Why Suisun Valley is California’s new Napa
Half the price and with a fraction of the crowds, this region has a Palm Springs-feel with wineries, breweries and great food.
In just a half-hour we could be in Napa Valley, paying twice the price for double the crowds. Instead, we are sipping petite sirah in the serenity of Suisun Valley (pronounced suh-soon, as if someone were asking: “Why would you leave so soon?”).
Caymus-Suisun Winery is not some quaint, rustic shack in the shadow of bigger legends. This sleek, resort-like site is the latest venture by the Wagner family, the multigenerational vintners behind the esteemed Caymus Vineyards, who recognised the merits of this neighbouring region.
Founder and winemaker Chuck Wagner says it reminds him of Napa in the 1970s. The setting is more Palm Springs than pastoral. A promenade of palm trees leads through landscaped grounds to an open-air welcome bar carved from local elm. Wrapped in retractable glass walls, the tasting pavilion opens to clear views of the vineyards, orchards and vegetable gardens against a backdrop of California’s Vaca mountains.
As we savour several samples on the secluded patio, a gentle breeze flows through, providing a first-hand experience of the climate responsible for these vibrant wines. A guided tasting costs $US25 ($38.65) a person, which is relatively expensive for the area, yet only a third of Napa’s average tasting fee of $US75 and a fraction of the $US138 average for reserve tastings.
Suisun Valley’s other winemakers are happy to remain small-scale and easy to visit on a road trip. The 10 boutique wineries are located in a loop near Fairfield, midway between San Francisco and Sacramento, each about an hour’s drive away. Nearby attractions include the Jelly Belly Factory, olive oil tasting at Il Fiorello, golf courses, breweries and hiking trails.
The cosy town of Winters is a delightful pit stop, lunch break, or a place to stay near wine country. Weekends are busy, thanks to the farmers markets, farm-to-table cuisine and dreamy activities such as pick-your-own bouquet as you stroll through a field of flowers. L’Apero les Trois makes French farmhouse-style aperitifs with local wine and fruit from nearby orchards. At alfresco tables, we quaff fresh apricot bellinis and snack on house-made gougeres (cheese puff pastries), before a stroll to the creek via the main street’s shops.
The problem with all these out-of-towners is we hog the parking spots, but don’t be fooled by “the lonely meter”, installed on April 1, 2015. Locals knew they could ignore this prank, but tourists continue to feed dimes into this fake but functioning parking meter, which still stands outside the hardware shop almost 10 years later. (The money is donated to charity.)
California’s capital is unfairly often forgotten. Pleasant and welcoming, Sacramento sits inland at the junction of two rivers. The magnificent California State Capitol building is open to the public for guided or self-guided tours that pass the governor’s office and the Senate and Assembly chambers. Don’t miss Capitol Park, spanning 12 blocks, and its World Peace Rose Garden.
The city is home to 32 museums, including the Crocker Art Museum, renowned for its collections of European master drawings, international ceramics and American art. Another standout is the California State Railroad Museum, where you can take a 50-minute riverside ride on a vintage train. Old Sacramento Waterfront is lined with restored buildings from the 19th-century gold rush era, and the historic Delta King paddlewheel riverboat, converted into a bar and restaurant.
Our road trip continues to Placer County, which stretches from the Sierra Nevada foothills to the eastern shores of Lake Tahoe. Vines were first planted in the county in 1848, the same year gold was discovered in a local ravine. As this period of immigration led to greater demand for alcohol, some Europeans turned from goldmining to winemaking. The boom busted in 1920, when Prohibition laws banned production, forcing most vineyards to be ripped out and replaced with pear, plum and citrus trees.
The region slowly has returned to its roots, with 23 wineries, 21 breweries, a cidery and a distillery. In Auburn, near the spot where that first golden nugget was found, Vina Castellano is surrounded by farms and horse ranches. The family-run winery specialises in Spanish varietals, honouring the heritage of its owners.
“Dad wanted to grow tempranillo and I was pregnant so I wasn’t thinking straight when I agreed,” says Teena Wilkins, managing partner of the estate and daughter of founder Gabe Mendez, who died in 2011. The Mediterranean climate helped make it a success, expanding to a wider selection of award-winning reds. Tastings ($US12 for the whole range of current wines) are held in a man-made cave, built from local stone, or outside next to the grenache vines. Visitors can buy a bottle to enjoy on a paddleboat around the pond or play croquet and cornhole on the lawn.
Wilkins is training her two sons to take over the operation and host more outdoor events. They recently opened a pondside bar serving wine-based cocktails, alongside painting classes, linedancing, and flamenco under the stars. “It’s a more convivial rural experience to be out amongst the vines,” Wilkins says, before echoing the unofficial slogan of the region. “We’re what Napa was 50 years ago.”
In the know
The best way to explore Suisun Valley, Placer County, Winters and Sacramento is to be based in one hotel and self-drive around the region. Hire a car from San Francisco or Sacramento international airports, which are both about a 1½-hour drive from the wine regions.
The premium accommodation in the area is Hotel Winters, an elegant 78-room property with three restaurants, a rooftop bar and a full-service spa. Other options include the Hilton Garden Inn Fairfield or the six-suite Park Victorian in Auburn. For a city stay, Fort Sutter Hotel and Hyatt House Downtown are conveniently located in Sacramento.
Louise Goldsbury was a guest of Visit California.
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