I had some grapey issues with this week’s episode, which I’ll get to. I did, however, think the plot was really good so let’s have Abby kick us off with that part.

Olivia may not have gotten her grape on this week. But at least by the end of the episode she got a shower and was Champagne adjacent. Everyone else was downing whiskey like it was water, which I suppose is appropriate when POTUS is starting wars to save his mistress.

But when the woman doesn’t have her wine…she just isn’t herself!

grapefriend wine recommendation: Ohhhh yeah, this is how we all feel when we don’t get our grapes! So here’s my huge problem with this part of the episode: when Liv tried to demand a last dinner she asked for beef stew and an orange creamsicle. BUT NO WINE!! Our girl is REALLY getting affected by her captivity. You ask for a beef stew but not one of your “mind-blowing” Bordeaux to go with it? She’s thinking this will be her last meal ever and she has completely forgotten about wine. I was very shocked, as was most of Twitter. Some suggested the beef stew would contain red wine, others guessed that it must be a ruse, and still others – desperately – claimed the red wine was just implied. Most grapefriends just felt sad, confused, and betrayed by our Scandal leader.

Fitz pours himself a big old glass before he gets on the phone with his former bestie/current VP/sometimes boyfriend of FLOTUS. Sidebar: Man, Fitz is the WORST at picking Vice Presidents. He’s pretty bad at a lot of things—though pouring and drinking whiskey is not one of them.
Mellie even gets in on the booze action though sadly we are not treated to a super fun Drunk Mellie moment. Plus she tries to help save Liv for which we toast her!
grapefriend wine recommendation: These scenes were making me a lot happier. Because after all, it’s February and freaking freezing out and everyone knows the only thing to do at this point is drink whiskey. I had a Laphroaig by the fire the other night and it saved my life.

Huck, Jake, and Quinn may not be boozing but they’re completely in character. Huck is apparently doing gnarly Huck things to Lizzie Bear with this trusty toolbox. Jake is playing hero and calling in favors from David Rosen. And Quinn is…wearing a leather jacket.

AT LONG LAST A WINE MOMENT!
In the episode’s final scenes we finally get grapey again. The Vice President’s Vice President of Doing Bad Stuff to Liv downs a glass of champs while on a private jet en route to an auction where the highest bidder gets one Ms. Olivia Pope. You know he’s mean because he doesn’t even offer to share. Poor Liv!

grapefriend wine recommendation: I do feel for her being left out of the bubbly celebration, but I’ve never seen her drink anything but red so she probably didn’t even care. Also, what kind of Champagne has a pink label (which almost always indicates it’s a rosé) and then isn’t rosé? See? So many grapey problems with this episode.
We’re one step closer to getting our girl reunited with her beloved long-stemmed wine glasses.

Until next week, follow along on Twitter @grapefriend and @abbygardner where we’ll be eagerly waiting to see if Liv has come back to her senses and starts demanding wine.