Visit: Monday to Saturday 10-6, Sunday 11-6 Taste: Wine service daily until 5:30 pm
Holiday Hours HERE. Holiday Open House and other event info HERE.
Wine Club curious? Learn more HERE
When: Saturday, December 13, 11 - 5
Where: Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery
What: Sue-Ann's Holiday Sip & Savour is back!
We are rolling out the red carpet for a delicious day of holiday flavours! Our Holiday Sip & Savour is the ultimate holiday open house for wine lovers and foodies alike!
Enjoy deluxe wine & food tasting stations on the way -- we are opening our premium wines, pairing them with delicious foods to warm and delight your senses. Plan to spend an amazing hour touring and tasting your way through Sue-Ann's home!
Check out the menu here: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0633/8109/files/Holiday_S_S_2025_menu_PDF.pdf?v=1764954524
Tickets are $45+HST per person. $5 from each ticket sale will be donated to the Howard V. Staff Memorial Fund at the Niagara Community Foundation, supporting St. Catharines Community Care.
Buy your tickets here: https://www.sue-annstaff.com/collections/events/products/holiday-sip-savor-open-house-2025-45-hst
When: Saturday, December 20 and Sunday, December 21, 11-5
Where: Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery
What: Stop into the winery and join the fun! Try four mini shortbread & wine pairings and then cast your vote for the best cookie and best pairing! It's a great little break from holiday fuss AND you can stock up on feast-worthy wines while you're at it!
$10 per person, with $5 going to The Howard V. Staff Memorial Fund at the Niagara Community Foundation, supporting community care.
No advance tickets or reservations required, simply show up and pay $10 to participate!
Reservations open! Book now!
When: December 27 & 28, January 3 & 4
Where: Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery
What: The Holiday Board: Flight & Bites is the perfect post-Christmas treat!
You've done all the cooking. You've done all the hosting. You've assembled, you've wrapped, you've done it all. Now it's your turn to sit back and relax!
Reserve your time now for an elevated wine tasting that will delight your senses, taking place December 27 & 28, January 3 & 4 at Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery.
Enjoy a seated tasting of four wines, each one perfectly paired with a delectable small bite.
It's like a four-course meal...in miniature!
$24.50 per person, reservations highly recommended! Book now: https://www.sue-annstaff.com/products/the-holiday-board-flight-bite-december-27-28-january-3-4
When: January 16-18,23-25, 30-February 1, 2026
Where: Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery and other participating Niagara wineries!
What: Sip, Savour & Explore Niagara This Winter! Get ready for a self-guided tasting tour through Niagara’s most scenic vineyards! The Icewine Discovery Pass pairs world-class Icewines with spicy, savoury, or sweet bites from inspired local chefs — the perfect way to warm up your winter weekends.
Our offering? Tinga, Tango, Taco! Imagine juicy, spicy Tinga de Pollo (chicken in a smoky tomato/chipotle sauce) tucked into a warm, soft corn tortilla, dressed with lime crema and a cilantro garnish. Paired with our 2018 Vidal Icewine, it’s a divine marriage of spice and ice!
Find all the information and tickets you need here: https://niagarawinefestival.com/icewine-discovery-pass
Ingredients:
2 duck breasts, at room temperature
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, divided
1 teaspoon sea salt, divided
4 teaspoons fresh thyme, finely chopped, divided
2 pats / 4 teaspoons unsalted butter, cold, divided
½ medium sized shallot, finely diced
¼ cup dried cranberries (or cherries)
½ cup red wine
½ cup chicken stock, low sodium preferred
Procedure:
Bring duck breasts to room temperature on paper towel to dry them completely.
Score the fat side of the breasts just beneath the skin layer but not going into the meat.
In a flat bowl, combine 1 teaspoon each of pepper and salt and 2 teaspoons of thyme.
Press the fat side of the duck breasts into the thyme. Shake off any excess.
In a cold, well-seasoned pan, place the duck breasts in fat side down.
Start to heat the pan to a medium high setting to slowly render the fat from the skin side.
Cook skin side down for ~5 – 7 minutes until the skin is medium brown and crispy.
Flip breasts and continue to cook for 5 – 7 additional minutes at medium. You may need to turn the breast on their side as well to sear the edges.
(If they are thick breasts, then they may need to go into a 400F oven for 3 – 5 additional minutes to achieve your desired level of cooking. Duck breast is best served rare to medium rare ideally.)
Allow to rest fat side up for at least 5 minutes. Do not cover (the seam will soften the gorgeous crispy skin.
Cut the breasts on the diagonal with a very sharp knife to serve.
Meanwhile, in a medium sized saucepan, prepare the sauce.
Over medium-high heat, melt 1 pat of butter with remaining salt and pepper.
Once the butter is melted and warm, add in remaining thyme and shallots. Cook until the shallots are soft and the thyme is fragrant, about 3 – 5 minutes.
Add in dried cranberries. Continue to cook for 1 minute.
Add in red wine and chicken stock. Reduce heat to a simmer. Continue to simmer for approximately 10 minutes.
Strain the sauce and return to the saucepan over very low heat. Discard shallots, cranberries, thyme.
Ensure remining butter is very cold. Cut remaining butter into cubes. Add cold butter to sauce. Keep the sauce moving until the butter has melted. The sauce should be shiny and thicker.
To serve:
Spoon sauce on plate, place sliced duck breast skin side up on top.
Garnish with additional fresh thyme and/or additional fresh cracked black pepper.
Delicious with potatoes dauphinoise, or rice, or lentils, or as a side to a salad. (use the hot sauce on raw spinach greens to wilt them and add in some goat cheese .. YUM!)
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