Better Call Saul season 6, episode 9 features an out-of-place wine bar scene starring Gus Fring, but why does the character abruptly leave?

Summary

• Gus left the wine bar because the taste of the wine reminded him of the bloody nature of his work, making him realize pursuing romance with David is impossible.
• The wine bar scene in Better Call Saul supports the theory that Gus did not actually have children and was only pretending to have a family for Walter White's benefit.
• Walking away from David shows that Gus believes personal connections are a weakness that he cannot afford as a kingpin, confirming his ruthless nature in both Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad.

The answer to why did Gus leave the wine bar in Better Call Saul is another glimpse into his complex character. In season 6's "Fun & Games" episode, the storm is finally over for Gustavo Fring. Having dispatched Lalo Salamanca the episode prior, Gus' victory is cemented when a meeting with Don Eladio, Juan Bolsa and Hector Salamanca sees the big boss decree Peruvians responsible for Lalo's death, putting Fring fully in the clear. Feeling the cause for celebration, Gus visits a favorite wine bar he apparently hasn't frequented for some time (obviously) and orders a glass of red from Brett behind the bar.

Better Call Saul soon reveals the real reason Gus enjoys this particular bar is David - an employee and wine aficionado he clearly holds a candle for with Better Call Saul all but confirming Gus is gay. Speaking with David, Gus looks happier and more relaxed than viewers have ever seen him. However, Gus takes a sip of his La Landonne and abruptly leaves without telling David. There's no pressing emergency, no sudden danger, no reason whatsoever for Gus to be anywhere else. Yet this is the final moment Gus Fring has on Better Call Saul and likely the last time fans will ever see him so the choice for Gus to leave seems like an important one.

Gus Left The Bar Because Of His Bloody Work

So why did Gus leave the wine bar? The answer lies in the wine itself - the Rene Rostaing La Landonne David pours especially for Gus. Describing the flavor palette, David says: "Do you get that meaty... its almost bloody flavor? The soil is all iron oxide and manganese." After David leaves, Gus takes another sip, and that's when his demeanor becomes uncomfortable. Gus tasted the wine's bloody flavor and was reminded of his bloody line of work.

The iron-tinged booze gives Gus a stinging wake-up call that pursuing romance with someone like David is impossible for a million different reasons. Even if a lover accepted the fact that Gus kills people and Gus could keep him under wraps (even more unlikely), the Chicken Man knows all too well that personal connections are a dangerous weakness in his industry. All of these thoughts rush through Gus' mind as he sips that bold glass of red, and he decides to stop torturing himself by flirting with a future he can't have.

Better Call Saul's Wine Bar Scene Supports A Breaking Bad Theory

The answer to why did Gus leave the wine bar highlights future elements of the character. In Breaking Bad season 3, Gus invites Walter White for dinner at his home. Children's toys can be spotted in the background, and Gus even complains about kids not enjoying his Chilean food, telling Walt: "You know how that is..." Since Gus' children are never physically seen or mentioned in any other context, many Breaking Bad viewers have assumed Gus was merely exploiting Walter White's family-man nature by pretending to have a family of his own. Better Call Saul already strengthened that theory by proving Gus definitively does not have children a mere 4 years before the events of Breaking Bad.

Walking away from David during Better Call Saul season 6's wine bar sequence and rejecting the possibility of forging a personal connection all but confirms Gus' "children" were invented especially for Walter White's benefit. "Fun & Games" shows Gus realizing relationships are a weakness would-be kingpins cannot afford, and that attitude fits far better with his ruthless and calculating characterization in Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad. While it's possible that Gus and David (or another partner) will get together during the gap between shows and have a few kids, everything in Better Call Saul suggests Gus lied to Walt and remained alone until the very end.

Related Topics About The Authors

Colin McCormick is a Senior Writer with Screen Rant and has been a proud member of the team since 2019. In addition to his work as Screen Rant, Colin is also a writer of News, Feature and Review pieces at Game Rant. Colin has had a long passion and obsession with movies going back to the first time he saw The Lion King in theaters. Along with movies, Colin stays up-to-date on the latest must-see TV shows. While he loves to find interesting projects in any kind of genre, he has a special movie of crime stories that are infused with a little dark humor much like the work of his favorite author, Elmore Leonard.

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