For anyone who imbibed a bit too much over the holidays comes reassurance that drinking wine—even to excess, now and then—is an integral part of civilized existence. According to this review essay on Roger Scruton’s I Drink Therefore I Am: A Philosopher’s Guide to Wine, the new book brings a conservative pundit’s wit to bear on “love of the land, philosophical curiosity, and a fondness for uncorking dusty bottles from the cellar of his memory.” There’s some serious reflection about how wine fits into a thoughtful life. But it’s not dry stuff—Scruton feeds his horse wine. And he gives shrewd advice, like buying second-best wines from lesser-known vineyards situated near famous ones.