Ode to Chianti

Despite its many problems and changes over the years, the rustic Italian wine is now better than ever.

There are also Chiantis from different regions, and wines designated "riserva." Ralf Liebhold/Shutterstock

I love Chianti, Italy’s most famous red wine. This crisp red has had to negotiate a maze of legal and stylistic problems in the past 50 years yet despite it all has retained a countrified persona that’s best with tart foods.

Chianti can be a bit rustic. It also can be high in acidity and thus works beautifully with tomato-based foods, and it benefits from aeration. So in some ways, it’s predictable. But its image can confound Italian wine newcomers.