Dinner at Luc and the perfect day

Nathan here with a few words...dinner at Luc - oh, beautiful. We just arrived back home after a day that needs to be talked about. Today represents an arrival point for our little venture, a culmination of things and ideas and dreams that began over 15 years ago. Today we had the music of good friends Jeremy Donaldson, John Simonds, and Randy McCoy, and it seemed like the tasting room was constantly filling with new friendships, with people being introduced and reunited. We capped the day with an Ivy's Axe wine club dinner at Luc, a restaurant in Corvallis. The dinner is an extension of a tradition that began several years ago, with Amanda, myself, and two of our first wine club members, my uncle Quintin and aunt Debbie.

I need to talk about Luc for a moment. The food was fantastic. The restaurant is specific and full of the depth of character that only a place that is run by its visionaries can be. Chef Ian's menu clearly represents what he loves about food; marrow and butter and pate and all things Oregon like butternut squash, and the simple perfection of common loves like eggs and bacon. Ian is about to be a new dad, and you feel that anticipation in the restaurant, and you are aware that you are in a place that is "real" enough (my cousin Eric never understands my use of this word, hopefully you will) that if a baby were to come at that time, you might not get a meal, because he IS the chef. Adrienne's wine list was the same, including wines that were hand selected with clear intent. Whether they are your style or not is beside the point. The wines represent the vision of a person, and collectively, the wine list tells you about that person and what she loves about her work. The people we shared the dinner with included neighbors and friends, wine club members, fellow winemakers and a future winemaker. Our table was full of people that Amanda and I knew, but who hadn't met one another until that evening. Like some divining rod for injurious (a stretch, but seems applicable here) laughter, we began to bend toward an evening that Amanda and I will never forget. It is fortunate that we were not booted from the restaurant with all of our carrying on (thank you Amity for sticking with us). So, what is the point of all of this? I just broke a facebook post length record trying to tell the world about our day, so I'd probably better not try to articulate something as complicated as a conclusion. Let's just close this by saying thank you to all of those we know who represent themselves in what they do, and who pour themselves into their life's work (whatever that work is) with clear intent and meaning, and for letting us share in that space with you. We are lucky to know all those that we have met through our work at the winery, and we look forward to years ahead with you. Thank you, and good night!

Nathan