“Wine, food, friends and family.
These are the pillars of a wonderful life.”

— Sue-Ann Staff

Sue-Ann Staff, award-winning Niagara winemaker

We’d love to share that with you.

Taste estate-grown VQA wines crafted by fifth-generation grape grower and award-winning winemaker Sue-Ann Staff, savour seasonal bites on our vineyard patio, discover unforgettable events, and leave feeling like part of the family.

The SAS Blog: Stories, Wine Highlights, Events, Recipes, etc.

January 12, 2021

Wine Highlight: 2016 Mabel's VCR, $28.95

In the spotlight this week, the 2016 Mabel's VCR, a Sue- Ann original!

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January 05, 2021

Wine Highlight: Fancy Farm Girl Frissonesque Sauv Blanc, $16.95

We're down to our last few cases of 2016 Fancy Farm Girl Frissonesque Sauvignon Blanc. Get it before it's gone! 

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December 12, 2020

Sabayon! Fun to make, fun to say, and a perfect vehicle for Icewine

While sipping a glass of Sue-Ann's medal-winning Icewine is the best way to enjoy the wine's luscious texture and seductive complexity, Icewine is also a useful ingredient to have in your kitchen. You can serve it as a first course in the form of Sue-Ann's Icewine Eggs, or dessert in the form of Icewine Sabayon. 

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December 04, 2020

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

November 28, 2020

Red wine for dessert? Heck, yeah! Poached Pears for the win :)

Sue-Ann whips up a quick, easy, and delightfully elegant dessert: red wine poached pears!

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October 29, 2020

Bacon and onions and creme fraiche, OH MY!

Bacon and onions are a perfect match. Just ask anyone who walks in your house after you've sautéed both ingredients in preparation for Flammekuechen! Basically the best onion & bacon pizza you can imagine, Flammekueche is an Alsation specialty...that's also served in the Pfalz, the Rhine, the Moselle regions -- if it's a wine area, there's a version of onion pie served at harvest.  

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August 29, 2020

This week on SASTV: Ratatouille! (aka how to deal with all the zucchini & eggplant people keep giving you)

When one of our team members handed Sue-Ann a sack filled with eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes from his garden, she knew that Ratatouille was in her future. 

 

 

This classic Provencal vegetable stew is the perfect distillation of late summer flavours and can be served so many ways. Eat it hot with torn chunks of baguette, swirl it into hot pasta, or serve it cold as a chunky dip. Any way you have it, it's a delicious solution to the abundance of fresh veg typical of August. 

Ratatouille (from Once Upon a Chef)

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 large (1.25 lb) eggplant, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
  • Salt
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
  • 2 medium zucchini (about 1 lb), cut into 1/3-inch cubes
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 red, orange or yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice
  • 5 large cloves garlic, chopped
  • 5 large vine-ripened tomatoes (1.75 lb), cut into 1/3-inch cubes, with their juices
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme, plus more for serving
  • 3/4 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the eggplant and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft and starting to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
  2. Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan (no need to clean it). Add the zucchini and cook, stirring frequently, until tender-crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and transfer to a plate; set aside.
  3. Add two more tablespoons of oil to the pan and add the onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking for about 3 minutes more. Do not brown. Add the tomatoes and their juices, tomato paste, thyme, sugar, crushed red pepper flakes (if using) and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are broken down into a sauce, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the cooked eggplant to the pan; bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until the eggplant is soft. Add the zucchini and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, or until just warmed through. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Sprinkle with fresh basil and thyme, drizzle with a little olive oil if desired, and serve warm or chilled. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
  4. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: Let the dish cool completely and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. (Keep in mind that the zucchini won't stay crisp after being frozen.) This is delicious served cold, or reheated in the microwave.
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