8 - The Silky Widows | Jean-Pierre Alaux, Noël Balen

Coming from a wealthy family of silk merchants in Lyon, the flamboyant Alice de Mareuyls finds herself at the head of a Champagne estate whose future seems uncertain. By seeking the help of the famous oenologist Benjamin Cooker, this strong-willed woman aims to further establish her authority over a stepdaughter whose common origins she despises. Poisonous or sweet-talking, ambitious or hard-working, these widows with a champagne-making method watch each other, provoke each other, and confront each other under the sparkling gaze of the young Virgile Lanssien, who has come to lend a helping hand in this delicate mission. The two Bordeaux experts set up camp on the lands of Ay and try to create an exceptional vintage compromised by poor weather conditions, hasty harvesting, and difficult blends. Will they manage to honor this vintage supposedly doomed to be forgotten? The conflict between the two widows takes an unprecedented turn when Benjamin Cooker, to his great surprise, becomes the target of a manipulation that could well tarnish his reputation.