Daniel Appleby, expert supermarket wine-taster,
visits Monsieur Colbert, a Bordeaux family vineyard proprietor. Appleby, impressed with the quality of Colbert’s wine, offers him a derisory deal involving the supermarket taking control of production. Colbert, desperate for money, reluctantly agrees. On the way home, Appleby is involved in an accident; a blow to the head robs him of his sense of smell, restricting
his sense of taste to the basic flavours of salt, sweet and bitter. He dare not admit his handicap to his boss, Justin, and arranges to postpone a televised wine tasting so Colbert himself can attend. Appleby admits his disability to Colbert and enlists his help. Colbert
is to taste his wine first, then Appleby will taste and pronounce on the wine at a signal from Colbert. At the tasting, Appleby lavishly praises the wine. The wine is offered to the guests who spit it out in disgust – it is red wine vinegar! Colbert has taken revenge by exposing Appleby and ruining his reputation.