Wine in The Sopranos

Tony Soprano is a full-blooded Italian. His grandparents were off the boat from Naples, and his whole crew loves lasagna and spaghetti. His best friend from high school runs an Italian restaurant, Vesuvio. So it's no wonder that wine - especially Italian wine - figure heavily in their lives.

Just watch the scene where Janice is fighting with Richie, her fiance. Sure, Richie punches her in the face, and she promptly fetches a gun and shoots him. But on the table is a bottle of Ruffino Chianti, a wine I enjoy a lot myself. I'm just not quite as violent.

Even Tony's kids get into the act. Little Tony Jr. in 8th grade manages to get into some sacramental wine with his buds. "It's not sacramental until they bless it," the say as they pass the bottle.

Which leads us to priests. Carmela is quite friendly with Father Phil, and one night while Tony is out college-hunting with Meadow, Father Phil swings by. She asks him if she would like anything, and he says, "Some wine ... if it's open ..." which of course it is. She pours him some into large goblet-glasses and he's thrilled. "This Chianti, though,is beyond reproach! Word up!" he says, smiling. Soon they've finished that and gone onto another bottle, maybe a Cab, while they watch a movie.

In the meantime Tony's having dinner with Meadow, and while Meadow has soda, Tony's drinking a red. The bottle is quite out of focus, but it appears to be a Columbia Crest Cabernet.

Buy the Soprano Family Cookbook!

Wine in Movies, TV Shows and Books