In 1975 Michael Ross arrives in southeastern Washington to visit a former college roommate. Struck by what he feels are ideal wine grape growing conditions, he's puzzled that no industry exists. With the help of a banker, a tee-totaling CPA, and a plant scientist who's passionate about the potential for a wine industry, Michael plants a vineyard in the Watilla Valley. For the next decade he struggles to establish a modest winery, meeting along the way the beautiful, blonde, blue-eyed Jancy Phillips with whom he falls in love. Michael's passion is to craft truly exceptional wines using his previous winemaking experience, especially his internship in the famous northern Rhone Valley of France. But can a winemaker create such a thing as a perfect wine? Michael learns just how fickle fate can be as he strives to build not only his own business, but an entire industry from scratch, with the help of the always alluring Jancy and the irresistible Maggie O'Higgins.