DEFENDANT: Everybody Loves Raymond
EVIDENCE: Raymond Cellars Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
SCENE OF THE CRIME: Long Island
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Hey friend — grab a glass and get comfy. In this episode of True Crimes Against Wine we swap the usual table wine for a lush, decanted Raymond Sellers Cabernet Sauvignon (yes, the reserve — velvety label, 14.5% sass included) and spend the episode pairing big-flavor wine notes with bigger TV drama: the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond. We talk vineyard history (Napa’s underdog moment and the Bottle Shock story), decanting tips, and the gorgeous, peppery, black-cherry notes of this super-balanced Cab that the hosts absolutely adore.
Then the banter turns to the Barone family: the show’s charm, its most cringe-worthy tropes (the “incompetent husband” bit and how sitcom conventions can sneak into real life), and the cast’s standout performances — from Marie’s manipulative, loving energy to Frank’s grumpy heart and Robert’s deadpan magic. Expect hot takes on Patricia Heaton’s real-life politics, behind-the-scenes casting quirks, and hilarious anecdotes about auditions, auditions-day moods, and even celebrity soap-opera moments (yes, there’s an SVU crossover mention).
We laugh, we judge, we get nostalgic about laugh tracks and sitcom dinners (IHOP, anyone?), and ultimately try to render a verdict: is Everybody Loves Raymond guilty of reinforcing tired gender tropes, or just a cozy, flawed classic? Pour yourself something good and listen in — we’ll make you feel like you’re on the couch with us, wine in hand, ready to gossip.
