Blood of the Vine: Season 1

Among the army of small-screen detectives with unusual deductive powers, Benjamin Lebel is certainly one of the most peculiar. Lebel is a famous oenologist who demonstrates an ability to sniff out not only the provenance of the rarest vintages but also the culprits behind mysterious deaths in the French wine country. As played by Pierre Arditi, he's a caustic, mischievous figure with plenty of affairs in his past and a habit of bantering with police inspectors (who seek him for expert assistance) and with his young aides, who accompany Lebel on forays to collect information for the guides he writes for enthusiasts—endeavors that invariably lead to new cases to solve. Based on novels by Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen, the scripts for this quartet of episodes tend to pile up complications and coincidences; but the plots are generally intriguing (the first evolves into a revenge tale dating back to World War II, the second concerns a feud within a family of vintners, the third starts with the suspicious death of the fiancé of Lebel's daughter, and the fourth investigates the contamination of the wine cellar of his former assistant). And the cast is excellent, both the regulars and guest stars who include Marisa Berenson and Judith Magre. Compiling all four episodes from 2011–12, this set is recommended. [Note: Blood of the Vine: Season 2 is also newly available.] (F. Swietek)