the door to a new journey, and then I started to learn more about the culture and history of wine.”

The manga series was started in November 2004, and ran for almost 10 years, producing 44 volumes, as well as a TV adaptation in Japan.

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echézeaux 1985 has an average retail selling price of £1,232, without tax

The story follows Shizuku Kanzaki, the son of a recently deceased wine critic, who competes against his father’s adopted son to take ownership of an incredible collection of wines.

These labels, mostly the great wines of Europe, have been amassed by the critic over the past 30 years, and Shizuku – who has no interest in wine (he works for a brewer) – must race to correctly identify 12 wines, known as the 12 Apostles, and one final wine, The Drops of God wine, ahead of his adopted brother, who is armed with far superior knowledge – he is a sommelier.

Not surprisingly, Burgundy features heavily in the Japanese comic series, and three of the the 12 Apostles are from the region.

However, the Echezeaux that features in the Drops of God isn’t from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, but Robert Sirugue, and comes from the neighbouring Grands Echezeaux, hailing from the exceptional 2002 vintage.

The Drops of God manga ran from 2004 to 2014 and has been translated into five languages, including English and French

When asked if the Kibayahis have ever visited the vineyards of Echezeaux, they said that they had walked through the appellation, but added that had not visited the cellars of the wine which launched their love for the product.

Indeed, they added that it would be their “dream” to visit the winery of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.

Today, the 1985 Echézeaux from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti has an average retail selling price of £1,232 without tax, according to Wine Searcher. 

Click here to see a list of the 12 wines that featured in The Drops of God. A full interview with the Kibayashis will appear in the July issue of The Drinks Business.