Because his wife Millicent liked to invite her friends to big dinners and serve them rare and expensive food and wine.

VOA: special.2010.05.29

It did annoy me, seeing her talking to another man with a glass of white wine in her hand, and her innocent friendliness, which any man could mistake for a come-on, not just me.

NEWYORKER: Wakefield

He did not reply but poured more wine for her, and then for himself.

NEWYORKER: Alone

He had looked out at the canal and ordered successive glasses of wine for her, thinking the same thing the whole time.

NEWYORKER: The Maserati Years