The consolations of wine
Monday 30 April 2018
People have long turned to myriad sources as consolation for the thorny task of being human. From poetry and painting to music and sculpture, the arts are filled with expressions of humanity to soften misfortune and comfort the suffering. Literature is similarly sympathetic; what is the western canon but a catalogue of accounts of what it means to be human? And in philosophy, a field practically invented to help make sense of the human condition, consolations have been a popular genre. Perhaps the most famous was Boethius’s The Consolations of Philosophy , in which he reconciled his time in prison...
Become a member to continue reading
Celebrating 25 years of building the world’s most trusted wine community
In honour of our anniversary, enjoy 25% off all annual and gift memberships for a limited time.
Use code HOLIDAY25 to join our community of wine experts and enthusiasts. Valid through 1 January.
Member
$135
/year
Ideal for wine enthusiasts
- Access 285,971 wine reviews & 15,810 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
Inner Circle
$249
/year
Ideal for collectors
- Access 285,971 wine reviews & 15,810 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
- Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
Professional
$299
/year
For individual wine professionals
- Access 285,971 wine reviews & 15,810 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
- Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
- Commercial use of up to 25 wine reviews & scores for marketing
Business
$399
/year
For companies in the wine trade
- Access 285,971 wine reviews & 15,810 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
- Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
- Commercial use of up to 250 wine reviews & scores for marketing
More Andrea's salon
Andrea's salon
A continuation of Andrea's search for the perfect wine dinner for her friends. See part 1. The origins of the...
Andrea's salon
The first of a two-part muse on a topic that may well be of particular interest to visitors to JancisRobinson.com...
Andrea's salon
Our most philosophically thoughtful columnist considers the polis of wine. Of all the paradoxes that exist in wine, one in...
Andrea's salon
What to take from home when embarking on a long journey abroad? There are the practical effects one needs for...
More from JancisRobinson.com
Tasting articles
Gigondas Blanc lives up to its new appellation in 2024. Above, Clairette at Château de St-Cosme, one of the vintage’s...
Tasting articles
Cairanne and Rasteau headline the 2024 vintage among the southern crus, but there’s plenty to like in other appellations, too...
Tasting articles
Gigondas has the upper hand in 2024, but both regions offer a lot of drinking pleasure. Above, the Dentelles de...
Book reviews
A compelling call to really look at your wine before you drink it, and appreciate the power of colour.
The...
Tasting articles
Plenty of drinking pleasure on offer in 2024 – and likely without a long wait. The team at Clos du...
Inside information
Yields are down but pleasure is up in 2024, with ‘drinkability’ the key word. Above, a wintry view Château de...
Nick on restaurants
A daughter revives memories of her parents’ much-loved Chinese restaurants.
The surname Poon has long associations with the world of...
Inside information
The fifth of a new seven-part podcast series giving the definitive story of Jancis’s life and career so far. For...