wine
BY LANCE SPARKS
Grateful Wines
And other objects of my affection
A
ny country that makes a national
holiday to raise collective thanks
probably can’t be all bad, even
if the thanks are sometimes misplaced or
rather belated or fraught with a dubious
materialism spiced up with vindictive
malice (“Thanks for the Lexus and would
You please give mine enemies genital
warts? Thanks again”).
Still, think about it: An entire modern
industrial nation, whose military forces
rampage through a hundred other nations,
takes a day off work to settle accounts with
a few million turkeys while raising voices
in gratitude for all the good stuff — even
if it could be a little more, like that Lexus
could come with the walnut interior trim,
but still, thanks, really, it’s nice.
I mention these national thanks now,
largely because during the celebrations I
found myself awash in wave after wave
of epiphanies of grace. Sure, I should
be focusing on the upcoming holidays
devoted entirely to material excess in the
Name of One who taught humility and the
virtues of poverty; in fact, let’s get that
done: Merry Christmas, and buy more
stuff, OK? Back to the thanks.
Right: Thanks for the (still) breathable
air and drinkable water and the bounty of
the garden which is Oregon. This place,
including the communities of Eugene/
Springfi eld and surrounding villages, is
so beautiful it makes my pulse race just
looking around.
A’ight, now thanks for this fab
family — great job on the grandkids,
Desmond, Meagan, Brian, Olivia and
Owen — even terrifi c in-laws.
Thanks, too, for sweetest friends
whose love and generosity is the stuff
of dreams.
The entire LCC community, from
President Mary Spilde, Dean Susan
Carkin, some of the best teachers any
college could hope for, dedicated
staff, to an incredible spectrum of
students, a 30-year career of soul-
satisfying work: endless thanks.
Heartfelt thanks to the en-
tire staff of Eugene Weekly.
It’s been an honor to share
pages with such fi ne writers,
editors, production and sales
crew.
Somebody has to say it:
Thanks to all the fervent
people who comprised the
Occupy movements and
endured the cold and the
wet, plus the slurs and
insults from Tea Baggers, all
in an effort to bring America
back to its conscience.
Studio Recording
Of course, thanks to all the wonderful
people who constitute the wine community:
growers, vintners, pickers and harvesters,
wholesalers and retailers, artists and
designers, hugely talented wine-makers.
You bring pleasure to thousands, with
wines like these:
Iris 2008 Pinot Gris ($11): Mark
Nicholl, wine-maker at Sweet Cheeks,
called this gris “gorgeous,” not a word
he uses loosely. It’s fi rmly structured,
with fl avors of pears and river rocks,
fully matured, ready to drink
Cowhorn 2010 Viognier ($30):
Stiff ticket, right? But this is a
gift wine, for somebody who has
a wicked jones for Rhone-style
whites. Made biodynamically (think
organic to the third power) to
yield fl avors true to the fruit and
land, it’s a complex integration
of fl avors that mimic tropical
fruits, white fl owers, citrus and
vanilla. Mon dieu!
Welcome newcomers, Ab-
STANDHARDT
STUDIO
HOLIDAY
POTTERY
SALE
belone 2009 Pinot Noir
Fri. Dec. 2nd 4-8pm
($18), a small producer in
the shadow of Spencer Butte,
making only pinot noir.
Their fi rst bottling, the 2009
is deeply fruited (cherries,
strawberries) with earthy
notes and a blast of black
pepper, very satisfying.
We’re grateful to all of
these, and all of you. And
merry Christmas, too.
ew
Sat. Dec. 3rd 10-4
Sun. Dec. 4th 11-4
4875 Garnet St.
Eugene
info at 541-514-4646 or
standhardtstudio.com
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EUGENE WEEKLY DECEMBER 1, 2011 29