Holiday Wine Pairing Advice - Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery
December 04, 2020


September 2025

GRAPE AND WINE 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

Nature Girl: Waterfalls, Yoga & Wine

When: Saturday, September 13

Where: Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery

What:  Begin your day with a revitalizing yoga session on the serene grounds of Sue-Ann Staff Winery. Then, set out on a guided hike along the scenic Bruce Trail, where you’ll explore lush forests and take in the beauty of cascading waterfalls. After your adventure, return to the winery to unwind with a well-deserved flight of premium wines. A perfect blend of movement, nature, and indulgence!

$65 per person, find all the details at https://www.naturegirlexpeditions.com/product-page/hike-wine-sept-13

 

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/

 

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

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

 


Holiday Wine Pairing Advice

Holiday wine pairings, a la SAS

Back in October, I spoke with Niagara Life magazine about wine pairing suggestions for their Holiday Issue


"When it comes to Christmas dinner, I think a lot of us want to go down to the cellar and pick up the biggest, fullest red wine we have down there, and really that's not the right strategy."


You want to bring out the best in both the food and the wine when pairing them together. While I encourage fearlessness when it comes to wine pairing (just trust your instincts and have fun!), here's a good basic rule of thumb for matching proteins and wines:


"If you can chase the meat, pair it with a white. If, on the other hand, the meat can chase you, go for the red." 


So, for chase-able mains like poultry or fish, Chardonnay and Riesling immediately come to mind. For beef, bison or elk, Cabernet blends and Cabernet Franc are a great choice. And for meats like pork and game birds which, frankly, can go either way (geese are mean!), the choice is yours! 

For vegetarian and vegan guests, the playing field is even wider! Think of the seasoning and "weight" of your entrees when picking wines. Dishes that include woody-stemmed herbs like thyme and sage will welcome big, structured reds. Dishes with more delicate flavouring or fresh cheeses ask for lighter wines. And as for root vegetable dishes, well, much like pork and game birds, you can go a number of directions ;)

Here's a few suggestions to get you started:

Roast Turkey, Poached Salmon, Herb & Endive Salad
Elisha's Chardonnay
Robert's Block Riesling
Luminescence Sparkling Riesling Demi-Sec
Fancy Farm Girl Frissonesque Sauvignon Blanc

Prime Rib, Venison Roast, Vegan Mushroom Wellington
Gritstone Cabernet
Chestnut Tree Cabernet Franc

Baked or Smoked Ham, Roast Squash 
Riesling Loved by Lu
Mabel's VCR Viognier Chardonnay Riesling
Rubinescence Brut Rosé
Fancy Farm Girl Flamboyant Red

Roast Goose, Seared Duck, Root Vegetable Slab Pie
Louie Pinot Gris
Bank Barn Baco Noir
Windsock Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé


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