2006

The First Glass

From its inception,The Real Housewives was a show for and about wine lovers. By the end of episode one of The Real Housewives of Orange County, we watch as self-proclaimed kept woman Jo De la Rosa, then 24, pours a glass of red wine and prepares to greet her fiancée, Slade Smiley at the end of his workday. By the end of that season, Jo and Slade split up and eighteen years later appeared back on our screens—Slade as the plus one to a different “wife” and Jo making a cameo as the plus one to their arch-nemesis. 

Though some of RHOC’s booziest moments didn’t age like fine wine, we will forever be grateful for the contribution Jo De La Rosa made to the modern Bravo era, setting the stage for the next 19 moments.

2008

Bethenny Shares Her Signature Drink

Once upon a time Bethenny Frankel was a Carrie Bradshaw-coded single girl in New York City who couldn’t help but wonder… could she roll her eyes at a group of middle-aged Upper East Siders on television and launch an alcohol brand at the same time?

Yes. Yes, she could. In episode 5 of The Real Housewives of New York, Bethenny gave a bartender a list of ingredients to make what she was already calling a Skinnygirl margarita, and the Bravolebrity side hustle was born. After Frankel sold her liquor business for a reported $120 million, Bravo contracts began to feature what is commonly referred to as “the Bethenny clause” to share in the profits of businesses launched on their shows—be it pillows, sex toys, toaster ovens or alcohol. 

Following the launches of wine brands by Lisa Vanderpump, Lisa Rinna, Brandi Glanville and so many others, Bethenny herself added a Skinnygirl wine and rosé to her ever-expanding product portfolio.

2008

Kim Zolciak Singing and Drinking

The indelible image of The Real Housewives of Atlanta’s Kim Zolciak parked in the driver’s seat with a wig, cig and glass of Chardonnay while she serenades her castmate launched the well-worn trope of housewives pursuing singing careers. 
But Kim was the one who showed us that the potent cocktail of dreams and delusions goes down smoother with a glass of white wine.

2009

Teresa Sends Wine Flying

By the time the housewives got to The Real Housewives of New Jersey, corks were popping, and tempers were raging. It was only a matter of time before the franchise lived up to its true potential as a real-life soap opera with the kind of over-the-top moment that would seem like a cliche if not for the “Jersey Girl” authenticity of Teresa Giudice. 

Giudice was an almost benign comedic presence for 95% of the season until she flipped a table, sending silverware and red wine flying. With one dramatic toss, the previously agreed upon rules of engagement went out the window and fans were hungry to feast on this new level of drama.

2010

“It’s Turtle Time”

After dozens of hours and at least as many glasses of Pinot Grigio (46, if Bethenny’s math is correct), RHONY‘s Ramona Singer coined the catch phrase “turtle time,” which essentially means letting loose and having fun.

In a cast trip that was immortalized as “Scary Island,” this was the moment of levity we didn’t know we needed and the calm before the storm.

2010

The Salahis Grape Stomp

The D.C. franchise may have been a one-season wonder, but boy did Michaele and Tareq Salahi make their screen time count. Immediately after the now-divorced duo snuck into the Congressional Black Caucus dinner and subsequently got kicked out, the Salahis invited their castmates to the Oasis Vineyard for the annual grape stomp. There’s an air of legitimacy to the endeavor—Salahis’ 1999 Champagne was named one of the “Top 10 Best Champagne and Sparkling Wines in the World” by this very magazine. 

Needless to say, even an award-winning bottle of Champagne is hard to enjoy when you have half a dozen security guards lining the perimeter of the vineyard, as Tareq’s estranged family were hell-bent on banning him from the property

2011

Tamra Throws Wine At Jeana

Even a lay person who has never seen a single episode of Real Housewives associates the franchise with women throwing wine in each other’s faces. But it actually took the flagship city six seasons before anyone shattered this particular glass ceiling. 

Unsurprisingly, it was the mercurial Tamra who came out swinging—targeting the departed O.G. Jeana Keough for siding with her ex in their divorce. Following this dramatic high/low, Heather “Fancy Pants” Dubrow joined the cast in what can only be construed as an effort to bring a smattering of class back to the proceedings.

2011

NeNe Is a Rich B–

Season 4 of The Real Housewives of Atlanta kicks off with NeNe Leakes and Shereé Whitfield clearing the air over a glass of wine. The substance of the argument is as inconsequential as it is difficult to follow because they are screaming over each other while also yelling at the other people they called on speakerphone. 

Luckily, NeNe delivers the equivalent of a “TL:DR” when she mentions her connection to Donald Trump via an appearance on Celebrity Apprentice, declaring herself “a very rich bitch.” Shereé barely has a chance to take a sip of her drink before NeNe is out the door.

2012

The Giudices Get Busy

Between family feuds and federal investigations, Teresa and Joe Giudice were more than pulling their weight drama-wise when they joined their castmates on a trip to Napa in Season 4. 
Then, they went to the vineyards. Sure, Juicy Joe took a phone call and referred to Tre as “my bitch wife.” But that wife is a gamer—Teresa’s vineyard seduction of her husband, who was allegedly cheating on both her and his taxes, was a move the grapes never saw coming.

2012

LVP’s Iconic Tagline

“Life isn’t all diamonds and rosé… but it should be” is perhaps the most iconic tagline in over 100 seasons of The Real Housewives. Delivered by the wine and baubles-loving Lisa Vanderpump, it was the perfect encapsulation of a woman who was the queen bee of Beverly Hills, a fan favorite and on the verge of launching her eponymous spinoff, Vanderpump Rules.

It’s no wonder her castmates started plotting her takedown at around this time. That it took them four more seasons to succeed is a testament to her supremacy. And, of course, LVP capitalized on her iconic catchphrase and launched a wine collection—including a rosé of her own.

2013

Whines by Wives

Tamra and Vicki set out to monetize their affinity for whooping it up and drinking wine. “Wines by Wives” was a wine of the month club where, for a brief time, fans could sample wine recommended by either Vicki or Tamra. The writing was on the wall when the frenemies had it out on a wine-tasting trip to Malibu and quickly fizzled into oblivion.

2014

Stassi Will Take a Pinot Grigio

After Stassi Schroeder quit SUR and moved to NYC for a hot minute, best-selling author Scheana Shay thought the queen bee role on Vanderpump Rules was up for grabs. Bless her heart. As soon as Stassi returned to L.A., she was dining with the boss and adjusting her crown as she ordered Scheana to bring her a drink. 

Naturally, Stassi and her minions also capitalized on this iconic moment with the Witches of Weho wine collection.

2015

Brandi Glanville’s Double Wine Toss

In season 5, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills turned the subtext into text and hired a few soap opera actresses as cast members. One can only imagine Brandi Glanville thought she understood the assignment when she threw a glass of wine into Young and the Restless star Eileen Davidson’s face. Why she followed that up with a second wine toss on Watch What Happens Live the night the episode aired is another story.

2015

Rinna Throws Down …

When you cast soap opera stars, there will be an above-average number of iconic wine-throwing moments that season. Technically, this second entry from Season 5 of RHOBH occurred after the wine was already consumed, but Lisa Rinna didn’t let that detail get in the way of her hysteria, and neither will we. 

When Kim Richards vaguely went after Rinna’s husband a.k.a. Harry Hamlin a.k.a. 1987’s Sexiest Man Alive, the Days of Our Lives alum grabbed that empty glass and let it rip—silencing Richards with the shattering shards. To this day, we are still wondering what dirt she had on Mr. Rinna.

2015-2020

Dorinda

When it comes to Dorinda Medley, there are simply too many iconic wine moments to choose just one. Under the influence of white wine, vodka, bourbon  and perhaps more, Dorinda is responsible for some of the most delightfully unhinged moments in the franchise’s two-decade history. But if we were choosing a single moment from the Dorinda Medley, it may be “I cooked, I decorated, I made it nice” from Season 8. Or “Clip” from Season 9… or “Jovani”… or her engagement toast to Lu and Tom… or whatever this was. 

2017-2025

Summer House Drinks Rosé All Day

The core premise of Summer House is people in the Hamptons drinking on the weekends. Exhibit A: Back in season one, reality TV all-timer Lindsay Hubbard said when she met her co-star, Kyle Cook, he was drinking a bottle of rosé the size of a seven-year-old.

After guzzling dozens of cases of Whispering Angel, in 2018, Cook launched Loverboy sparkling hard tea, which immediately became the official drink of Summer House. Meanwhile, after a struggle with alcoholism, Kyle’s co-star and former employee Carl Radke is embracing a non-alc lifestyle and launching a mindful consumption space called “Soft Bar.”

2017

Lu Falls in the Bushes

Countess-turned-cabaret star Luann De Lesseps has taken fans on quite the journey over the years. When she gets so tipsy she tumbles into the bushes, she gets right back up again, and we won’t be all uncool and mention what happens when she’s at her worst. All you need to know is: it was about Tom.

2020

Candiace vs. Monique Winery Battle Royale

This season-defining fight caused production to step in. Not only is it one of the biggest beatdowns in the history of the franchise, but it also requires careful freeze-framing to determine whether the glass of wine at the center of the melée was actively thrown or merely splashed into Monique Samuels’s face after she had lunged at Candiace Dillard Bassett. (Samuels later apologized.) 

In the aftermath of the tussle, castmates lamented how the violence was feeding into stereotypes about Black women. Surely this list alone shows that Real Housewives of all races across our great nation are susceptible to the occasional lapse.  

2023

Mary Cosby Requests 2003 Dom Perignon

Mary Cosby is the kind of reality star that makes you pause to consider the possibility that she was engineered in a lab for this very purpose. Surely no one is naturally this bizarre—not that we are complaining. If Mary Cosby wants to call a concierge and request 2003 Dom Perignon because that was the year where over 5,000 people died and great things happened with grapes as a result, LET HER. Just don’t expect The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star to explain herself coherently on Watch What Happens Live. 

Likewise, if Meredith Marks wants to drink a lot of wine and then repeatedly scream “YOU CAN LEAVE” at her castmate, LET HER. Just be grateful you aren’t the waiter she’s expecting to enforce this.

2025

The Valley Brings Toxicity to Wine Country

The toxic cast of The Valley descended on a family-owned vineyard in Santa Barbara, and I am genuinely wondering if the sweet couple that hosted and served them have recovered.

One moment cast member Jesse Lally was commenting on how one need not check the legs during a wine tasting, and then a moment later, he’s screaming at his soon-to-be ex-wife.
You know it is bleak when Aw-shucks–I-only-drink-tequila-shots Brittany Cartwright is lamenting the group’s inability to keep it together in nice places. Yet, from our vantage point, they are delivering exactly what we came for.