I have so mixed feelings about this episode. I was of course making the comments in the past like about every other episode. I know this one is a favourite among fans, and it is even (as I know) the favourite of Peter Falk himself. It is a big pleasure watching it indeed (although years ago, when I was watching it, I hated Carsini, and Donald Pleasance's performance), but it has so many plot holes and moments that I feel not comfortable with, that I for sure can not say it is one of my best episodes. I have still so many questions that have never been answered here that it always disturbes my watching of this one. So here, again, my doubts and comments (probably also some new ones):

1. One of the connoisseurs is the same g** who is Columbo's boss in the Candidate For Crime (garage scene). Took me long time to notice that
2. One of those g**'s name is “Falcon”. Sounds funny to me – is it a normal, regular name? Or some nickname? Or what? :P
3. Carsini goes quite far with insulting Ric's mother
4. Kind of risky, leaving Ric still alive in his office, while bringing “superb Claret” to the wine connoisseurs
5. I think everything has been said here about this huge plot hole regarding air conditioning. This whole murder-alibi plan has so many holes in it, that I just can't stand it... Turning off to air contitioner? There was a lot of air for weeks, putting the diving suit on a dead body? Impossible. Leaving Carsini still alive knowing that he will try to free himself? And doing it in the cellar among his beloved wine collection? Almost all his wine bottles are likely to be ruined by Ric.. and so many other questions without answer...
6. The aircontitioning itself makes no sense for me. Carsini just turns that off. He knows it will be turned off for the whole next week, and he seems not to foreseeing any ****er for his wine because of that. So it looks like in “normal” cir***stances and conditions, this air conditioning is completely useless right? So why he keeps it turned on everyday in the first place? Nothing makes sense to me here
7. After leaving Ric on the ground – he closes this main thick door (which is a separate thing for my next comment), then he goes to something which appears to be some “backdoor exit”. This backdoor exit is some regulat wooden door which for sure is not airtight so why bothering having all this huge airtight thick door, while the other door completely ruins the whole idea?
8. Maneuvering the cars out/into garage – such an obvious (and boring) time filler...
9. Joan Stacey (would-be wife) seems to be very nice person
10. “I went up to Missing Persons, and there is no one there”

11. “Three times? I guess his feet are warm enough by now” - another good one
12. Every single time we see Columbo in his police office – it looks completely different. I can't remember all the episodes now but let's take Negative Reaction, Now You See Him, A Trace Of Murder
13. The friends of Ric (dancing scene next to the lake) are one of my favourite secondary characters :)
14. That ALWAYS bothers me in ALL types of movies where there is any murder – the perpetrator just continues his/her worok, everyday's routine as usual, and say “we continue, that is what a victim would want to”. The same was for example in Dagger Of The Mind, (“we'll put on a play – that's what Sir Roger would want to”)... Yeah... Really? :P
15. I think the scene with the old cleaning Italian man is kind of underestimated, Columbo asks him about Ric - “Ric would want you to work,was he this kind of man?”, and the old g** anwers “no, no”. And the way he says it – in my opinion gives Columbo a first huge clue that Adrian is the murderer. I mean he had his su****ions before, but that moment nails it
16. Columbo meets his adversary quite late here (40th minute of episode). I am wondering if this episode holds the record in this respect? I have to say I was never comparing all the episodes in that matter, but for sure this one is on the top, and probably wins the competition
17. When Carsini talks to some Jerry g** (a second before he meets Columbo for the first time) he's wearing some strange glasses. He looks a little like a Hugsy (Joey Tribbiani's “friend” in Friends series) :P
18. Again – as I will try to notice that from now on – we are not visiting Carsini's living place – house, apartment, whatever. But maybe he loved his winery so much that he has also been living in it :P
19. I enjoy the first conversation between Columbo and Carsini in his office very much. It's a lot of fun, laughing, good acting from both of them. I always analyse their acting here, for example I like very much how Columbo looks at Carsini when he decants a wine, especially after Carsini says “one mistake now could be disaster”, loot at Columbo's reaction at that moment
20. When this conversation comes to an end – Columbo is standing up and has some headrush and says “I didn't realize I drank that much”. What? He drank maybe one sip of wine only
21. Do you think Columbo's story about his father being a tail gunner on a beer truck is true? somehow I can not imagine anyone from Columbo's family doing this kind of activities :P
22. Just mine hesitation – when Columbo interviews this Falcon g** and his friend (his name is not given but somehow I keep liking this g** very much for no reason) – he asks if they were all the time with Carsini. Falcon say “yes”. Then the other g** says “there was one time then he got that incredible bottle of Claret”. Then Falcon immediately reminds that ti himself and agrees. Was he faking? Trying to cover Carsini? I don't think so because he has no reason – for sure he doesn't suspect Carsini of murdering his brother. But then – how is that possible that he forgot Carsini leaving? It was really long time when Carsini was absent
23. The door... Carsini says - “nobody could get trapped in here, the door lock from the outside only”. Makes no sense for 2 reasons: if “nobody could get trapped in there” then it was extremely risky to leave Ric there, still alive, with the door that easily can be open from the inside. And he didn't lock them from outside. But let's suppose that he locked it somehow (and we don't see that), then the sentence “nobody could get trapped here” makes no sense – because then Ric WAS actually trapped there
24. We, as a fans know that Columbo took the bottle of wine from the basement. Knowing that you observe Columbo while he's leaving the vault. No way that he kept a bottle with him. Besides – how the heck did he know which bottle to take – which one will be the proper one for their dinner later on? And also – he couldn't have known that the trick will work, he douldn't have even known if the wine was overheated enough. So in other words – he just stole a very expensive, unique wine, which he opened (in restaurant) without the owner's permission!
25. When Columbo visits Karen, and she tells him she saw Ric arriving and leaving the winery 15 minutes later, Columbo says “that does it, I am closin' up this case”. Of course Columbo has his hidden plan. But from the Karen's point of view it's kind of strange. What she says proves only that Ric is not guilty, but it shouldn't mean that the whole case is closed because of this
26. Following this path: again it is suspisious, Columbo calling Carsini and apologises to him. He has never even told Carsini that he is a suspect! And now he is calling? Apologising? Inviting him for expensive dinner? It smells a mile away and both Carsini and Karen didn't suspect anything? Karen later on says “I still wish we weren't having a dinner with this man. He still suspects you of killing your brother”, so she should have foreseen Columbo's game
27. What is the exact point of Carsini suspending the formalities and make Karen call him Adrian? I can't see any reasonable explanation
28. The restaurant scene.. ahh.. I know that for many Columbo fans it is a masterpiece, but to be completely honest – I never liked it also for many reasons... First of all – how Columbo did arrange it? Do the all waiters and owners know about this action? Are they prepared? Do the people around know? Are they part of the game? Or regular customers? Does wine steward know? Is everything perfectly planned that he is surprised by Columbo's request for this particular wine? I would say – YES. But then after they are leaving restaurant, BOTH waiter and Maitre D (Vito Scotti) seem to be VERY surprised about everything that happened moment ago. And they taste this wine to check themself. I feel very sorry for them. And then – if they knew that everything is staged by Columbo – why do they act like this BEFORE Carsini arrives? Vito Scotti acts as a regular restaurant service, when Columbo asks him for a wine steward. So on that scene it looks like nobody knows about this action. Also – who actually paid for that dinner? Columbo himself couldn't afford it of course. Does his management or bosses paid for it? Did they let Columbo play this game? Also Carsini is so rude in this restaurant, I really hate this moment when he says about liquid filth. With no respect to the waiters at all. Also it was for sure uncomfortable for other customers, if they actually were the real customers (not to mention making a bad advertisement to this restaurant by his action, which may have bad consequences for restaurant). A lot of questions without answer here for me. So to sum up, I always have unpleasant feeling throughout the whole restaurant scene
29. I am curious what Karen's further fate was (job-wise) :)
30. When Carsini realised that his wine was overheated – was he still hoping that he will not be accused for murder? If yes – it was a stupid movement to throw away all the wine – for Columbo it would be very su****ious – how come all the wine is now gone? Why? But maybe Carsini just believed Columbo when he said “I don't think we'll be seeing one another again”