I always liked this episode, everytime I watch, I enjoy it
- how did Paul Gerard know that Vittorio is going to drink that wine anyway? afeter they met
- "what makes you think that Vittorio was in trouble? Mainly because he was murdered sir, the two, trouble and murder seem to go together" <-- always loved that line
- the Italian speaking with Mario seems not natural for Columbo
- as many of you said here before, I am also surprised why the other restaurant owners never provide Columbo with any help, they had a great chance to do it!
- I regret that from the beginning of my posts about each episode, I didn't mention Mike Lally, I see him in EVERY episode and that is a good fun to recognize him again each time (in this one for example he is helping with food shoping)
- Columbo has a strange habbit to interrupt funerals
- Columbo didn't eat his fortune cookie :P
- I don't understand one thing. Columbo says the murderer switched the wine openers just after Albert changed the cartridge. But if that happened, the lab would have found traces of poison in it, which they never did
- I like the line when Columbo says that he respects his talent but he doesn't like anything else about him
- do you thing Irene de Milo was about to be arrested?

I also have mixed feelings about his scene with Mario the waiter. It's entertaining, but I don't get the shouting that Columbo does. He doesn't even shout during his very few angry scenes, like the ones with Milo Janus and Dr. Mayfield! So doing that with Mario just because Mario's talking too excitedly seems a little strange.

I think Columbo is doing it for effect: when he's talking to Mario he already knows that Paul Gerard is the murderer. And since Gerard can't speak Italian, Columbo is sort of play-acting with Mario, asking him regular questions but seeming like he's playing "bad cop." All to make it seem like he DOESN'T really suspect Gerard, of course. That's always been my reading, anyway!

you are probably right! I could explain it in this way too

Another of my favorite episodes.

- The Wine: I think the point of putting the poison in the opener was to ensure that regardless of which wine Vittorio drank, he would be poisoned. Gerard suggested a cabernet, which Vittorio rejected in favor of a merlot, adding further credence to Gerard's alibi (not that there would be much way to collaborate it with Vittorio dead). I'm sure, having dined many times with Vittorio, Gerard knew he would have some kind of wine with the dinner.

- Mario character: The scene at the funeral drives me crazy, the way he stares askew while Columbo is watching the check being passed along.

Mario is such a broad Italian character, I wonder whether that was some inside joke, since the Alda's are Italian-American.