March 16, 2021
AUGUST 2025
Nature Girl: 10K Trail Challenge: Chasing Waterfalls Fitness Hike Aug 10
When: Sunday, August 10
Where: Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery
What: Begin your day with a revitalizing yoga session in the serene courtyard of Sue-Ann Staff Winery. Then, set out on a 10 km guided fitness 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 wines. A perfect blend of movement, nature, and indulgence!
$65 per person, find all the details at https://www.naturegirlexpeditions.com/product-page/10k-trail-challenge-a-fitness-hike-for-strength-endurance-aug-10
August 2025
THE BERNER BBQ
When: Sunday, August 24, 1 pm to 4 pm
Where: Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery
What: It's the winery's favourite day of the year! Sue-Ann and Brix Bravo invite you to their FOURTH annual BERNER BBQ!
Bring your dog to the winery for a relaxing afternoon of wine, music and new dog friends! All dogs are welcome, but most especially Bernese Mountain Dogs!
Enjoy our wines by the glass OR flight while making new friends with other dog & wine folks, PLUS live music by GEORGE TIRPKO, and food by SMOKE & MOONSHINE FOOD TRUCK!
This event runs rain or shine (lots of grassy areas if the weather's fine, and lots of shade and shelter under the Moyer Marquee). Seating fills up quickly -- bring a blanket or camp chair just in case!
No tickets are required, but we’d love it if you would let us know you're coming. Send us an e-mail with the number of humans and dogs attending, and everyone’s name!
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. Watch this space for updates or visit https://niagarawinefestival.com/

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.
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
Venison Stew in Red Wine
This recipe comes from Arden Vaughn. She and her family own and manage Lake Land Meats here in West St. Catharines, just a few kilometers away. This farm raises both venison and, at times, elk plus other culinary delights. Their retail store is open year-round selling a wide variety of interesting meats and fish like wild boar, quail, trout, and much more.
This recipe was published in “A Year in Niagara” authored by Kathleen Sloan-McIntosh. Kathleen has been an acquaintance for years and is deeply committed to local product. This recipe book was published in 2002. While I have thinned my inventory of cookbooks many times, this one always makes the grade to stay. I will reproduce it here with the changes I made as seen on the video #SizzlinWithSAS.
FYI: I have made this recipe several times. It is a nice change of flavours from a typical winter stew. My previous renditions used either veal or beef stewing meat. Those folks who lasted until 2:00am at my housewarming party in 2007 will remember it as the sustenance that got us through dancing until 4:00am!
Ingredients:
3 lbs boneless venison stewing meat, cut into 1” chunks
salt and pepper to taste
5 tablespoons olive oil
4 slices of thick bacon
1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 juniper berries
2 bay leaves (4 bay leaves if they are as old as mine!)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 tablespoons all purpose flour (I used gluten free)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup Cabernet Franc
2 large carrots, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 cup beef broth
3 tablespoons blackberry jam (or red currant or cranberry jelly)
Procedure:
Pat the meat dry. Season all sides with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a heavy large Dutch oven over medium heat. Working in batches, sear all sides of the venison removing it from the pan with a slotted spoon when browned. Reduce the heat to sauté the bacon until soft. Add in thyme, juniper berries, bay leaves, tomato paste and flour cooking the mixture while stirring until it has thickened, the browned bits have come off the bottom of the pan and the aromas are stating to lift. Add in carrots and onion cooking briefly. Stir in the vinegar, beef broth and browned venison. Stir to completely incorporate the ingredients and return the mixture to a boil. Either reduce the heat to a simmer or transfer to a 250F oven for 2 hours. Stir occasionally adding more wine or broth as required. After 2 hours, remove the bay leaves and stir in blackberry jam. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve over buttered mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles or use in tacos with tomato and herbs.
