The state of California boasts many fantastic wine-growing regions, and one of them has just been named the best one in the country. And no, it’s not the one that has gained epic status as the equivalent of France’s wine appellations—you know, the one just north of San Francisco that starts with the letter N. It’s a little southeast of that, lying between San Francisco and Sacramento: Suisun Valley. (In case you’re wondering, it’s pronounced "Suh-soon’". Underrated for too long, it’s been named the best wine region by USA Today.
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Just like its more famous neighbor, Suisun Valley has warm days and cool nights, perfect conditions for growing a number of different varietals. Nearby San Pablo Bay and Suisun Bay bring winds from early summer through the fall, and there’s little frost danger. It’s bordered on the east and west by mountains.
Reasons to visit the include rustic landscapes, fewer crowds than some more well-known wine areas, a variety of different tasting rooms (a Victorian mansion, a mid-century modern spot and a 90-year-old ivy-covered tasting room, to name a few) and, most importantly, affordable wines. Suisun Valley is called the "Petite Sirah Capital of the World," although it grows more than two dozen other varietals. Other strong wines the area is known for are cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel, grenache and chardonnay.
The Suisun Valley AVA (that is American Viticultural Area) is located in Solano County, a 6.5-hour drive for Angelenos (that's a half hour less than Napa). Along with the Napa Valley AVA, it’s part of the North Coast AVA, which permits winemakers to blend grapes from within six counties in the AVA, called North Coast wines. Landmass-wise, Suisun Valley is three miles by eight miles, and about 20 percent of that is currently planted. Wine has been made here since 1860, making it one of the older wine regions in the state (the oldest is Madera County, near Yosemite).
USA Today readers valued the Suisun for its charm and its “commitment to community,” which includes developing agritourism with farm stands and events like concert series, and forming co-ops to help smaller winemakers pool resources.
Elsewhere in the outlet's top 10 list, fellow California regions including Paso Robles, Anderson Valley and Santa Barbara County were also highlighted.
Here are the 10 best wine regions in the U.S., per USA Today:
1. Suisun Valley, California
2. Rogue Valley, Oregon
3. Walla Walla Valley, Washington
4. Yakima Valley, Washington
5. Paso Robles, California
6. West Elks, Colorado
7. Anderson Valley, California
8. Lubbock, Texas
9. Texas Hill Country, Texas
10. Santa Barbara County, California