A VISIT WITH STAN NEEDHAM
JACKSON'S LITTLE OLD GLOBETROTTING WINEMAKER
by Steve Beedle, Jackson Hole Guide, March 17, 1976


There is one fellow in Jackson who appears to enjoy the best of all  worlds.   Stan Needham
has visited just about every corner of the world, and when he returns to Jackson his life
remains as fascinating as if he were in  a French vineyard or a Tahitain tropical garden. 
Comfortably  at home, Stan talks freely of his travels and diverse interests. Much to my
delight, I found one of his hobbies to be winemaking. I hadn't been at the Needham's
plant-filled home for long when Stan offered a glass of one of his creations:  Stangria he
called it. And what a wine it is.  Fruity yet pleasantly dry, Stan's version of classic Sangria
is perfectly clear with a bouquet that would rival the finest vineyard's best vintage.

Stan got turned on to winemaking by a .friend and now makes several different varieties of
the fine tasting stuff. After spending a year digging a wine cellar,  Stan's wine is gradually
filling his wine racks although he says, "I give more away than I drink."

JAKE'S RED

By this point I was mentally preparing to write enthusiastic praise of Stan's hobby,
however the best was yet to come. Next we tried Stan's original recipe for red wine,  Jake's
Red.   Made from Welch's grape juice, it too is full-flavored yet surprisingly dry for a
homemade wine.

Our conversation, flowing smoother particularly on my account, wandered to discussion of
Stan's travels.  Stan's favorite countries:  New Zealand, Australia, and Ireland, the places
where he had found the rnost enjoyable people.  On traveling behind the Iron Curtain:  "I
never intend to go back."   He explained,  "When you leave you feel like you've got a
monkey off your back."
	
One of his favorite places to stay:  Tahiti's Intercontinental Hotel where a visitor walks
down to his room because of it's precipitous location on the side of a cliff.  Stan described
Rembrandt's "Night Watch" as one of the most remarkable works of art he has ever seen. 
"Regardless of the angle,  every eye is looking at you," he explained.

Despite Stan's semi-annual excursions to far off lands that most of us only dream of, he still
values life in the United States.  "Everytime I go to a foreign country," he said, "I
appreciate this country more."

Meanwhile; we had polished off a couple glasses of Jake's Red, and Stan uncorked a bottle
of his Pinot Noir. He explained to my amazement that Jake's Red costs only 14 cents a
bottle, including cork and label. For less than two bits a bottle, I would probably be content
to sip wine perpetually from dawn to dusk, although Stan seems to keep his time
well-divided between a variety of other activities.

Another one of Stan's hobbies is curing and smoking meat. His homemade salami and beef
jerky are legend to any of his friends who have ever let Stan take care of butchering their
game. And Stan is a pretty fair cook too. A visit to the Wrangler Cafe which he owned 
before joining up with Frontier Airlines would have confirmed that Stan is no novice at the
culinary arts.

In fact, Stan spent most of his life around the food industry before he began work with
Frontier.  As a Senior Agent,  "I'm a minor part of management," he explained.  However,
anyone who has flown Frontier to Jackson has probably had Stan take their ticket, check
their luggage and load it on the. plane. While responsible for just about every aspect of
Frontier's operation at the airport, Stan said, half in jest, "I even do some bossing".

JUST FOR PLEASURE

Besides  traveling around the world holding a rewarding job, winemaking, smoking and
curing meat, Stan has several other interests. Plants (he has a pineapple plant, African
corntree, Hawaiian Ti plan, date and pineapple plants to name only a few), rock polishing
and rnembership in several fraternal organizations keep him busy. At the moment he is
taking  Spanish  lessons in anticipation of  a  return trip to South America.  In the summer
he spends his time working on his lawn and garden. "I'll bet I've got the only lawn in
Jackson without dandelions," he said.   All this activity "just for pleasure".

As our conversation continued long beyond the hour I had anticipated, we sipped the Pinot
Noir which was as dry and light as any commercial wine. As a nightcap we tasted some of
another of Stan's specialties, Tenth Ward Elder Berry, which was. a real treat both for its
taste and humorous title.

This weekend  he will leave his pretty wife Betty behind for a quick  trip to Hawaii. His
agenda: catch some rays on the beach.
  
Stan Needham lives an enviable life full of varied activities that makes him one of the most
interesting persons this writer has encountered.  But are there any new worlds that Stan
would be interested in conquering?  Perhaps, but meanwhile his plans  are simply "to enjoy
life", and who can really ask for more?

Although I left Stan's full of wine-charged enthusiasm to pen this story, I found myself
staring giddily at the  typewriter, content to leave the story for the next day and enjoy the
after effects of a visit with Stan Needham.

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