January 20, 2016
September 2025
Niagara Grape & Wine Festival Discovery Pass
When: September 5-7, 12-14, 19-21, 11 am to 5 pm
Where: Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery and other participating Niagara wineries
What: The Niagara Wine Festival's annual Grape & Wine Discovery Pass returns. Buy your Discovery Pass online and visit up to six participating wineries for innovative and delicious wine and food pairings.
September is harvest and this Discovery Pass program is all about is winemakers' comfort food when they are up against a deadline -- what do winemakers eat when they're working all hours to get harvest in? In our case, get ready for:
SIZZLIN' WITH SAS" GOES TO THE DOGS! Our winemaker loves cooking...until harvest when her signature “Sizzlin' with SAS” creations are simplified to HOT DOGS! As a “Fancy Farm Girl”, Sue-Ann's hot dogs are accessorized with Grilled Corn and Feta Salsa, zesty BBQ sauce, and gourmet wieners on a Cobb’s bun.
Why does winemaker Sue-Ann Staff love this wine? The pairing is rustic, charming and refreshing.
FEATURED WINE: Fancy Farm Girl Foxy Pink FEATURED MOCKTAIL: Lemonade with a mint twist FEATURED CULINARY CREATOR: Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery
Purchase your Discovery Pass online: https://niagarawinefestival.com/fall-discovery-pass-25
SEPTEMBER 2025
Run for the Grapes
When: Sunday, September 28
Race Times: Half-Marathon at 8:30 am, 5k at 8:45 am
Where: Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery
What: Run a half marathon or 5k and support The Heart & Stroke Foundation! Find all the details you need and register at the Subaru Running Series website here: https://niagararunningseries.com/running-event/run-for-the-grapes-1-2-marathon-5k/
SEPTEMBER 2025
Harvest Sunday
When: Sunday, September 28, 1-4
Where: Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery
What: September's the best in wine country! You're invited to visit the winery September 28 for an afternoon of live music by Michelle Hedley in Sue-Ann's front garden. Enjoy music and wine surrounded by lush vineyards. Wine flights, wine by the glass and wine-friendly snacks available for purchase.
October 2025
Fall Wine Trail
When: Saturday, October 4 and Sunday, October 5
Where: Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery, 180 Estate Winery, Malivoire Wine Company, Cave Spring Winery, Fielding Estate Winery
What: Purchase one ticket and visit all five participating wineries for a delicious wine and cheese sample AND take a bottle home! Details and ticketing link to come!
October 2025
ALS Revolution Ride
When: Sunday, October 5
Where: Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery
What: The ALS Canada Revolution Ride is a volunteer-powered, fundraising event hosted in support of ALS Canada that encourages participants to do more for people and families living with ALS and in honour of the people we have loved and lost.
This premier cycling event takes place on Sunday, October 5 in Jordan, Ontario in the beautiful Niagara wine region. The roads surrounding the area offer a landscape that will take riders along a route, steeped in excitement and beauty, leaving participants with a sense of accomplishment and the reward of seeing their fundraising efforts go to help families affected by ALS. There are two awesome routes to choose from including 40km and 90km options. Choose the distance that suits your level!
Not only will the kilometres logged be worthwhile, but the start and finish lines are located in the heart of Ontario wine country at the stunning Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery. The day promises to be a memorable one.
Find out more and register to ride here: https://revolutionride.als.ca/revride/participate
November 2025
THE GREAT GRILLED CHEESE EXTRAVAGANZA
When: Saturday, November 1st 11-4:30, Sunday, November 2nd 11-4
Where: Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery
What: Experience the best grilled cheese sandwiches of your life, each one perfectly paired with our wines! It’s a celebration of Sue-Ann’s long-time love affair with inventive grilled cheese sandwiches. “Why have tomato soup with your grilled cheese, when you could have wine?”
Ticket-holders are welcomed with a refreshing sip of our Fancy Farm Girl sparkling before setting off on a delicious cheese adventure. Four fabulous grilled cheese stations are set up throughout Sue-Ann’s home, each one offering delicious sandwich samples with our award-winning wines.
$48.53 per person ($42.95+HST). Gluten Friendly timeslots available! Find all the details and buy your tickets online here: https://www.sue-annstaff.com/collections/events/products/sue-anns-great-grilled-cheese-extravaganza-2025
November 2025
Get Wrapped
When: Saturday November 8 & Sunday, November 9 from 11 am to 5 pm AND Saturday November 15 & Sunday, November 16 from 11 am to 5 pm
Where: Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery, 13th Street Winery, 180 Estate Winery, Calamus Estate Winery, Commisso Estate Winery, Creekside Estate Winery, DIM Wine Co., Domaine Le Clos Jordanne, Fielding Estate Winery, Harbour Estates Winery, Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery, Kew Vineyards Estate Winery, King's Court Estate Winery, Malivoire Wine Company, Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery, Puddicombe Estate Winery, Redstone Winery, Stonewall Estates, Tawse Winery, The Organized Crime Winery Inc., Vineland Estates Winery, Wending Home Estate Vineyards and Winery
What: Purchase one ticket and visit all five participating wineries for a delicious wine & food sample. DETAILS TO COME!
Check out TV Cogeco coverage of The Twenty Valley Tourism Association 7th annual #WinterWineFest2016 in Jordan Village...
ow.ly/XeWn9
@StCatStandard video ow.ly/Xhvby
Glasses were raised to wine, winter and Canadian life in Jordan Village this weekend.
Thousands of people bundled up for Twenty Valley’s annual Winter WineFest, eager to take in the sights of the quaint village and sample creations from 23 of the area’s wineries.
Originally from Sault St. Marie, Jennifer Kersley and daughter Rowan, who recently moved to St. Catharines, were pleased to be spending a winter day outdoors.
“This is something we’d never do there in the winter,” Jennifer said of her former hometown with a laugh, adding Saturday’s sunshine made for a comfortable stay outside.
Debbie Perkin and Brigitte Jahn travelled to the festival on a packed tour bus from the GTA.
It was the first time at WineFest for the new friends, who met on the trip up.
But, Perkin assured, it likely won’t be their last.
“I just love it here. I’d give it a 10 out of 10,” she said, crediting wineries and food vendors for top-notch creations.
It was a similar sentiment felt by Dave and Carolyn Courtney, who made their inaugural festival appearance Saturday.
The event, he said, had an upbeat vibe and offered a reminder of the beautiful spaces Niagara has to offer.
“Sometimes you forget what’s right in your own backyard,” he said, while enjoying a glass of wine alongside his wife and watching the outdoor concert.
“It’s good to be Canadian.”
For Cheryl and David Mock, making the trek to Jordan Village has become tradition.
The Rochester, N.Y., couple annually turn their visit to the festival into a weekend stay in Niagara, exploring different parts of the region each time.
“We come every year. We love the barrel rolling, the incredible entertainment and delicious food and wine,” Cheryl said.
The winemakers’ barrel races is a highlight for many visitors, who come out to watch winery representatives toss barrels end over end in hopes of manoeuvring a course in the fastest time.
Reigning champion Dan Stouck, assistant winemaker at Malivoire Wine Co., returned to successfully defend his title. He was joined in the winner’s circle by first-time participant Jessica Reese, of Vineland Estates Winery, who came away with the fastest time among the female barrel rollers.
“The biggest challenge was staying with (the barrel),” the cellar technician said.
“It has a mind of its own and it’s really hard to control.”
Stouck called his secret to his success a mixture of power and technique.
“I do a lot of barrel rolling,” he said with a laugh, adding his daily work provides plenty of opportunity for practice.
The competition has been a crowd pleaser for years, said event manager Dorian Anderson, who felt the races, in combination with the sunshine, helped to pack the festival grounds Saturday.
She estimated that by Saturday afternoon, about 3,500 people had already passed through the festival’s gates. That’s in addition to the 350 guests who braved Friday’s rainfall for the opening night concert.
“It looked incredible under the lights,” she said, impressed by the event’s transformation to include a new European market style with lights strung throughout the main outdoor area.
“It shows off the charm of the village a lot better.”
Winter WineFest annually helps to kickoff the Niagara Icewine Festival, which continues until the end of the month.
maryanne.firth@sunmedia.ca
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Thousands of people attended the Twenty Valley Winter WineFest on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016, in Jordan Village, Ont. Maryanne Firth/St. Catharines Standard/Postmedia Network
