RODERICK Sue-A-Quan, a Guyanese residing in Canada now home on holiday got a telephone call from a friend a few weeks ago, who asked him: “Did you see the article in the Sunday Chronicle?” Roderick answered in the negative. Without providing details, the friend said: “Go buy one.”

Intrigued, Roderick did as told.
What he saw, among other things, was an extract from the Guyana Graphic of 1968, depicting an article and an advertisement beginning with the words: “Enjoy the tradition of Guyana. Drink only the best…Sue-A-Quan’s Rums and Wines.”

Contacting the Chronicle last week, a happy Sue-A-Quan disclosed that the article was “a pleasant jolt from the past,” a stark reminder of the good old days when his company, located at Robb and Camp Streets, made full-bodied red wine, poured it into wooden barrels, and rolled the barrels out for sale to thousands of appreciative Guyanese countrywide, and further afield.

Sue-A-Quan’s Winery was founded by Roderick’s father, Mr. James Alexander Sue-a-Quan, at Robb and Camp Streets in the early 1930s. The company ceased operating in 1987; but before it did, it had expanded distribution of its products, particularly its wines, to all the English-speaking countries in the Caribbean.

Sue-A-Quan’s blends included Ruby, Port, Orange, Cherry, Sherry, Moscatel, Brandy and the Ruby Triangle wines — all made from local fruits. The rums included Gold Cap, Blue Label and White label blends.

Last week, Roderick Sue-A-Quan recalled the popularity of the wines. “During November and December of each year, the demand was so great that we had guys working late into the night making wine, so that people could get their supplies for the holidays.”

Roderick now resides in Scarborough, Canada with his wife, Lorraine, and children; but he hasn’t given up his trade. Even though he doesn’t make wine on a commercial basis, he occasionally does so on order from “appreciative” Canadians and members of the West Indian community, who know or have heard of his expertise.
“Right now, it is a part-time hobby. I make like six cases; three port, three cherry brandy. I sell only if I get orders from people who know about it, and would order.”

Like in the “good old days”, he ensures that he gets the correct blend and the necessary qualities of smoothness and flavour. Like the “good old days”, he uses cork to secure the contents of the bottle; and just like the “good old days”, you have to use a corkscrew to get a bottle open.

Last week, Roderick Sue-A-Quan made photocopies of the extracts from the Guyana Graphic of 1968.
He said: “I am happy that I am in the country when this article in Tales from Way Back When was published, else I would have missed this piece of history. I would have missed a piece of myself.”