Sobering Truths and a Magnificent Offer on 7 Wine Heroes

Well, I’m back from my wanderings in the wilderness whilst Jeanne hijacked my position as story teller extraordinaire, entertaining you with stories of derring-do in far flung parts. Whilst wandering this dark place, cast aside like yesterday's newspapers, I happened upon an interview betwixt the philosopher Alain de Botton and Steven Bartlett.  De Botton is making his life's work, studying the various causes of human unhappiness created by the modern industrialised society.

He makes the point that whilst the world has solved many problems, we have also generated new and some particularly difficult challenges that simply haven’t struck humanity before. One of them is the disappearance of religion, for many. We are, he suggests, amongst some of the first generations, in many parts of the world, that are trying to live good lives, without the support of religion. Warning: what follows is uncomfortable. If you’re feeling fragile, feel free to skip to the products below.

At a point in the conversation, he refers to Emile Durkheim, a 19th century French sociologist who wrote a book contrasting the differences between ancient and modern societies.    And he identifies one troubling difference between the 'premodern agricultural, village based societies' where religion plays a role, and 'modern, urban, success orientated individualistic society'.   And that’s the suicide rate.

He realises that modern societies, for all their advantages, lead a share of their members, often the most ambitious, to take their own lives. Why, he asks?  What is it that modern times do to the soul? What is this paradox, he asks, of suffering amidst plenty, of regress amidst progress?

If you find this of interest, then you can see or listen to the whole interview here but I’ve listed a few disturbing facts that I gleaned below.

• Someone dies through suicide every 90 mins, in the UK.
• 76% are male.
• There are 25 attempts for every death.
• The biggest cause of death for men under 45, is suicide.
• Men aged 19-35 years are twice as likely to report being in crisis than any other group.
• 16-24 is the fastest growing group in history to exhibit suicidality.
• And now apparently young women are following suit.

There is no one answer to address these disturbing statistics. Having watched this interview, I asked myself if I’d ever seriously considered suicide. I think the answer is probably no, unlike Babette, who in her mid-teens, did attempt it. For me, the worst I’ve known is that hollow, characterless emptiness, a sort of hopelessness, the “why bother?” feeling, that is deeply unpleasant but, mercifully, didn’t lead anywhere darker.  I don’t know, but I rather suspect that this is a long, long way from taking an overdose.

By way of "kitchen sink psychology", the difference perhaps, between her and me, is that I had no big traumas in my early life, I had good (enough) parents who loved me, and then of course a lovely wife who was a keen observer of people, a great communicator, and who never let stuff get brushed under the carpet. She also loved me very dearly. So, not much room in that, for deep depression, perhaps.  Why did I use 'perhaps'?  The word love is difficult to define but, for me, to feel loved is to be truly recognised which is what my parents' and Babette did for me.  In that sense I may have been very lucky and despite the 'progress' in modern society, this is something that statistically an increasing number of us don't feel.

Later in the podcast De Botton makes it clear that relationships and specifically those experienced in childhood are a contributor to our current ills, suicide included.  But, that there are other reasons of course, and things we can do, to avoid going there. I may come back to these another time. I'd really appreciate it you could share your thoughts or experiences, either in the comments of the website version of this newsletter ideally or email me at andrew@artoflivingcookshop.co.uk.

Now lets lighten up and get to product.

I’m indebted to my colleague Andi Healey, our Website Development manager, for this idea of a Magnificent Seven.  The theme is managing your wine drinking, without tears or embarrassment. 

The Magnificent Seven

Every so often, I realise I’ve been making life harder for myself than it needs to be. Many years ago,  I recall putting up with streaky wine glasses, corks that disintegrated on me, and on odd occasions, champagne that went flat by the morning. None of it is earth-shattering, but when you finally stumble across the right tool for the job… well, I sometimes wonder why I didn't take action to rectify these problems earlier in my life, after all, I sell the flipping stuff.

So, in the spirit of making your wine life easier (and a little more elegant), here are seven small heroes that I think earn their place at the table.

Hero 1. The Corkscrew That Works

Most of us have a corkscrew in a drawer that really belongs in the bin. Bent screw, awkward handle, cork crumbs everywhere… and the occasional hopping-about-the-room routine when it won’t budge.

The cure is the Vacu Vin Waiter's Corkscrew, the simple fold-up one that sommeliers actually use. Neat, reliable, and no drama. If you’d like something more theatrical, as I’m afraid I do, then the Le Creuset Lever Model makes even the most stubborn cork surrender gracefully, and you’ll look rather competent in the process. 

Hero 2. The Cloth That Changes Everything
For years I polished wine glasses with tea towels, and the results were… well, let’s just say my glasses looked better in the dark.
Riedel’s microfibre cloth, on the other hand, is a small miracle. It’s big enough to polish a glass without getting your fingers all over it, and it glides around without that nerve-wracking drag that makes you fear you’ll snap the stem. The result? Sparkling, restaurant-worthy glasses

Hero 3. Wine Preservation
The old routine: open a bottle, enjoy a glass, push the cork back in, hope for the best. By day 2 or 3  it’s starting to go off, any later and  it's just expensive wine vinegar. Waste of good wine and money,  equals disappointment.
A wine saver fixes it. Pump the air out and your wine stays fresh for days. Le Creuset make a particularly smart one, which feels a bit nicer than shoving corks back in upside-down.

Hero 4. The Decanter’s Secret Weapon

Decanters are lovely, but cleaning them can test your patience. Brushes don’t reach, awkward angles defeat you, and the residue ring remains.
Riedel’s cleaning beads are tiny stainless-steel wonders — swirl them with warm water and the decanter comes up clear as new. (Just don’t try them in those snake-shaped designs unless you fancy a rescue mission.)

Heroes 5 & 6. Keeping Cool

Warm white wine and fridge-cold red are both a shame. Le Creuset’s cooler sleeve is a simple fix — quick, stylish, no puddles.
If you’d like something grander, Elia’s stainless steel wine cooler is condensation-free, table-worthy, and frankly a little impressive. Their compact ice pail is equally clever — neat, drip-free, and smart enough for a party.

Hero 7. The Champagne Saviour

Half a bottle of fizz left? The cork won’t go back in, silver teaspoons don’t work, and clingfilm is hopeless.
The AdHoc Champagne Stopper, though, actually works. Airtight seal, stainless steel, and flat enough to slot neatly in the fridge door. Your champagne stays upright, sealed, and sparkling until you’re ready for the next glass.

The Magnificent Seven

 None of these are gimmicks. They’re just small, well-made tools that make the whole business of wine simpler and more enjoyable. Clean corks, sparkling glasses, wine that lasts, bubbles that keep fizzing… all little details, but together, really rather magnificent. Exaggeration? Well maybe a little bit. Maybe I’ve been to night school  learning how to sell,  when no one was looking.

Exaggeration?

Well, maybe a little bit. Maybe I’ve been to night school, learning how to sell, when no one was looking?

Fat chance

This week use code MAG7 to get 25% off the recommended retail price on all of these 'magnificent' products, or let us know who you are if coming into one of our shops.

I hope you have a peaceful and pleasant weekend

Warm regards,

Andrew