The year is 1976, and Napa Valley has yet to gain the reputation as one of world's best-known wine regions. Jim Barrett has sacrificed everything in life to realize his dream of creating the perfect Château Montelena. Yet despite the fact that Jim's Napa Valley vineyard has great potential, his son, Bo, doesn't seem to have much interest in the family business. Most days, Jim and Bo trade blows in their backyard boxing ring -- their attempts to knock a bit of sense into one another usually amounting to naught. Meanwhile, in Paris, British expatriate Steven Spurrier finds necessity dictating that he educate Parisians on the latest wines to come out of California. Steven owns the Académie du Vin, and is eager to travel to the United States in order to ensure that he has conducted his research properly. Little do Steven and Jim realize that they are about to revolutionize the wine industry while opening up a whole new world of possibilities for wine lovers everywhere.