Wine on a Dime

Killer endorsement

Hannibal Lecter was right: Fava beans really do go well with a nice Chianti. The wine cuts through the beans' full, oily cast (I know, because I've just conducted my own experiment), and the aftertaste doesn't let up until you're done with your meal. Chianti, after all, isn't always meant to be drunk by itself.

Tiziano, a dryish, medium-bodied Chianti out of 2004, complements lots of heavy dishes like pasta and cheese and sausages and pizza and grilled meat. There's actually a pretty good marketing strategy in there, too. Tiziano is touted as an elementary item for those who want to learn more about Italian wines-and can you imagine any better educational setting than one that features an abundance of Italian eats? Four types of grapes go into this ruby-red entry, and that ought to stimulate just about any appetite. And if you buy it at Beverages & More, your introductory lesson is practically free-a bottle sells for only $4.99.

In some quarters, Chianti is regarded as Italy's most famous wine, and the traditions surrounding the nation's Tuscany area have a lot to do with it. Chianti wine masters have been tweaking and tricking out their products along this west coast region for almost 300 years, licking their chops at endorsements like the one that came from Hannibal. As you know, he preferred a very specific kind of liver with his wine-but it's highly recommended you spare yourself the trouble involved in procuring one.

-Martin Jones Westlin