Premiering December 1
Who doesn’t want to enjoy country roads, symmetrical vineyards and grand estates? Sure, there’s a murder or two, but you can’t let that get in the way…
Blood of the Vine stories are based on blockbuster novels published by Fayard, written by Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen. The setup: Benjamin Lebel’s work as a famous enologist brings him into the lives of winemakers, wine sellers, vineyard owners and the landed gentry… all of whom have passions and failings that lure them into criminal (homicidal) action. And being nosey, Benjamin can’t keep from poking around, pitting him against the local police who never do the math as quickly as he does. Blood of the Vine episodes are the very definition of ‘cozy,’ an important descriptor in the world of mysteries. You never have to shield your eyes from graphic moments and the stories will not haunt you at night.
You will, however, be treated to amusing characters, sparkling dialogue and a whodunit puzzler in France’s incomparable wine country.
Pierre Arditi and the delightful, ageless ensemble (Catherine Demaiffe, Yohan Denaive and Claire Nebout) have worked on this series since 2011. Talk about a show with legs! Blood of the Vine is one of the grande dames of French TV – and sadly, this is reported as the final season. Wonder if there could be a spinoff somehow…
* Due to distribution limitations, this program is only available to stream within the U.S.
