An exciting meal has been ruined
by the presence of this liquid filth.
Are you blowing the money?
I'm just happy and in report me to myself buried this gun for hire?
Yeah, well, first your mother.
Why were you assigned to the case?
I mean, you're in homicide, aren't you?
I just go where they tell me to.
Of course, the first thing that I want is a cold beer.
You really are.
I want a lieutenant.
Titian would have gone
mad trying to make so beautiful a red.
And it would have failed dismally, and the attempt
color like this was born
100 years ago in Italy suffered through decades of the Peamount.
The winter survived a steerage ocean voyage to America
and lived to bloom afresh under the rich Californian sun.
Drink.
Gentlemen.
It tastes as good as it looks.
It is everything you said had read
such a such a delicate aftertaste.
How are you bottling up for sale?
Oh no.
We only press ten cases a year.
That's as much as I can do to stop myself from drinking the entire
crop.
A shame.
I know a great many people who would pay a lot of money for it.
The cost would be prohibitive.
I'd rather sell it to my friends and watch their faces
than sell it to some Texan bumpkin who'll stick it in the freezer
and bring it out with a homemade chili.
I'm from Texas.
Yes, but you my idea of
Falcon are a connoisseur.
Relax, gentlemen.
Help yourselves to a slice of cheese there with you in a moment.
I have a superb claret briefing in my office.
Why do you think he's our man?
Yes, definitely.
I can't think of anyone who has done
more for the wine business than Adrian causing.
That is settled.
I thought should be here,
only a fanatic works on Sunday.
Oh, my dear little brother.
Would you care for a sip of the wine that made Corzine famous?
I'd rather have some wine that made Corzine rich.
Oh, I see.
We're going to have to listen to the same tired old heroin.
Adrian,
I need some money.
You know, Rick, you are so remarkably gauche.
It pains me to feel we have the same blood coursing through our veins.
I'm getting married.
Congratulations.
Who is it this time a waitress or a topless dancer?
She happens to be a very nice girl.
All your wives were.
She's waiting for me at the casserole.
You know, in a book where I'm
getting married tomorrow, I get my bags and my scuba gear in the car.
But but I'm embarrassed.
I don't have the money for airfare.
You don't have the money for the affair.
We'll discuss this later.
You know, Adrian.
Papa gave you the cash,
but he gave me this property.
Are you blown the money?
I've let you run this place because I thought, well, maybe
you can make a go of it.
But Nana, you just like he was,
our father was a good man.
I to Italian.
He provided the wine.
My mother was English.
She provided the breeding.
Your mother, on the other hand, appears to have been responsible
for all the causes side of your nature, how overlook that remark?
You would be wise to do exactly that.
No, I'm in rather a hurry.
I have three gentlemen in the tasting room
who are about to make me the man of the year in our industry.
There's a rather splendid wine option
in New York City tomorrow, and I intend to be there.
Selling the land.
But the Marino brothers
have made me an offer, and I'm accepting it.
Marino, brother.
Dan Marino.
No, you don't practice.
six to $0.09 a gallon, Moreno Brothers.
They don't make wine.
I don't even make good mouthwash, but they make money, huh?
I mean, you snobs can drink your wine,
but I want the cash to squander on fast cars and fast women.
Don't talk about spending.
You don't know this, but I've kept a complete
record of all the company money that you've spent on wines
that are so fancy and expensive that you never drink them.
He said not having fun with money.
You're an analyst at University of Warwick.
Do you think I'm going to sit by
unless some muscle bound head on is
throw me out of what is rightly my?
Hey. Yeah.
Why are we taken care of?
I'm sure the Marino brothers will let you lick the labels
of their new carbonated rosé.
You think I'm going to try?
I have given 25 years of my life.
Tonight I do.
Yes, they are going to let some ignorant Neapolitan
turn it into a white heaven.
I don't think you have any choice.
Yes, I do.
Rick?
Well, Mr Casini,
I look out and I didn't expect you here today.
Well, I had some last minute things to go on before our trip to New York.
So Mr. Rick's car outside, is he with you?
He was.
He went down to the Cobridge department.
I think
there's now no paperwork today.
Today is Sunday.
Only a fanatic works on a Sunday.
But Mr Carson, why don't you go back and pack some more splendid gowns?
We're going to be in New York for a whole week instead of two days.
I shall need a tuxedo and several suits, I guess.
Shall I get tickets for some Broadway shows?
No, no, no. We won't have time for that.
With all the wine options you run along now.
I'll see what they the airport.
Gentlemen, you are going to adore this one.
I tried a bottle of it two years ago, but it was still on the uphill side
of perfection.
It should be just about right now and fulfillment.
Would you do the honors?
Adrian, I am delighted hit.
Isn't it a pity that so much of a great wine
must be lost to the setting of today,
at least four healthy sips or two
unhealthy swallows?
We we have something to tell you, Adrian.
I thought we let you know didn't the New York trip?
But why wait is is there something wrong?
Not at all.
The society has decided to make you
the man of the year.
Gentlemen, you value me beyond
my accomplishments.
May our enemies
never be as happy as we are at this moment.
I don't know how to thank you, gentlemen, for the honor you've done me.
I can't wait to tell my brother, Rick.
He owns the entire vineyard, you know?
So in a sense, he's as much a recipient of this accolade as I am.
Unfortunately, he's on his way to Acapulco.
I tell him as soon as I can.
I'll be able to admit, Charlton,
congratulations again.
Thank you. Delightful after you.
OK, I'm a late.
Yeah.
Karen, last.
As soon as we land
sent a letter to my dear brother Rick,
he's on his way to the cars are also in Acapulco.
Tell him about the Man of the Year award and I'll say
I'm looking forward to seeing him on his return in a week or two.
Shall I make it a telegram? All law and no
letter will suffice.
I dislike sending telegrams or receiving them.
There's something about it turning around and makes one
feel that some kind of
tragedy has occurred.
You got my checkbook with you.
Yes, Mr.
Cassini make out a check for $5,000 to my brother.
5000, he's getting married.
It may help to start him off in the right direction.
You're very generous.
What else is money for?
Good reading.
Interesting aftertaste.
But they left the skins and too long
I'd say give us 29
imported, of course, vintage 69,
not 70.
I probably is shuttle validated.
That's incredible.
Utterly fantastic.
That's exactly what it is.
How in the world did you do it?
Simplicity itself while the rest of you were savoring the delicate bouquet,
I was picking up the label.
Shall we go in gentlemen and
stimulate the economy?
Come come,
ladies and gentlemen, here is a noble wine
bottle, the very idea that California was annexed to the United States.
You're not buying wine, you're buying a bottle of history.
Shall we start the bidding?
Say it $1,000, do I hear $1,000?
Who'll open the bidding at $1,000?
How much have we spent thus far?
$1,000.
$18,000.
I think I really, really would like that bottle.
Do I hear 1000?
Mr Casini, we bought the other one in case loads.
This will cost more.
I know, I know, Karen, it's too expensive to drink and I can't afford it.
But life is short.
Life is painfully short.
Ladies and gentlemen, $1,000, $1,000
I have. That is a fair beginning.
Now let's have an auction.
$1,000 on bid for this rare and priceless bottle.
$1,000 do I hear two $1000?
Do I hear 2,000 2000 $2000 and do you sign?
$3,000, I have $3,000 I have
who will make it for 4000 $4000, I have thank you sir, for $1,000.
I have for this rare and priceless win for $1,000 would make it five for $1000.
Do I hear if I do, I have $5,000, $5,000.
I have $5,000.
Do I six 5000 going to six really need it?
Mr Fabulous.
Why nobody filing a 5000 dollar bottle of wine can?
I just don't want anybody else to have it.
five 5000 I have.
I get six.
5000 months.
5000 twice.
So the last call, so
does Mr Adrian Garcia of California for $5,000.
Congratulations, sir.
2:00 in the morning,
ma'am, I don't know how I can help you.
What do you want is missing persons, I'm in homicide.
I know that lieutenant,
but I've been up to missing persons and there's no one there.
And Rick is not the type of person who would just turn up missing.
The only thing that I can suggest to you is it come in in the morning, see Captain
Marvel and Krasinski and missing persons is a very capable fella.
He's a little hard of hearing in his right ear, so stand on his left.
I'm sure something's happened to Rick.
There's nothing I can do really
until until a body is found.
I didn't want to say that, but that's the fact I understand.
How long has he been missing?
three days.
We were supposed to be married in Acapulco.
I waited there until tonight and when I didn't hear from him,
I came back to tell you two didn't have a fight or anything, did you?
No, but maybe he got cold feet that's been known to happen.
Was he married before? three times.
three times.
I guess it's fair to woman up by now.
Does he have any relatives?
I have brother.
And evidently, he expected Rick to be in Acapulco, too,
because he sent this letter and a check for $5,000
as a wedding present.
And I think this certainly was the last time you spoke to him.
I spoke to him on the phone Sunday.
He said he'd been scuba diving that morning and that he was now
on his way to the winery to speak to his brother.
I mean, I'm not going to get into this.
I see he's an Italian and we Italians, we've got to stick together.
Thank you very much, Lieutenant.
And if you need me for anything, I'm usually at one of the numbers out here.
Do you have a picture?
Oh, sure.
Hard to find a missing person without a picture.
Here's one of the two of us.
It was taken about three weeks ago, which is a terrific looking guy.
I don't blame you for being worried.
I'm sure this
is a time the family was from a.
Oh, I'm up north.
Oh yes.
They make him bond up there.
His full name is Enrico Giuseppe Cassini.
Oh, you can't get more Italian.
And if anything turns up, you'll have me.
Thank you, lieutenant.
Better,
fasten your seatbelt, Mr Carson, you were landing,
will you open that wine when we honor you at the dinner?
This wine never
lost wines and men for drinking with wines like that
meant for buying and selling.
It was a splendid trip plus.
Will you be needing a lift, Mr.
Crostini? No, thank you, Karen.
I left my car and a lot.
Was there?
No, I'll take a cab, right?
Hey, Lieutenant.
Coast Guard spotted the body this morning,
too close to
shore for them, so they call us anywhere, we get a call
like Brzezinski, missing persons, you know, the usual number of apps.
We'll know in a minute.
Hey, can I like that for you?
No, no thanks.
Trying to cut down on waiting?
Why don't you two a the guy
I don't want to cut down on each day in a living?
That's a piece of machinery, huh?
Look at that finish.
You know, I bet there's 20 coats of paint, at least.
You know, probably cost the whole year's salary. He.
They look at that, would you not have?
No, I don't.
Would you like to have a car like this?
I got one.
I like this.
I love it. I wouldn't even drive it.
I just park it out in front of the house and sit and watch it from the kitchen.
They feel this carpet.
Well, I'd like to have that my dead ankle deep.
You know, that's living on.
Been there a few days.
A friend of mine once fell off his boat.
We found him look the same way.
Very good.
I only think he was 29.
Next July.
What do you guess people's ages at Long Beach or what?
No, I just know him.
Every year on his birthday, you throw a big party
and I once worked as a waiter for his name's casini.
Which is why
I don't
know when.
When did it happen?
They found the body this morning in a car accident.
No, sir, he was scuba diving in the ocean.
He drowned.
I don't think so, John, I think.
But apparently during a deep dove, his head
hit a rock and he lost consciousness and ran out of oxygen.
He suffocated.
I warned him over and over again to stop going in twice in one day.
It was too tiring.
Should I have to find the brother?
Joan, would you prefer I had the authorities
know the tiger brother, do you want to finish?
You it it's better.
The one for grand, if they were half conscious.
Yeah, they weren't that close, actually didn't even like him at all.
All right, I'll have the authorities notify
the Premiere.
What was the person's Beijing's eccentricities?
He took a fortune, he ran it into a shoestring.
It's also a bit of a snob.
It was mostly business.
See, Adrian ran it like a hobby, and it represented that
Rick wanted to sell the business so that we could get married.
It didn't
make any difference to me, lieutenant, because
I'm very comfortable. But.
Rick felt.
Do you mind if I go inside?
I think it's getting to me and.
What a blow
this guy was a heck of an athlete, I'll tell you, that
was when I knew him eight years
diving and diving.
That's off.
In a rather
bizarre accident, the body of Enrico Cassini
heir to the winery that bears his name was pulled from the surf early this morning.
Cassini was a local sportsman
and well known in the area as a playboy.
Preliminary reports indicated
scuba diving in a desolate area when the accident occurred.
You may recall in the past that Cassini was an amateur racing driver
who won many races, many trophies, but refused to turn professional
as he considered himself in for the sport rather than the money.
We asked Dr.
Woolmer died without a body about the case. Dr.
Our preliminary examination shows
that Mr Cassini died of suffocation six days ago.
Rather than drowning,
we found evidence of a sharp blow to the head.
My theory
strictly unofficially judging this, I don't have any bodies left otherwise.
He was knocked unconscious and died before he woke up.
Thus, we surmise that he probably ran out of air and died of suffocation.
The time I was assigned was I biologics days ago.
The complete report will be issued after the autopsy.
When did he say the father died six days ago?
Yeah, they are in the city and around,
but button one minute here that it rained last Tuesday.
I can't remember what happened this morning to our business.
We've got everything.
That's my boy.
It's a lot to do with no money down
the drain last Tuesday car last Tuesday, but right now, I don't know
what the bakers have lost been last.
I've read Amanda Hunter for the weather bureau.
Now that's tomorrow's weather, I want information concerning
last week's weather,
what time they close.
All right, give me the number for the newspaper, the L.A.
Chronicle.
Thank you.
Excuse me.
Do you have to remember that hearing last Tuesday?
Sorry, ma'am.
No, I don't.
I don't know if you can help me at this hour or not, sir,
but I want information concerning last week's weather
nine to five. OK.
Thank you very much.
Excuse me.
My name is Lieutenant Columbo,
I'm with the Los Angeles Police Department.
And I need a little help.
Can anybody here tell me that it rained
last Tuesday?
There are many misconceptions about winemaking.
For example, my father was a winemaker and I've never stepped on a grape,
except by mistake in my life.
Now, years ago, in the old days, they didn't use women to crush the grapes
with their feet.
But then the men objected because the girls were always sitting down
on the job.
I see wineries have been the recipients of many gold medals and other awards,
some of which you'll see displayed in this case right here.
Excuse me, sir.
I don't drink myself.
So forgive me if I sound stupid.
Obviously, go ahead.
Well, I don't know the difference between grapes.
I mean, all I know is green or red or seedless or seeded.
How many different kinds of wines do you make?
Well, we specialize in six, but actually there are over
100, including champagne, which we don't produce.
How come you don't produce champagne?
Because Mr.
Cassini does not like champagne?
It claims bubbles obscures the fact that we buy our bottles in bulk.
Now we keep them here until they're ready
to be filled with the various Cassini vintages.
Shipped in sterilized in Brazil,
and I thought he was reduce your own life.
Well, actually, we had this agreement with the manufacturer.
We don't make bottles if he doesn't try to make wine.
I just couldn't really.
Mr. Cassini feels it's
better to do one thing really well and a lot of things in a slipshod fashion.
All right, you follow me, please.
Must be a tough boss. Cassini.
I mean, it sounds like he demands perfection.
He does.
But then he pays the best wages around for comparable work.
Whether you get a job or,
you know, anything about wine.
Well, my grandfather used to let me stomp on the grapes when we made this stuff
at home.
Mr Castle in his office,
I know not all that, Mr Garrett, see
it here in the office here.
one journalists in Europe, one journalist.
Mr. Mr.
Rick is dead.
Yeah, so I heard,
you know, I'm surprised that
they didn't close the place out of respect.
Everybody's surprise.
Oh, you know what, Mr.
Very honored that he called all the workers this morning,
and he said, Think my brother
was a very special man?
And I'm sure that he would have said to you, but I'm saying to you now.
He wanted you and everybody here, including me, to work.
That break would want you to work,
it was that kind of man,
and was it that kind of man?
No, not.
Is it falling around
40, yeah, that right there? That
seniority, but offered to have.
I want to speak to someone down here
that can give me the weather last Tuesday, that's Tuesday the 18th I'll hold.
You don't say.
It does say.
I hear you.
Thank you very much.
To see.
Yes, thank you very much, Lieutenant.
Much better, Stacey, I just want to ask you one question if you don't mind.
Go ahead.
How did your boyfriend feel about his car?
Sometimes I think he loved it more than he loved me.
He did.
Thank you very much.
Is that it?
That's.
Yes. It's Mr.
Carson in your name, please.
Is he in?
I must have your name.
Why would you want my name when you have such a nice name yourself?
Karen Fielding.
I think that's a lovely thing.
Look, whoever you are, I'm a busy woman and I don't have time for games.
My name is Lieutenant Columbo.
I'm with police department. Oh,
Mr. Cassini is not in his office right now.
I see. Is he in mourning?
No, he's in the lab.
But I can have him here in a few minutes gone by the and that's all right.
Just point me in the right direction. I'll find him.
I'm good at that.
I'm sorry about Mr Rick, sir. We in the lab.
Share your grief. Oh, well,
the Lord gave us the lives and
you know, it was a shock for all of us.
It's hard to believe the time now.
The last surviving member of my family.
Are you going to change anything here?
I mean, some of us were wondering, Oh no, no, no, no, no, no.
Don't worry about this thing, Jerry.
The winery will go on doing what it's always done,
providing the very best wine we can.
That's the way Rick would have wanted it.
Mr. Carson, any.
Yes. May I speak to you for a moment?
Your secretary sent me over.
If it's about a position,
the personnel office is open from nine to five.
The man you want to see those.
Let's go to my office.
We take a moment, sir.
I know how valuable your time is.
Oh, please, sir,
I would rather you didn't smoke.
Oh, I'm sorry.
The fumes destroy the.
Good taste of good wine.
I know some people believe that a good cigar goes
with a glass of wine, but I'm afraid I feel that clash
. I'm sure you understand.
Absolutely.
You are going to adore this way.
Sunday.
Can you tell me what it is?
No, sir.
You mean what kind of wine it is?
Oh, no,
you're an Italian, aren't you?
Yes, sir. On both sides.
Wow. You should know that good wine, it goes with the heritage.
Well, I guess
I kind of messed up in at the bottom, and I've got to tell you something else.
I'm probably the only Italian in the world can't sing either.
That's very amusing.
Well, Mr.
Columbo, I don't want to rush you take all the time you need,
but I have some wine here to decant.
So if you don't mind, I'll just go on doing what I have to do and we can talk.
That's acceptable to you. Absolutely.
You say you were a lieutenant?
Yes, I looked at it.
What exactly do you want of me?
Well, sir, I imagine you must be pretty shook up by your brother's death?
Not at all.
I don't understand.
I'm amazed he lived as long as he did,
but he was such a young man, he was in such good condition.
Fred took too many chances.
Auto racing, sky diving, all this
underwater rubbish.
Of course, I'm saddened by his death.
one doesn't lose a brother and remain.
Emotionless.
I have to take solace
from the fact that he had such a happy life.
Wasn't the sort of life I'd choose for myself, but.
Was good for him.
What did you say you're going to do there
now, the can't you?
You see,
I have a taste as luncheon at 1:00,
there's now precisely how fast ten
and this particular wine needs to breathe for two
and one half hours
and simplifying the wine from the bottle into the decanter
to let it carry.
The important thing
is that the sediment inside the bottle remains inside.
It's quite a large
one mistake now could be
disaster. The.
And one thing I don't allow anyone else to do phone.
According to my records, there you were, the last person to see your brother alive
was I uh.
I certainly saw him on the Sunday, the Sunday before last.
Who was that the day he died?
The closest we can come through is Tuesday, the 18th.
Are you sure you saw him on a Sunday?
It couldn't have been a Monday or Tuesday.
Excuse me one moment.
Huh? Karen?
Yes, Mr.
Garcia, would you come in here for a moment?
I just want to check up on a date.
So much has happened during the last week.
Yes, Karen.
Do you happen to recollect exactly which day
Rick came to the office?
Yes, he was here on the 16th.
How can you be sure it was the 16th?
It was the same day we left for New York.
I see. And how long were you in New York?
seven Glorious Days in Fun City.
Will that be all? Yes.
Thank you.
And you say.
My brother died two days after that. Yes.
Well, then I certainly couldn't be the last one to see him alive
unless he went into hiding for two days and certainly doesn't
sound like Rick.
Is this an official interrogation locale?
No, sir, I'm not going to write anything down, no, I just thought we'd chat
and sip some wine. Couple of things that bother me.
But remember,
try to get last week's weather 11:00 at night, it's no fun.
The weather for Tuesday, the 18th.
Intermittent showers,
would your brother go swimming on a rainy day like that?
Doesn't really make much difference if the person is underneath
the water, does it?
Suppose not.
You know, that car was out there
for five or six days, I can't imagine why nobody reported seeing it.
By all accounts, it's a pretty desolate spot.
And you know what, people are often and they don't like to get involved.
Girl told me that he loved that car.
So is that a statement or a question?
Oh, I just don't make any sense.
Complete
weather report Tuesday, the 18th high, 48, low, 42, overcast all day
threatening clouds and scattered showers in the morning.
Continuous like the heavy rains in the afternoon.
Can't imagine
why he would leave the top down.
I'm afraid I don't know anything about motor cars.
My life begins and ends with wine. Hmm.
Wait a minute, I can think of a possible explanation.
Can you, sir?
Let us for a moment hypothesize that Rick
put the top up but didn't fascinate
because he was coming back to the car.
Now, with this rainfall,
we get very high winds from time to time, the wind must have flipped the top back.
And voila!
Possibilities.
No one, no, no.
Oh, boy.
You're right and realize they drank that much.
What do you call that cabernet sauvignon?
You don't drink anything I can't pronounce, but you see,
I got a lot to learn.
first thing I got to learn is how to hold my cabernet sauvignon.
Thank you very much.
It was a pleasure.
Say, would you mind if I came back again
unofficially, but thought to be frank?
Learn more about wines.
I can see where my education has been badly neglected.
Didn't your family ever drink wines and home?
I tell you, the closest we ever came to it was my father's job during Prohibition
Bootlegger.
He was a tail gunner on a beer truck.
Lieutenant, it's for you.
Oh, thank you very much.
I love this number. I hope you don't mind.
Not at all.
Drive carefully now.
Medical examiner Oh, good.
two days, two days.
Empty.
Strange.
Thanks.
Thank you very much.
Do you know your way out intent on this feeling?
I'm sorry about being flip like I was before, that's not like me.
I don't want you to be angry at me.
It's quite all right, lieutenant.
Lieutenant, could I popped in here for a moment?
Let me buzz first a second, sir.
You really think it gets that one day up there?
Pardon me.
Your brother's car.
I'm talking about the convertible tops.
You know, they're pretty heavy.
And I could see where a win might come along and flip the top open,
maybe even halfway back.
Maybe three quarters.
But not all the way down.
Did you see the car?
Yes, sir, again.
Do you remember the convertible top was?
Well, I'm not very good on details.
That's why I write everything down and.
My handwriting is so bad,
sometimes I think I should have been a doctor.
Miles, right
here it is top down.
Say how far Adobe.
Well, what's the difference?
There's a photograph, I'll check the picture on it.
So you're out there, right?
I'll try and make this as painless as possible.
I just spoke to the medical examiner.
Was Rick any kind of a health fanatic?
No. Was Rick on any kind of a strange diet?
Is there any reason why record need for days on end?
None. No, he was a tremendous eater.
He was an athlete, burned it right out, you know?
Matter of fact, I can't think of anything he didn't like eating brussel sprouts.
I can't figure this thing out.
Why the medical examiner told me that Rick hadn't eaten anything
for two days prior to his death.
It doesn't make any sense that kind of fasting makes a person weak.
Does it seem logical to you that a person would starve himself for two days
and then go scuba diving? No.
I thought you say that.
Well, no, no, Lieutenant, you go right ahead.
Ask anything you want.
Now we understand that this is
just a routine questioning, there's nobody
is accusing anybody of anything, of course.
You have a pencil like a bomb
here.
Thank you very much.
Well, that's a beauty.
Now, you gentlemen, were with Mr Cassini
on Sunday, the 16th day he left for New York.
Yes, we were all together in his tasting room.
Did you happen to see his brother? No.
Mr. Well, I didn't see his brother.
From the time that you got there, until the time that you left,
you were always with Mr.
Cassini. Yes.
He never left the room.
No. Well, there was that one time.
When he got that incredible bottle of claret.
How long was he gone?
Well, not long. four or five minutes.
I remember now it took him a little longer because his secretary came in
and then and he was talking to her.
He he mentioned that. Then what happened?
Well, nothing.
We just had a wonderful time he brought back
this superb bottle of claret.
He was in a very good mood.
We were looking forward to the moment
when we would tell him that he had just a little bit more slowly.
But we were looking forward to the moment when we would
tell him that he had won the award.
I felt very good about that.
He he deserved it.
And of course, I took a particular delight in the fact that he allowed me
to decant, declare it.
Adrian then made a toast, which I remember.
May our enemies never be as happy as we are at this moment.
He allowed you to decant the claret.
Yes, I was honored, man.
He's a very steady hand for that.
Oh yes, very steady.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Would you care for a bit of wine?
I'm told we have a very fine sharply.
No, thank you very much.
I'm still a little hung over for Mr.
Carson. Is Kevin? Yeah.
What do you call it?
Oh, Lieutenant.
My pencil. Oh.
My friend, they tell me that, you know more about wine
than just about anybody collection than anybody.
I want you to teach me everything, you know.
It took me 40 years to acquire my expertize.
Well.
What can you do in an hour and a half?
Oh, just the very basics.
Let's start with this.
How can you tell a good wine from an average wine by?
Surprise.
I think you're really going to notice what
it's oh, don't tell me.
Let me get.
It. Sensitive
breeding.
Which book?
Strong velocity.
Well, it's a burgundy, I'm just not sure whether it's the pinot
noir or gamma.
That's really excellent.
He just downplayed
it is in fact, a pig.
Well,
how'd you guess it?
I know Cassini only makes three red wines
to burgundy pinot noir and a gamma
and one claret cabernet sauvignon.
You served me the cabernet sauvignon the other day didn't taste like this.
So I know that this has to be a burgundy.
And it's either a pinot noir or gamma.
You really are sly one lieutenant.
I've been doing a little research,
you know, up until now, I thought the blinds were only to drink,
but I find out that people actually invest in it.
Oh yeah.
Yeah.
And and the longer you keep them, the more valuable to get.
Listen, I've heard that some wise course as much as $100 a bottle.
Well, that's really a
fairly medium price.
I have paid as much as
$5,000.
5000 miles.
Well,
I found out from bottom line,
you know, my father never made $5,000 in one year.
Can you imagine drinking a year's pay in one night?
Can I see?
Is it possible for me to see one of those expensive bottle, not drink it?
Just see it?
Well, I and.
I came from an A to bolt.
I've never seen anything like it.
Uh huh.
I really appreciate.
Well,
if you really want to,
I'd be delighted to show them to.
Like a crypt.
I think I felt something like this in a vampire movie
check.
So who
to me is very beautiful Adobe.
Why do they keep wines in a place like this
to protect the wine against extreme heat?
Right now, it's no problem, but in the cellar
it gets very hot outside and that could damage the wine.
That's why I keep a humidifier and air conditioner turned on the whole time.
I was wondering what that noise was.
So. Hmm.
Do you have a phone?
Yes, of course.
What's the problem? I'd like to call my wife.
It'll only take a moment to my guess it's in the office.
Thank you.
It's nothing serious.
Remember the day that we went on a picnic
and it got so hot that we had to come home with that last week or the week before.
What they last week.
I'll have to begin.
All right, I'll go to one of the on.
And I listened to Cosmo.
All right.
Thank you very much.
Sorry to hold you up.
Well, that's all right, after we have a head of lettuce
to quarts of milk.
You sure I hate to get accidentally trapped in here.
Reminds me of that Edgar Allan Poe short story.
The cast of
You know what it is. It begins with an egg.
I just can't pronounce it Amontillado.
Of course, if somebody did
get trapped in here, they sure have plenty to drink.
Nobody could get trapped in here.
The door locks from the outside only.
That's a beautiful book.
How much is that fellow?
Well, that's something I picked up in
in Spain in 1958.
It's worth about $1,000. Me,
these bottles are actually beautiful.
Yes, I think so.
Here's an no. Can't read that lame.
That's a claret.
That's a bottle of ocean.
It's worth about $5,500 claret.
Oh, that's what you served, Mr.
Falcon and Mr. Stein. That's Sunday when you went to New York.
Yeah, that was also a claret.
May I?
I remember that. Yes, they mention that.
Of course, that was a cheaper wine that you gave to them.
That was just an ordinary life.
On the contrary, it was one of my most precious wines.
My father put that down in 1947, really?
Hmm, strange. Why?
It was a special occasion, I thought it merited a rather special one.
No, sir.
I was referring to the fact that you didn't decant one yourself.
You said you never allow anyone else to decant precious wine.
Oh, denied account. And
I don't recollect.
I have a statement here, sir, from Mr.
Oh yes, I remember.
I mean, I do remember.
I thought it would be a nice gesture, you see.
I knew he was going to give me this award man of the Year.
I thought it would show my appreciation.
Besides, Mr Falcon is more than capable,
he has a very steady hand. Yes.
Have you seen enough?
Are you sure somebody couldn't accidentally be trapped in here?
Lieutenant, you really are one of a kind.
Do you want me to prove it to you?
Well, I tell you what I'm going to do.
I'm going to go outside and close the door,
and I'm not going to tell you how to open it.
I'm going to see how long it takes you to find your way out.
It's very simple, all you have to do is pushing.
Didn't I tell you
you shouldn't be so skeptical?
Your brothers check that 5000 dollar check
I meant to bring it out this afternoon, sir, I forgot, and I'll get it to you.
I'll just tear it up.
It was a very generous gesture
on your part, sir, regardless of how things worked out.
It was a wedding present.
Yeah.
Are you driving back into town, LT,
just what are your plans?
Oh, well,
I think I'll be running along now, sir.
Thank you very much, I certainly enjoyed it.
Appreciate your time. But.
Lieutenant?
Lieutenant, what are you going to release my brother's body?
It was his wish to be cremated and I I'll check on that this afternoon,
so probably a few days.
Well, what's the delay in an accident case?
Beats me, sir,
why were you assigned to the case?
I mean, you're in homicide, aren't you?
I just go where they tell me to do.
Well, it doesn't look right to me.
It looks like they
suspect someone of foul play.
Well, maybe they do, sir, but you certainly don't have anything to worry
about your 3000 miles away at the time of his death, right?
Right.
I've been running all.
Oh, it's the car, Sydney.
Sir, I just remembered one of the reasons
they're not releasing your brother's body.
I forgot to tell you the other day.
But you know, your brother's car
stayed out on that cliff for a week.
During that time it rained and then we had some sun.
But when we saw the car that morning, we found the body.
It looked like it just came off a showroom floor.
What's your point now?
Watermarks? Can you explain that?
No, I can't.
Wow. There must be a reason for it.
There always is.
Where do you find it?
Will you tell me?
Believe me, sir, you'll be the first to know.
Yes. This feeling,
isn't it a little late for police business,
although this kind of unofficial?
All right.
But there's an Alan Ladd movie I want to see on ID eleven.
Well, we had it here long before then we'll go on.
About that trip that you took to New York.
What about it?
We were both in New York on business.
Look, I don't see how I can help you.
Neither of us were here when Mr. Rick died.
Did you see Corzine leave the winery on that Sunday?
I I saw him arrive and I saw him leave.
He was in the building about.
15 minutes then he drove off. Mm!
Excuse me for just one.
Norman security guard, I saw Mr.
Rick arrive at approximately 1230, but I never saw him leave.
Well, Norman is the winner, his best customer.
Mr. Cassini only keeps him on because he couldn't get a job
anywhere else.
I think that doesn't
come close enough to this case.
I'm glad you finally see the truth.
I use your phone. Yes.
Thank you very much.
It's just take a second.
Which one is it?
What would you have on my movie, is it?
This gun for hire.
Oh, that's a good one.
That's the one where he has a broken wrist.
Hello, Mr.
Varshini.
This is Lieutenant Columbo.
Look,
I feel like I made a fool of myself.
Now that was one thing that was bothering me
and I just felt his secretary and she drank the whole thing out and.
I'm really calling you
to apologize for giving you such a hard time.
No, it's not OK.
Don't be so gracious.
I want to make it up to you.
I want to buy you and Karen, a meal in the best restaurant in town.
No, no, I want you to pick out the restaurant,
and I'm going to pick up the check.
I insist.
I've heard of it.
Tomorrow night.
Fine, if I can get a babysitter, I'll bring my wife along.
Lovely.
See tomorrow.
I wish I could watch it with you.
Well, maybe I'll catch the last few minutes at home.
Thank you very much.
See you tomorrow.
Thank you.
I'm sorry to bother you, ma'am, I just wanted to ask you one more question.
What is it?
How long do you work for Mr. Cassini?
twelve years.
Well, that
all well, you must like them very much.
I'll see you tomorrow.
You know, it's after six, 30.
Karen, we have to hurry if we're to meet Lieutenant Columbo.
Do you have everything here or do you have to go back to the house?
No, I'm fine, Mr. Crostini.
He's nice, funny.
Here we are going out on what can only be described as a date.
And you still calling me Mr. Classiness?
Well, I I.
No, no, no, no.
It's it's it's perfectly proper.
Things have always been quite proper between us,
perhaps just for tonight.
We could suspend the formalities and you may call me Adrian.
Thank you, Adrian.
Maybe if all goes well after
tonight, will suspend the formalities altogether.
That would be very nice.
I still wish
we weren't having dinner with that man, though.
Lieutenant Columbo.
Why not?
He still suspects you of killing your brother.
Does he?
He has no cause, after all, I was 3000 miles away.
I know, and so does he, but he still suspects you.
Do you suspect me?
Well,
you've been quite a different person the last week,
even in New York, certain
moments who seemed very preoccupied.
I asked you a specific question.
Do you suspect me?
I'd like an answer. No.
Well.
Let's go to dinner.
Boy, you sure don't see very many more of these things around.
I got over 100,000 miles on it.
You take care of your car.
It'll take care of you.
Colombo, Colombo,
I will miss you, Colombo party of three.
What this report is.
We trust that you would enjoy the dinner.
Thank you, sir.
Could you please send me the wine steward?
But of course,
white wines too?
Well, the red wine still left.
Know.
Those studies, University of Missouri, led the state because of
Columbia.
But is this a table by the kitchen?
This will never do, I'm sorry, Mr Casini, but when he walked, mentioned this
a better table and stop simpering immediately.
I wonder what this check is going to look like.
I tell you, I always get nervous when a place has a menu
that doesn't include the prices.
JP Morgan was once asked how much his yacht would cost,
as reply If I remember correctly was,
if you have to ask the price, you can afford it.
And this restaurant, if you have to look at the prices on the menu,
you can afford to eat here.
Well, I said it was good.
Wasn't it superb as the important thing
and equally superb was your wine selection.
I must admit, I would never have thought of Molson with the oysters,
all zinfandel with the meat.
I'm astounded by your newly acquired knowledge.
I can't wait to hear what you've planned
for our after dinner wine.
I'll tell you, I did my homework
very well on that one moment.
I know exactly what I want.
I'm just praying that they have it.
You got a minute.
You know,
bring me a bottle of ferry, a vintage port,
1945, 5045.
You do have it on
my dear Colombo.
I'm afraid you said this man an impossible task.
I'm familiar with this particular vintage boat, and I would
hasten to wager that he does not have it in his cellar.
Moreover, prices would be prohibitive.
Allow me to check on it too.
I hope to have it, but
I also hope my wife doesn't find out what this meal cost.
Where is your wife?
You said she might come along?
Well, we haven't traveled a babysitter.
You see, our regular girl has her finals tomorrow
and everybody else is down here at the rock concert.
You know what it is when you have kids?
You, lieutenant.
It's not fair for you
to pay for this entire meal, and at least let me take up half of it.
No, no, I insist not that any life
I deserve to pay for this.
You know, I embarrassed you by respecting you and not.
This is on me.
The fact is, I'm just happy
you didn't report me to my superiors.
I should be grateful to you.
We had one bottle, sir,
a terrific.
Good to have.
Thank you, my dear Karen.
I implore you not to smoke
will ruin an exciting taste, experience the bitterness of the tobacco.
Very well, Mr.
Adrian.
It's terrific to me.
Drinks all around,
drink soda
one, what body?
This is dreadful.
Hugh, this is dreadful.
Don't you realize that a great wine is like a great work of art?
It has to be nurtured.
It has to be taken care of.
You have subjected this
port to a temperature in excess of 150 degrees.
Such disdain cannot and must not be tolerated.
I advise them not to pay for the check.
But sir, I think that this wine has been oxidized by overheating.
Not where did you keep it on top of the stove?
I don't know any delicate wine spoils by being subjected
to a rapid change in temperature showing this iodide is an insult.
As you can see, is there something does something wrong?
Everything is wrong.
An exciting meal has been ruined
by the presence of this liquid filth,
Mr. Cassini, it is not our intention,
but there would be no check for this.
No, I guess I should neither
apologize. I apologize.
We had a very good meal.
I must thank you very much as well.
I I think no one
talks
about about
this. Now.
That's a heck of a way to beat the check.
I'm going to have to remember that.
I'm sorry, I lost my temper, but that report,
which was really very bad, it was bad, was it?
I couldn't tell, could you know?
No, such a subtle difference.
And that's just because of the heat and.
Oh, that reminds me I have to have my refrigerator fixed.
You remember that day here last week
or you weren't here?
Were you or you were in your? All right.
We had a day here last week.
I want to tell you, you know, the temperature went up to 109.
Strange as weather.
Took my wife, my kid, up on a picnic, you know, it got so hot,
we had to come back.
Of course, the first thing that I want is a cold beer
took the stuff out of the icebox, establishes a warm escort.
I don't know how to drink it that way.
No offense to your mother.
I guess she didn't drink much beer.
Well,
anyway, I don't think we'll be seeing one another again.
It's going to play, it's very nice.
Meeting
is fairly lovely meeting you
and I want to thank you very much for helping me close out the case . Me?
Oh yes.
If you hadn't told me that you are leaving the winery
that Sunday, quite frankly, I still have my suspicions.
But you showed me it doesn't pay to be sexy.
Thank you.
Your cars are just across any.
Thanks for the dinner.
You're welcome.
Why did you like her?
I thought I was helping you.
Thank you for coming in.
There's no need for you to endanger yourself.
And after all, you're only an employee.
I wanted to help you.
I thought it would be in trouble if I didn't say anything.
And I care about you, Adrian.
Don't you see?
I don't have anything else.
Care about you.
twelve years.
Well, is that
efficient, dutiful, quiet secretary
Stowe and passionless
then on the face of danger, the truth emerges.
Graeme?
Do you feel anything towards me?
I don't know, Karen, I really don't know.
You did have something to do with Mr.
Ric's death, didn't you?
Is that why you lied,
because you thought I killed him?
I wouldn't blame you for it.
He wanted to take away the only thing you ever loved.
We'll discuss this in the morning, Karen.
Nobody would blame you for it.
You could always say it was an accident.
There was no need for you to lie.
Karen
Colombo had no proof whatsoever.
Now you have a hold over me,
and I don't like
being in that position. Why?
Why don't we take a vacation, Adrian, just the two of us
go away somewhere.
Get to know each other.
I have a better idea.
You go to Paris, there's another wine convention in the offing.
You could work out the itineraries for us.
I join you shortly.
You're trying to get rid of me.
Karen, it's. It's
very late,
and I have a number of things to do.
You're trying to turn me back into an employee,
you were never anything but an employee.
Not anymore, Adrian.
Not anymore.
I'm your partner now.
And I intend getting a great deal
more from you than 700 a month and two weeks paid vacation.
I gave you twelve years of my life.
Now it's your turn to give me something.
You can force me into loving you, Carolyn.
Maybe not,
but you don't have to love me to marry me.
Lots of marriages
have been built on, much less.
We'll talk about it in the morning.
They were all ruined, weren't.
Well, these are just some inferior wines.
I trying to shatter the this in 1938 and very well
great label doesn't always denote a great wine you.
Thursday, the 20th.
That's what they did, sir.
You know, it got very hot in that board with the ventilation turned off,
but that one day that Thursday it hit 109 degrees outside,
so inside the temperature, one way up over 150 degrees.
Why an overheated.
That was it.
That's why I mentioned that holiday outside the restaurant.
I knew it would ring a bell.
I figured you'd have to get around to disposing of the wine
sooner or later.
Must be killing you
to throw all this stuff away.
Yeah, you know, ideas like.
How did you know?
How did I know?
Last year.
You mind if I smile, hello.
Now I did a terrible seizure.
You remember that day when we were in the vault
and I kept saying
if somebody got locked in here, there would be no way for them to get out.
And in order to prove me wrong, you closed the door
and you left me in there alone.
But I took that opportunity to steal a bottle of port.
Your point.
Very vintage port.
1945.
As racist.
That bottle of wine in the restaurant, that was your wine.
Is it a wine store, it was in on it.
And you did the rest.
I certainly did
the time.
That's ironic.
So. Well,
I am probably one of the few men in the world who could have told you
that wine was spoiled and told you it was because it was overheated.
Yes, it
required a very delicate balance.
102 not degrees.
That's some kind of a record for that day in the year
now, so should.
Notebook, I said
it, I don't know what happened in 1938, 111, in 1870.
The weather bureau doesn't keep records before then.
That's a pity.
I would have liked it to be a record.
Shall we go?
We'll take my car
there, it's parked right around the corner.
I'll send somebody to pick up yours.
Do I got a confession?
Oh, yes, I confess
no remorse attached to it.
It's a great weight off my mind, as a matter of fact.
Why is that?
Lally, seeing
Sharon.
Guess the truth, genius turning this thumb screws on me, she's
quite a little Iron Maiden, that lady.
I guess freedom is purely relative.
I was going to look at all this.
The grapes.
Plan.
You don't go on.
Necessary
and in place in my entire time as a.
I'm really happy.
Took the liberty of bringing
along a surprise.
Quantifier.
That's an excellent dessert when I was hoping
you'd like it.
And very suitable for the
final court.
You've learned very well, Lieutenant.
Thank you, sir.
That's the nicest thing anybody's ever said to me.