Sue-Ann Staff

Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery, Jordan, sue-annstaff.com

“It’s true there’s nothing better than a refreshing beer after a wet, dirty, hard day in the cellar,” confirms Sue-Ann Staff, “but I find that after a beer or two, I’m ready for more wine.”

“Having grown up with mainstream suds from the big brewers, I was amazed one day back in 2001, when I was making wine at Pillitteri, and a journalist called Alain de Vittel brought a dozen different Unibroue beers from Quebec for us to try. It was a revelation! And these days the diversity of craft beer is fascinating. It’s mirroring what happened here with wine. And how great is it that all these microbreweries are going up in rural communities not big towns, bringing heart and soul, pride and job opportunities?”

“I tend to analyze a new beer in the same way I would a wine—right down to smelling the glass before the beer goes into it. But I’m a little envious of brewers and how they can make beer whenever they want. We winemakers only get to bake one apple pie a year and if you overdo the cinnamon or if the crust didn’t turn out right, it’s too bad—you have to wait for another year! Brewers are lucky!”