Keisha Castle-Hughes, star of Caro’s earlier hit Whale Rider, is re-united with the director here for a loose adaptation of Elizabeth’s Knox’s award-winning novel about a peasant searching for the perfect vintage in 19th century France.
Jérémie Renier plays the central character, Sobran Jodeau, who starts the film in 1808, as a reaper working in a vineyard with ambitious aspirations.
Sobran is visited by an angel, Xas, who advises him on both his professional and personal life and promises to meet him on the same night every year.
As time goes on, Xas gives him support in his desire to become a vintner but having an angel on his side does not protect Sobran from the crueller injustices of life and he suffers personal bereavement as well as setbacks in his professional aims.
Eventually, however, his wines start to win fans and his life starts to change but the angel has not told him everything…