History Main / AGlassOfChianti

-->-- '''Dr. Hannibal Lecter''', ''Literature/TheSilenceOfTheLambs''

In some parts of the world, any class connotations come from which wine it is, not the bare fact that it's wine. Also, if a Chianti is a villain's wine of choice, that can be a clue that they are not really as classy as they claim or that they really know little about wine; Chianti is a pleasant but modest table-wine, but it's not generally regarded as particularly sophisticated or elegant. Therefore, the TropeNamer ''Film/TheSilenceOfTheLambs'' is [[ThisIndexIsNotAnExample not an example]] of this trope.

** In the second episode, Lestat de Lioncourt slits the tenor's wrist while holding a gold-rimmed wine glass underneath it to collect the dripping blood, and then he takes a sip like he's savoring a LuxuriousLiquor.
** In the seventh episode, Lestat drains the blood of an encyclopedia salesman into a decanter, and then pours it in crystal wine glasses for himself, Louis de Pointe du Lac and Claudia in their opulent dining room, a VampiresAreRich version of a family dinner. They generally don't drink blood in a fancy setting (they typically go out to hunt), but the pretty glassware in this scene accentuates how Louis and Claudia are confined in Lestat's GildedCage.

* Adelei Niska sips on an unidentified drink in the ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' episode "War Stories" while watching Mal being [[ColdBloodedTorture tortured]].

* In one episode of ''Series/RedDwarf'', [[ItMakesSenseInContext the imperial descendant of Rimmer's clone]] decreed the execution and immolation of the ''Red Dwarf'' crew, and ordered their ashes brought to him on a silver plate with a glass of chilled sancerre. The Cat is horrified.
-->'''Cat''': This guy's an animal. Doesn't he know it's ''red'' wine with cold ashes?

Villainesses and neutral [[FemmeFatale Femmes Fatales]] also have the option of sipping white wine and champagne ("girly" wines), and seductively drinking from a tall flute glass and peering through the bubbles at the hero.

* ''ComicBook/EmmaFrost'' did this quite often when she was an ''Comicbook/XMen'' villain. As stated about villainesses, she preferred champagne. Her tastes changed after joining the team, where her spirit of choice became whiskey out of a flask in tense situations, but she still prefers a glass of chianti when relaxed.

* Lucius Malfoy, being WickedCultured, enjoys this trope in ''FanFic/ChildOfTheStorm.''

** In the opening of ''Videogame/CastlevaniaLordsOfShadow2'', Dracula [[spoiler:aka Gabriel Belmont]] is sitting on his throne, goblet full of blood in hand, looking bored out of his skull. While an army is laying siege to his castle. He only gets up and finishes his drink before tossing the goblet to the floor when he hears said army "knocking" on his door with a battering ram.

* The first time we see Black Manta unmasked in ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'', he's eating a fine meal and sipping wine in his lavishly decorated private quarters.

** In the seventh episode, Lestat drains the blood of an encyclopedia salesman into a decanter, and then pours it in crystal wine glasses for himself, Louis de Pointe du Lac and Claudia in their luxurious dining room, a VampiresAreRich version of a family dinner. They generally don't drink blood in a fancy setting (they typically go out to hunt), but the pretty glassware in this scene accentuates how Louis and Claudia are confined in Lestat's GildedCage.

Many [[BigBad villains]], being more high-class than most heroes, like to sip some wine, usually red, while [[SlouchOfVillainy lounging on their]] [[OrcusOnHisThrone throne]]. This makes them seem [[WickedCultured refined]] and [[EvilIsCool worldly]], even when [[VillainsOutShopping relaxing]]. Heroes and more [[LowerClassLout petty villains]] go for the more boorish beer, usually because they either can't afford wine or they have [[EvilTastesGood no taste for the stuff]].

* ''Series/InterviewWithTheVampire2022'': In the seventh episode, Lestat de Lioncourt drains the blood of an encyclopedia salesman into a decanter, and then pours it in crystal wine glasses for himself, Louis de Pointe du Lac and Claudia in their luxurious dining room, a VampiresAreRich version of a family dinner. They generally don't drink blood in a fancy setting (they typically go out to hunt), but the pretty glassware in this scene accentuates how Louis and Claudia are confined in Lestat's GildedCage.

Subtrope of WineIsClassy. Wine, especially rare and expensive wine (and the ability to identify vintages of it by sight, smell, and taste), has become a cliche commonly associated with the Grey Poupon set. This can be used to indicate someone is [[AppealToFlattery a snob]], or simply as a part of the background culture of the story. Further, red wine is more often an acquired taste, possibly hinting that one had the funds to develop it.

Many [[BigBad villains]], being more high-class than most heroes, like to sip some wine, usually red, while [[SlouchOfVillainy lounging on their]] [[OrcusOnHisThrone throne]]. This makes them seem [[WickedCultured refined]] and [[EvilIsCool worldly]], even when [[VillainsOutShopping relaxing]]. Heroes and more petty villains go for the more boorish beer, usually because they either can't afford wine or they have [[EvilTastesGood no taste for the stuff]].

* ''Series/InterviewWithTheVampire2022'': In the seventh episode, Lestat de Lioncourt drains the blood of an encyclopedia salesman into a decanter, and then pours it in wine glasses for himself, Louis de Pointe du Lac and Claudia in their luxurious dining room, a VampiresAreRich version of a family dinner. They generally don't drink blood in a fancy setting (they typically go out to hunt), but the pretty glassware in this scene accentuates how Louis and Claudia are confined in Lestat's GildedCage.

* ''Series/InterviewWithTheVampire2022'': In the seventh episode, Lestat de Lioncourt drains the blood of an encyclopedia salesman into a decanter, and then serves it in wine glasses for himself, Louis de Pointe du Lac and Claudia in their luxurious dining room, a VampiresAreRich version of a family dinner. They generally don't drink blood in a fancy setting (they typically go out to hunt), but the pretty glassware in this scene accentuates how Louis and Claudia are confined in Lestat's GildedCage.

* Lex Luthor from ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' likes his vintage Scotch, prominently displayed in a glass decanter. In fact, him offering you to personally pour you a glass from the drink tray in his study is a sign of respect. Villains sometimes try to assert dominance by pouring one without his permission. He also has a wine cellar.
* Adelei Niska sips on an unidentified drink in the ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' episode "War Stories" while watching Mal being [[ColdBloodedTorture tortured]].

* Mads Mikkelsen's ''Series/{{Hannibal}}'' in the [=NBC=] series is much the same as his film counterpart, as a glass of red wine seems to be his [[TrademarkFavoriteFood favorite drink]].
* In the ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'' episode "The Wedding" where [[UnholyMatrimony Rita and Zedd married]], the two of them drank something that may or may not have been wine during the festivities. (They used wine glasses, but it was green and gave off a mist like that of dry ice; it was likely never identified because of the target audience.)

** This even carries over to ''VideoGame/BloodstainedRitualOfTheNight'', Castlevania's SpiritualSuccessor made by Koji Igarashi, Castlevania's most famous head-honcho: His Kickstarter pitch video has him throw a wine glass, and the game's heroine, Miriam, also has an ability where she does the same thing, obtained from [[spoiler:IGA as a DLC OptionalBoss, who liberally throws wine glasses as his attacks]].

* The Computer Society President from ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'' gets to try this out while he's villaining it up in the episode "Day of Sagittarius III". It's okay that he's underaged, it's all just part of the DeepImmersionGaming shtick. This is actually a ShoutOut to [[BigBad Leader Desslok]] in ''Anime/SpaceBattleshipYamato''.

* The ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'' universe has [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-209 SCP-209]], a tumbler that [[InvokedTrope invokes]] this. Anyone who smells the alcohol in the tumbler is compelled to drink it, assuming that someone else is nearby that can be preyed upon within twenty meters. Once they start drinking from it, they'll become relaxed, take on a SlouchOfVillainy, and begin describing horrible torments to be inflicted on any nearby victims in range. These torments will then spontaneously begin to happen to the victims, [[DissonantSerenity which the drinker will then watch with quiet amusement until their victims die or they drink all the alcohol.]]

* [[http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/File:Amano_Exdeath_2.jpg This]] Creator/YoshitakaAmano concept art for ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyV'' depicts the main villain, Exdeath, lounging with a goblet of... something. He's probably only doing it for looks since for one thing, he still has his helmet on, and for another [[WhenTreesAttack he's an evil tree]].

** This even carries over to ''VideoGame/BloodstainedRitualOfTheNight'', Castlevania's SpiritualSuccessor made by Koji Igarashi, Castlevania's most famous head-honcho: His Kickstarter pitch video has him throw a wine glass, and the game's heroine, Miriam, also has an ability where she does the same thing, obtained from [[spoiler:IGA as a DLC BonusBoss, who liberally throws wine glasses as his attacks]].

* In ''Film/SawV'', Jigsaw does this with a teacup while interrogating Mark Hoffman.

!!Examples

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* ''Series/{{Farscape}}'' promotional images occasionally feature Scorpius holding a wine glass of an unnamed alien vintage (in the images where he's not [[KnifeNut holding some kind of bladed instrument]], of course).

* ''Film/VForVendetta'' has a non-alcoholic version: dictator Adam Sutler enjoys a glass of warm milk at night. He's even openly satirised for it in a comedy variety show—and watching the show during that exact episode, he [[AGlassInTheHand shatters]] the very glass of warm milk he's holding in rage, and (unsurprisingly) has the show's creator arrested and extrajudicially murdered.

** Pegasus loved to [[VillainsOutShopping drink wine and read comic books]], but the censors turned his wine into [[FrothyMugsOfWater "fruit juice"]]. Which actually works with his character, because he acts childish for most of his on-screen time.

* In ''Film/TheSilenceOfTheLambs'', Hannibal Lecter famously announces, "A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti," before making a hideous slurping sound. [[note]]The choice of Chianti here suggests a minor bit of fridge horror: Lecter paired a mundane but enjoyable wine with a mundane but enjoyable meal. Though in the original book, he had "a big Amarone", which is what is actually recommended to accompany liver. Alternatively it's a psychiatric medication joke as all three of them are things you really should not consume while on MAOIs.[[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Deltarune}}'' has Queen, the second chapter's main antagonist, who apparently carries wine glasses with her everywhere she goes. She actually fills her wine glasses with battery acid, and her boss fight requires you to toast so she drinks it and lowers her shields. It doesn't hurt her, though, since she's an anthropomorphic computer.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Deltarune}}'' has Queen, the second chapter's main antagonist, who apparently carries wine glasses with her everywhere she goes. She actually fills her wine glasses with battery acid, and her boss fight requires you to get her to drink it to lower her shields. It doesn't hurt her, though, since she's an anthropomorphic computer.

[[folder:Web Comics]]