True Crimes Against Wine

Join us for a candid, no-filter breakdown of the recent Sydney Sweeney ad for a sports betting app — the one everyone's talking about. We dig into the ad’s over-the-top sexualization (yes, it looks like porn), the predatory nature of online sports gambling, and the hypocrisy of moral posturing from conservative corners. We also talk about how celebrities profit from male-gaze-focused branding, why...

DEFENDANT: M. Night Shyamalan's The Sixth Sense EVIDENCE: Michael David Winery 6th Sense Syrah SCENE OF THE CRIME: Lodi, CA --   Hey friend — pour yourself a glass and settle in. This episode of True Crimes Against Wine pairs a bold California Syrah called Sixth Sense with M. Night Shyamalan's classic twist-filled film, The Sixth Sense. We chat about the Michael David Joint Winery (the creative mi...

Hey — if you love wine (or just enjoy weather drama), this episode dives into how this summer's brutal heatwave upended vineyards around the globe. Short version: grapes ripened insanely fast. In places like Napa and Sonoma harvests wrapped in late August instead of October — some vines barely had a normal growing season because bud break happened late and then, boom, two months to harvest. That u...

DEFENDANT: Alexander Dumas EVIDENCE: Medley Rosé SCENE OF THE CRIME: Languedoc, France -- Hey — we’re starting Season 6 with boxed rosé, bad accents, and a whole lot of literary chaos. Join Judge Topher (beverage boss) and Judge Rachel (pop-culture prosecutor) as they unbox Medley’s Languedoc rosé, gush over the pool-friendly packaging, debate whether boxed wine counts as classy, and taste notes o...

Hey friend — this episode is a wild, messy ride through gossip, revenge, and the limits of grieving. We dig into a story about a daughter who publicly outed her best friend for alleged cheating, only to learn she was wrong and ended up destroying her friend’s life — and possibly contributing to her early death. The moms weigh in, judgments fly, and the question becomes: does someone who caused tha...

DEFENDANT: The Odyssey EVIDENCE: "Odyssey" Miner Family Winery Red Blend 2021 SCENE OF THE CRIME: Napa, CA -- Hey friend — welcome to our Season 6 kickoff of True Crimes Against Wine! We popped a slightly fancier Napa GSM, uncorked some ancient Greek drama, and laughed (and cried a little) our way through Polyphemus, Calypso, and the many questionable choices of Odysseus. We took this bottle on a...

Hey friend — dive into this wild episode where we unpack a meat raffle that smelled fishier than the prize cooler. We narrate an animated tale of suspicious organizers, awkward confrontations, and the kind of midwestern bar drama you didn’t know you needed. From people in charge winning prizes to an MC calling out their own victory, we react, joke, and pass judgement (literally) as things escalate...

Hey — welcome back to the True Crimes Against Wine sidebar. This one’s a little embarrassing (false memories are real) but also delightful: Rachel and Fact Checker finally made it to Tori Amos in Atlanta, and I’m here to spill everything — the good, the ridiculous, and the emotional. First, quick housekeeping: we both genuinely thought we’d already recorded this, so shoutout to Jamie for reminding...

A non-binary person with GERD keeps their medication in a Tylenol bottle at work. A coworker named Bob accuses them of getting high at work, then calls HR after they respond to his comment with self-deprecating humor, calling themselves "fat." The hosts discuss workplace harassment, the role of HR, documenting incidents, and whether the letter writer was in the wrong. Spoiler: they weren't. The ep...

Hey, Renee — and hey friend. If you’ve got a client dinner coming up and don’t want to look out of your depth (but also don’t want to be stiff and boring), this chat has your back. There are two main vibes you can lean into: the quietly sophisticated move or the casually cool cocktail move. For the low-key, impress-without-trying option, go wine: a Pinot Noir, especially from Willamette Valley or...

Hey friend — if you’re planning a pool day and want to bring something better than boxed rosé (but still chill and easy), this episode’s for you. We’re big fans of low-drama, high-fun batched drinks: think margaritas and mojitos as the MVPs. They’re simple to scale, super tweakable, and they won’t leave you with a sad, flat, sugary mess after a few hours in the sun. Quick PSA: don’t bring Long Isl...

Hey — this episode is one for the books. A mom finds out her adult daughter has been secretly taking her grandchild to stay with the father’s religious, homophobic family after the dad came out and was disowned. She tells her daughter she’s disgusted, informs the dad, and now custody leniency is gone. Big feelings and bigger consequences all around. Listen, I get it — there are layers here. The da...

Hey — quick catch-up: this episode dives into a husband who’s been the butt of his wife’s friend Megan’s “jokes” for months. Little digs about cooking, fixing things, and asking if he’s sulking turned into a pattern that felt less like teasing and more like deliberate bullying. He usually laughed it off to avoid awkwardness, but when it kept happening at a party, he finally said, “Can you stop? It...

DEFENDANT: Midsomar  EVIDENCE: Sun Goddess Pinot Grigio SCENE OF THE CRIME: A Maypole Near You...  -- Hey friend — welcome to our bonus midsummer episode! We kick things off with playful banter about time, podcast firsts, and then dive into the lushly sunlit weirdness of Ari Aster’s Midsommar while sipping Mary J. Blige’s Sun Goddess Pinot Grigio. Expect gossip, gross food talk, and the kind of mo...

Hey friend — welcome to this episode of True Crimes Against Wine! We spent a little time nerding out about what’s popping in the wine world this summer, and honestly, some of it is super fun and worth keeping an eye out for. First up: rosé remains everywhere. It’s the easiest glass to recognize and the easiest choice when you want something fresh, fun, and usually dry. Sparkling rosé? Instant part...

Hey Miguel (and friends) — welcome to Atlanta! If you’ve got World Cup plans, here’s a friendly, no-nonsense run-down of how to actually enjoy the city without losing your mind. First: traffic and transport. Do not rent a car. Atlanta traffic is terrible (think worse than LA in spots) and downtown parking/driving is confusing. Plan on using Uber/Lyft to get around — MARTA exists but can be tricky...

Hey friend — this episode’s sidebar is a cozy, hilarious chat about Tori Amos’s brand-new album In Times of Dragons, a little tour gossip, and some very serious bagel bite nostalgia. We gush over favorite songs (the title track Shush, Strawberry Moon, and the joyous Pyrite), unpack the album’s political edge and clever dragon metaphor for concentrated wealth, and celebrate Tori’s poetic lyricism t...

Hey — welcome back. We’re diving straight into a messy, emotional family moment that unspooled at the worst possible time: a middle-schooler is grieving the loss of a classmate, and the adults around her fall apart instead of showing up. This episode walks through a dad’s frantic return from a trip, a mother with a deep fear of funerals, and a grandmother who jumps in and calls out the mom — spark...

Hey there, wine lovers and amateur relationship detectives! 🍷🕵️‍♀️ In this People’s Court episode of True Crimes Against Wine, Judge Topher takes on a juicy Reddit-style dilemma involving emotional cheating, workplace crushes, secret text messages, and a husband who’s gotten a little too attached to his 19-year-old coworker. 😬 When one wife notices her husband acting suspiciously around a much y...

Hey, friend — welcome back to another cozy, slightly cursed episode of True Crimes Against Wine. We read Melanie's letter (love you, Melanie) about falling asleep to our show and waking up with absolute wine-fueled nightmares, and honestly? Same. We dive into the weird world of stress dreams versus full-on nightmares: the classic bathroom-where-the-stalls-don't-fit, the endless-final-exam-that-you...

DEFENDANT: Bruce EVIDENCE: Jaws Amity Island Red Blend SCENE OF THE CRIME: A Beach Near You -- Hey friend — welcome to the season finale of True Crimes Against Wine, where we drank a Jaws-labeled Napa red and then took a deep dive into sharks, sea-snail sex, and why Spielberg’s technical failures made cinema history. We’re sipping a 55% Petit Syrah blend with Merlot, Cabernet and a cheeky 5% Aligo...

Hey friend — welcome back to True Crimes Against Wine. Today we dive into a toothpaste-level messy Reddit post: a woman sleeps with a guy who flirted with her, later finds out (via an unsent text) he’s in a relationship, and now wonders if she's the asshole for continuing to hook up. Spoiler: the hosts have strong opinions. We read the whole thing out loud — the creeping suggestive looks, the tech...

DEFENDANT: Scarlett O'Hara  EVIDENCE: Southern Belle Jumilla, "The Mourner"  SCENE OF THE CRIME: Jumilla, Spain, oddly enough -- Hey friend — grab a glass and curl up: this episode pairs a bold Spanish wine called Southern Belle with the messy, fascinating world of Gone with the Wind. We unpack the bottle (visually and taste-wise), the winery’s playful Southern Gothic art, and the surprising bourb...

Get ready for one of the wildest mother-in-law stories and family drama podcast episodes yet!  In this hilarious People’s Court episode of True Crimes Against Wine, Judge Topher dives into a shocking gender reveal gone wrong involving an overbearing mother-in-law, toxic family dynamics, pregnancy boundary issues, and a husband caught in the middle. When a first-time mom’s special baby gender revea...

DEFENDANT: Leonardo DaVinci EVIDENCE: DaVinci Pinot Grigio SCENE OF THE CRIME: Renaissance Italy -- Hey friend — come hang out with us for a delightfully silly, slightly spicy stroll through art, wine, and history. We’re sipping an easy Pinot Grigio, dreaming up melon-and-prosciutto pizzas, and taking Leonardo da Vinci on tour: his notebooks, love life rumors, flying machines, and that massive (no...